A rash while working out will usually be a pattern of sporadic red bumps, such as with heat rash. However, a red circular rash on your back may indicate Lyme disease, contact dermatitis or eczema. Consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Identification
If your rash is associated with Lyme disease, the rash will resemble a bulls-eye. Unlike most rashes, the bulls-eye rash is not itchy or painful, but it may be warm to touch. In combination with the bulls-eye rash, you may feel excessively tired, have a headache, experience aching in your large joints and notice paralysis on one or both sides of your face. Contact dermatitis often resembles a burn that's swollen, itchy and red. Eczema occurs in red patches of small and itchy bumps.
Causes
Lyme disease is caused by a bite from a deer tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia Burgdorferi. If you exercise on a trail in wooded areas or areas with high grass, you increase your risk of this disease. Ticks are most active during the warmer months between April and September. Contact dermatitis is caused by your skin becoming irritated after being exposed to a substance that causes an allergic reaction. If you exercise outdoors, you may have come in contact with a plant that irritated your skin, such as poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. The cause of eczema is unknown; however, this rash usually appears in people with asthma or that have family members with asthma or hay fever. Sweating and rapid temperature changes can worsen eczema, which would make it more noticeable while working out.
Treatments
If you notice a bulls-eye rash, you'll need a blood test to diagnose Lyme disease and then antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Always take antibiotics as prescribed and for the full duration even if the rash and other symptoms disappear sooner. If you have contact dermatitis, wash the area thoroughly with water and apply a corticosteroid cream to reduce inflammation. Apply a wet dressing and anti-itch lotion to the rash. Apply the same creams and anti-itch lotion for eczema. An oral anti-histamine may also be needed when you exercise to keep your immune system from releasing histamines. Phototherapy is another option for eczema.
Prevention
In most cases, a tick must remain attached to your skin for 36 to 48 hours before Lyme disease can be transferred from tick to human. After exercising outdoors, promptly take a shower and then check yourself thoroughly for ticks. Have someone else check areas that are difficult for you to see, such as your hair and back. Use tweezers to remove a tick and then thoroughly clean the area. Avoid exercising in wooded areas, especially during warmer months. If you prefer trails, always walk in the center of the trail. Treat your clothes with permethrin and wear a repellant with 20 percent or more DEET. Avoid irritating or poisonous plants while exercising outdoors by wearing protective clothing. To keep eczema from worsening, exercise in an air-conditioned area and wear lose-fitting cotton clothing.
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