Nervous dermatitis is a chronic skin disease in which the characteristic clinical picture develops after severe stress or emotional experience. If the nervous system is constantly under tension, the functioning of all internal systems is disrupted. Skin is litmus paper; it reflects the general condition of the body. The functionally weakened action of the cerebral cortex leads to the formation of sharp degenerative processes, which manifest themselves in the form of a rash, swelling, and severe itching on the skin.
Causes and provoking factors for nervous dermatitis
During stress, the human body intensively produces hormones that provoke a weakening of the hydrolipidic mantle of the dermis, expansion of capillaries, and a decrease in the barrier function of the skin. When the limit of calm increases, metabolism is disrupted, inflammatory processes intensify, and if a person has a high threshold of skin sensitivity, he develops dermatitis due to nervousness.
The pathological state of the nervous system in this case acts as a catalyst: the brain sends impulses to all tissues and internal organs. They also enter the nerve endings located in the epidermal layer. Their irritation becomes the cause of exacerbation of a chronic dermatological disease.
Nerve dermatitis is not an allergy. A true allergic reaction is based on the release of histamine, a biologically active substance responsible for transmitting impulses from nerve cell to neuron or from neuron to tissue. If any irritant (food pathogen, dust particles, medicinal compound, preservative) enters the body, a sharp release of histamine into the blood occurs. This leads to the appearance of a characteristic triad (itching, redness of the skin, rash). Identifying the source of the allergic reaction, eliminating it and taking antihistamines helps to quickly stop the attack.
Nervous dermatitis is not the result of histamine release, but a special reaction of the body to high stress placed on the nervous system. Not all, but many, when under stress, break out in red spots and a rash similar to hives. Unlike allergies, symptoms of stress can just as suddenly disappear on their own as they appeared.
The trigger mechanism can be:
- genetic predisposition;
- protracted illnesses associated with inflammatory processes;
- pathologies of the endocrine system;
- hormonal changes;
- long-term physical activity;
- long-term use of medications;
- low ability to withstand stress;
- frequent depression;
- psychological discomfort;
- hard mental work.
The disease equally affects women and men; those at risk are workers in mental labor and chemical enterprises, people with a creative mind, patients in psychiatric clinics, and children experiencing constant psychological pressure.
Causes of white spots on the skin.
When there is insufficient production of melanin in the body, the skin begins to discolor and white spots appear.
Doctors divide the causes of the appearance of such spots into several groups:
- Internal.
- External.
Each is characterized by certain symptoms.
The first group includes:
- Autoimmune disorders.
- Hereditary characteristics.
- Kidney diseases.
- Gastrointestinal diseases.
- Hormonal levels are disrupted.
- Fungal diseases.
- Improper functioning of the thyroid gland.
- Viruses.
- Avitaminosis.
- Stress.
External reasons are:
- Injuries.
- High sensitivity to various irritants.
- Harmful work when you have to constantly come into contact with toxic substances.
- Long exposure to direct sunlight.
- Passion for tanning.
Symptoms and signs of nervous dermatitis
There are a number of diagnostic criteria that allow differentiating dermatitis due to nerves from dermatitis that is allergic in nature. This is a combination of skin manifestations and symptoms of a depressed emotional state.
At the slightest stress, a red rash appears on the patient's body. Its formation is accompanied by severe itching. When it becomes chronic, the rash transforms into a hard crust that constantly itches and flakes severely. The danger of this condition is that the patient always has a desire to scratch the affected area. Scratching causes the attachment of a bacterial component. In this case, painful pustules appear on the body.
A person suffering from dermatitis due to nerves sleeps poorly, loses appetite, and loses a lot of weight. He may complain of general fatigue, fatigue. Over time, he develops apathy. All this affects his performance and depresses his psychological state. Against this background, pathological manifestations worsen. The circle closes. In this case, symptoms and treatment are not interrelated concepts: without stabilizing the functioning of the nervous system, it is useless to treat skin manifestations.
Due to weakening of the nervous system, various forms of dermatitis can develop. Based on the localization of the pathological process, the following forms of the disease are distinguished.
| Form name | Features of manifestation |
| Diffuse | Only the skin of the face, arms and legs is involved in the pathological process |
| Limited | One area is covered with a red rash |
| Hypertrophic | A rash forms in the groin, the disease disrupts the functioning of the genitourinary system |
| Linear | Skin manifestations appear on the legs and are located in a straight line |
| Follicular | Affected area: scalp |
| Psoriasimorphic | Lesions appear on the skin of the face and scalp, inside which the skin becomes covered with small scales and becomes similar to lichen plaques |
Diagnostics
If white spots appear, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. As a result of the survey, the doctor will determine the cause of their occurrence.
Usually the appearance of spots is caused by:
- Pre-existing illnesses.
- Cosmetics.
- Products.
The doctor then examines the patient. For a more accurate study, dermatoscopy is performed. In other words, a visual examination, but with the help of special equipment - a dermatoscope, which magnifies the image several times.
To diagnose spots, a scraping is taken, which allows you to examine the damaged skin under high magnification.
Using scraping, it is determined what type of disease it is:
To determine the microbial nature, bacteriological culture is done. A smear allows you to diagnose pyoderma and accurately name its type.
The patient must donate blood. The leukocyte formula will help determine the allergic nature of the disease. The analysis will show a high level of eosinophils. With an inflammatory nature, the number of leukocytes increases sharply.
If it is difficult to establish the correct diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe additional consultations with other specialists:
- Examination by a venereologist.
- Gastroenterologist.
- Endocrinologist.
- Oncologist.
Such consultations are rarely required. They are contacted in case of a negative result with conventional treatment.
Principles of treatment of nervous dermatitis
If nervous dermatitis is diagnosed, treating the symptoms is a simple process. To do this, you can use traditional and folk practices.
Drug therapy
It is important to carry out drug therapy with the assistance of a psychotherapist. Otherwise, the treatment will not be completed in full. This will contribute to the transition of the pathology to a chronic form. Then any instability of the psyche will give impetus to another, stronger than before, exacerbation.
Often therapeutic regimens include:
- Sedatives of natural origin (in severe cases, tranquilizers are used). They normalize the functioning of the nervous system and stabilize it. In this way, the provoking factor of dermatitis is eliminated.
- Antihistamines. They help eliminate itching, swelling and redness of the skin.
- Solutions, creams and ointments with antiseptic properties.
It is useful to walk more in the fresh air: this will provide the necessary physical activity, which will allow you to take your mind off negative thoughts.
Traditional medicine recipes
To enhance the therapeutic effect of drug therapy, traditional medicine is actively used.
To normalize the nervous system, patients are advised to:
- take cranberry juice, tinctures of valerian, motherwort, decoctions of St. John's wort and fireweed;
- apply in the form of applications and lotions external products prepared from raw potato pulp, grape leaves, young leaves of the walnut tree and laurel bush;
- conduct aromatherapy sessions using lavender, anise, jasmine, and sandalwood oils.
Medicines for nerves of plant origin act slowly, but they all have an accumulation effect, so properly selected therapy allows you to achieve stable remission.
Phytotherapy
The symptoms of many skin diseases can be relieved or reduced with simple home remedies. Before using even the most harmless herbal decoctions, you should consult a dermatologist.
According to patient reviews, the following traditional medicines effectively eliminate the symptoms of neurodermatitis:
Rules for treating dermatitis with folk remedies
- Take in equal parts: chamomile, horsetail, birch leaf, celandine, knotweed, burdock leaf. Add 200 ml of boiling water to 1 tablespoon of raw materials. After leaving for 2 hours, filter the product and wipe the problem areas three times a day.
- Pour boiling water over a glass of birch buds so that the raw material is completely covered with water, leave for 20 minutes and squeeze. Rub itchy areas as needed.
- Grind burdock root and pour 1 tablespoon of raw material with a glass of boiling water. Boil the mixture for 15 minutes, leave for 2 hours. Take 30 ml orally three times a day.
- For nervous dermatitis, baths with the addition of sea salt are effective. Before the procedure, you need to dissolve 100 g of salt in 2 liters of water, and then add the resulting solution to a bath with warm water. Take four times a week for 20-30 minutes.
Significant progress in the treatment of neurodermatitis can only be achieved with an integrated approach and adherence to a healthy lifestyle.
Ways to prevent relapse of the disease
Any skin pathology always develops against the background of decreased immunity, so it is important to constantly stimulate the body’s defenses. It is necessary to provide adequate nutrition and exclude from the menu foods that have a stimulating effect on the nervous system (alcohol, strong tea, coffee).
To prevent relapses of nervous dermatitis, specialists recommend that their patients do not overload themselves physically and emotionally, get more rest, and get a good night’s sleep (when sleep duration is less than seven hours, the nervous system wears out).
Sometimes, to prevent illness, you need to completely reconsider your life, change your daily routine, eliminate stress and anxiety, and learn to relieve nervous tension. Sanatorium treatment helps a lot.
After severe stress, white spots may appear on the skin
A reader from Odessa sent an e-mail with photographs in which extensive light spots are visible on the man’s back. “My husband has the same spots on his chest, wings of the nose, temples, and chin. Treatment with ointments prescribed by the doctor does not help. What to do?" - asks Tamara.
We asked a doctor of the highest category, dermatologist of the territorial medical association “Dermatovenereology” in Kiev, Honored Doctor of Ukraine, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Irina Medvedeva, .
“Judging by the photographs, one can suspect vitiligo, or, as it is also called, white spot disease,” explains Irina Ivanovna. - This is a complex neuroendocrine disorder of pigment formation. Unfortunately, the tendency to develop spots is genetically determined and inherited.
— Can vitiligo appear due to stress?
- Yes, but nervous overstrain is a provoking moment that can awaken dormant vitiligo. Also, a malfunction of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas can lead to the appearance of white spots on the skin. Therefore, we recommend that such patients be examined by a gastroenterologist.
- Why is there no effect from ointments?
— Vitiligo, unfortunately, is very difficult to treat, and besides, the patient may not have been thoroughly examined. In Odessa, you can contact the city or regional skin and venereal disease clinics, as well as the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases of the Odessa Medical University, where knowledgeable and competent specialists work. But there is no guarantee that the patient undergoing treatment will not develop new spots.
- What to do?
— To prevent stains from being noticeable, you can make a camouflage tattoo with beige pigment. Patients suffering from vitiligo should minimize exposure to the sun. Under the influence of sunlight, healthy skin tans and white spots appear more clearly.
— Where do they get this kind of tattoo?
- In tattoo parlors. Today there is a whole direction - corrective and camouflage tattooing. When looking for a tattoo specialist, you need to pay attention to the professional training of the artist, confirmed by a certificate. Pigments for tattooing must also be certified. It is better for the master to use disposable tools. The sanitary condition of the salon or clinic is important. You must take care of your health and safety yourself.
