Rheumatoid arthritis itching attacks: Causes and relief tips – Medical News Today

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sometimes experience itchy skin. This may be due to the condition itself, the medications they are taking, or another condition, such as eczema. Switching medications with a doctors approval may be an option. Home remedies can also provide relief.

RA is an autoimmune condition that primarily causes inflammation and pain in the joints.

RA can also sometimes cause skin problems, including itchiness. This may be related to RA itself or to other factors, including medications.

Learn about the causes of itching in people with RA, along with some tips for prevention and relief.

People with RA often experience symptoms including:

RA can also affect other areas of the body, including the skin.

For example, some people with RA report itchy skin. Rashes are uncommon in RA, but a person does not need to have a rash to have itchy skin.

The causes of chronic itch are generally poorly understood.

For people with RA, it can be difficult to determine the exact cause of itching. Some possible explanations include:

Hives (urticaria) appear as red or dark welts on the skin. They often itch. If symptoms last for longer than 6 weeks, doctors tend to consider it chronic hives.

Some research suggests that people with autoimmune conditions such as RA have a higher risk of developing chronic hives.

In people with an autoimmune condition, hives may be due to an overactive immune system that attacks healthy tissues.

One study of more than 12,000 people found that chronic urticaria was strongly associated with autoimmune conditions. Females with chronic hives were found to have a higher incidence of RA.

Itchy skin may be due to a number of medications.

For example, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can cause an itchy, measles-like rash in some people. NSAIDS can also make hives worse.

Doctors sometimes prescribe biologic medications to treat RA. These can also cause itchiness in some people.

Sometimes, stopping an RA medication that was controlling an inflammatory skin condition can cause a rash to appear.

People who have eczema, or atopic dermatitis, experience red, scaly, itchy skin that sometimes blisters over and weeps fluids.

Eczema is another type of autoimmune condition. In people with eczema, the immune system goes into overdrive when an irritant or allergen triggers it. This causes inflammation and skin symptoms.

Some researchers have found that RA is more common in people with inflammatory conditions, including eczema.

The skin condition psoriasis can lead to psoriatic arthritis (PsA). RA and PsA symptoms are similar, which can make it difficult for doctors to tell the difference between the two conditions.

Also, they sometimes incorrectly diagnose psoriasis as eczema. As a consequence, some people receive a diagnosis of RA and eczema when they really have PsA, and vice versa.

A dermatologist can help determine whether a rash is due to eczema or psoriasis. Diagnosis often involves a blood test, and it sometimes involves a skin biopsy.

A person should always talk with a doctor to determine the potential cause and best treatment for itching.

General guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to prevent itchy skin include:

If a doctor determines that a medication is causing itching, they may recommend a different treatment.

For some people with RA, tofacitinib may help treat chronic itch. Tofacitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor that doctors sometimes prescribe to treat RA or PsA.

A 2019 study in five people with RA who experienced chronic itching and had no known dermatological conditions found that they reported significant improvements in their overall levels of itching while taking this drug. More research is necessary to confirm these findings.

A person should never stop or change their medications without consulting a doctor first. Stopping medications prescribed for RA can impact the disease course and may even worsen skin symptoms.

Simple home remedies can help many cases of itchy skin. The AAD recommend the following tips:

RA can affect multiple areas of the body, including the skin. People with RA may experience itchy skin due to the condition itself, certain RA medications, or other chronic conditions, such as eczema.

Home remedies may provide some relief from itching. Also, changing medications may be an option with a doctors approval.

Read more here:
Rheumatoid arthritis itching attacks: Causes and relief tips - Medical News Today