If you or someone in your household has had an allergic reaction, your new fabric softener may be to blame. Fabric softeners can be especially irritating to sensitive individuals because they remain on your clothes for an extended period of time....
A bubble containing fluid beneath the outer layer of skin is called a blister, or vesicle. Blisters may be caused by disease conditions, injuries or contact dermatitis such as poison ivy. If blisters on the foot are painful and interfere with...
Chilblains is a medical condition characterized by painful, inflamed sores on the skin caused by sudden warming after exposure to cold temperatures. This condition, also referred to as pernio, may cause additional symptoms such as itching,...
The flowers and roots of the arnica plant are used in herbal medicine and homeopathy to treat inflammation, sprains, infections and bruises. The most common use of arnica is topical, application of gel to the area being treated, although some use...
An ear infection (otitis media) is a common medical condition that occurs when infectious pathogens, such as bacteria or viruses, infiltrate the ear canal. Approximately 75 percent of children will have some type of ear infection before reaching...
A fungus causes the skin condition known as athlete's foot, which targets the foot area because of the warm, dark, humid conditions that support fungus growth. Locker room floors and showers also promote the growth of the athlete's foot fungus....
Shingles is the result of a viral infection called varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox, according to MayoClinic.com. Shingles causes painful rashes to develop on various area of your body; however, the most...
Jellyfish live in all of the world's oceans. Their trailing tentacles contain stinging units called nematocysts that can inject poison through human skin, causing burning pain, tingling or numbness, itching, and blisters. In more serious cases,...
Sumac rash is caused by urushiol oil, which produces an allergic reaction when it touches the skin. Wash the area using soap and warm water in order to get it off. If you have any anti-poison sumac medication, apply it as well. The sooner you do...
Poison ivy grows in the Midwest and on the East Coast of the United States and can be found in wet areas near leaves and streams. It can appear as a vine, as a standalone shrub or as a trailing shrub, depending on the environment. Its leaves tend...
Eczema is not a specific skin condition but is the name for a group of skin conditions characterized by swollen, irritated and itchy skin. The specific cause of each different type of eczema in not known but it tends to run in families suggesting...
Bedbugs hide in bed all day, but wake up at night to bite sleeping humans, usually on the face, neck, arms and hands, according to MayoClinic.com. About the size of an apple seed, these red-brown bugs cause itchy red spots on the skin, often with...
Arnica is a perennial plant with oval-shaped leaves and daisy-like flowers. Arnica grows 0.3 to 0.6 m and is often used in herbal remedies, according to Drugs.com. Often the flowers are used, but the roots and rhizomes are also added to tinctures....
Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, is a vitamin commonly found in animals and plants, as well as in supplemental form. Common foods with pantothenic acid include eggs, milk, grains and vegetables. Vitamin B5 helps the body use lipids,...
Despite its name, ringworm is not caused by a worm or other parasite; instead, it is caused by a fungal infection. It is characterized by red, circular patches on your skin, and can cause itching, blisters and temporary bald patches. Although diet...
Gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease, sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, occurs when your body cannot tolerate the gluten found in wheat, barley or rye. Gluten causes an autoimmune response in the body which damages the lining of...
Herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. The strain that affects the facial area is called type 1, or HSV-1. Type 2, or HSV-2, usually affects the genital area. Symptoms include pain, itching and blisters, and may last for...
Shingles is a painful skin condition, caused by the same virus that leads to the chicken pox. Shingles, however, occurs later in life, striking older adults. Symptoms associated with the shingles rash include burning, tingling, itching, blisters...
In addition to the more common threats posed by common allergens in the air or in foods, some people may also experience allergic reactions to silver or other metals. When an allergic individual comes into internal or external contact with such a...
In herbal medicine circles, arnica is a topical remedy for conditions such as sprains, muscle aches, bruises, swelling from fractures and inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis. Homeopathic practitioners also recommend taking arnica internally for...
Levofloxacin is the generic name of Levaquin, a prescription medication used in the treatment of many bacteriological infections. It is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, according to the Mayo Clinic, that both kills bacteria and prevents bacterial...
Spiriva is the brand name for the prescription drug tiotropium. According to Mayo Clinic, this medication belongs to a class of drugs known as bronchodilators. This type of medication decreases symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and shortness...
Arnica is a medicinal herb used for hundreds of years in Native American and European folk medicine. It is most often used topically to treat skin conditions such as acne or boils, as well as muscle aches and wounds. No solid scientific evidence...
The word "herpes" comes from the Greek word for creeping, which refers to the pattern that the herpes blisters form. According to the American Social Health Association, 50 to 80 percent of the adult population in the United States has...
"Look, but don't touch" is good advice when dealing with contact skin rashes. These uncomfortable episodes of itching, blisters and inflammation occur when the skin comes in contact with substances that are either irritants or allergens. There...
Appliances with greener technology make for a wider selection for consumers, high-efficiency washers being one of those such choices on the market. Not only do they make doing laundry a little more fun, but, alas, you feel you're saving the Earth....
If you're a teenager, you almost certainly have pimples or you're destined to get them. The American Academy of Dermatology, or AAD, reports that the overwhelming majority--some 85 percent--of Americans between 12 and 20 wind up getting acne each...
Yeast, or candida, is a micro-organism that exists in many people's bodies in normal amounts, without causing problems. Excessive yeast growth, however, can cause cracks, itching, blisters and discharge in the vagina, mouth, groin, throat or other...
Praised by many, tea tree oil has been used by the aboriginal people of Australia for hundreds of years as a natural treatment for a range of diseases and health conditions. The oil essence is collected from the long, slender leaves of the tea...
Photosensitivity is an abnormal sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light, usually following exposure to certain oral or topical drugs or to other sensitizing chemicals and resulting in accelerated burning and blistering of the skin. Learn...
