Bumps On Elbows
What Can Cause Bumps On Your Elbows?
A condition in which you discover bumps on your elbows is not terribly common, yet does happen. There can be any number of causes or reasons behind the condition, sometimes making a course of treatment difficult to establish. If the condition persists, a dermatologist would be in the best position to give the correct diagnosis and plan an appropriate program of treatment.
There are several factors that can contribute to elbow problems. Bumps on your elbows can occur in response to a dry skin condition, the elbows, like the knees, are particularly subject to dryness and scaling. Unless you constantly wear long sleeves, your elbows naturally come into contact with a number of different materials in the course of a day, making them susceptible to what is called contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is brought on by an allergic reaction to something your elbows may have come into contact with. There are also some skin disorders that favor local parts of the body, at times this may be the elbows, though in many cases no one knows exactly why this happens.
Infections And Allergies - As one example, bumps on your elbows can result from a viral infection. Viral infections often strike a local area of the body, causing inflammation, blisters, rashes and bumps. The condition may last for a few days and then go as mysteriously as it came, never to return. A rash, with resultant bumps, can be the result of any number of things. The cause of the rash may be a fungal or bacterial infection or there may not be an infection involved. A form of eczema, atopic dermatitis is one of the more common causes of rashes and bumps. It is a hereditary skin condition often affecting children and often showing its presence in the elbows or knees. Atopic dermatitis is often associated with one or another type of allergy. Foods, cosmetics, and detergents can often bring on this condition, which may manifest itself as blisters or bumps on your elbows.
Psoriasis - Psoriasis is a skin disorder which often affects parts of the body where dry skin accumulates. Oily skin can be affected as well, but dry skin seems to be much more susceptible to this disorder. The symptoms of psoriasis are the presence of red scaly bumps or patches, often on the elbows and knees. Psoriasis tends to be chronic, and the condition comes and goes. Applying moisturizer to the elbows is often helpful. Stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption all have a tendency to aggravate a psoriasis outbreak. Treatment is available, but often is a long term situation due to the chronic nature of psoriasis attacks.
Dermatitis Herpetiformis - Possibly the most common cause of bumps on your elbows is a condition known as Dermatitis herpetiformis. This is another chronic condition, but is more easily treated than is the case with eczema or psoriasis. While not always confined to the elbows, the elbows are frequently the target of this skin disorder. The symptom is a presence of bumps or blisters filled with a watery fluid. The condition is not related to herpes as the name might suggest. It strikes men and women equally, primarily those in their mid teens up until middle age. The bumps or blisters, which can be up to half an inch across, are usually accompanied by itching, which at times can be quite severe. Dapsone is the drug of choice for treatment and is normally very effective.
Whenever itching accompanies bumps on your elbows, your first line of defense might be an over the counter anti-itch medicine. If itching continues, and the need to scratch becomes overwhelming, a doctor should be consulted, as excessive scratching can easily lead to a skin infection.