Scabies Symptoms & Treatments

By jolene

Article Sources

Medical Expert

More About Us

Scabies is the infestation of your skin by a mite known as Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis. The scabies mite is so small it is better seen using a microscope. It burrows under the upper layer of your skin while living and laying its eggs there. This infestation can be found worldwide and affect all individuals regardless of age, race, or social class. Globally, there are millions of scabies cases every year! In crowded conditions such as nursing homes, prisons, child care facilities, and extended care facilities where there is frequent close body or skin contact, scabies can spread very fast.

The scabies mite is spread through skin to skin contact via a person who has scabies. In individuals who have never had scabies, the symptoms may take four to six weeks before it begins. It is crucial to remember that in this time (even before symptoms), this person can spread scabies. In individuals who have had scabies, symptoms appear much faster, as soon as one to four days after there is exposure.

Let’s have a look at 5 scabies symptoms followed by 5 scabies treatments.

Symptom #1: Pruritus

Pruritus is a medical term that describes intense itching. In scabies, when the human itch mite burrows under the top layer of skin, the skin reacts to the presence of the mite and its eggs, causing the development of an itchy rash. The itchiness peaks at night and can be so intense that the affected individual is unable to sleep.

The commonest sites where the rash and itching occur are the wrist, armpit, webs between the fingers, elbow, nipple, waist, belt line, penis and buttocks. The itching is aggravated by warmth. Itchiness as a symptom of scabies infestation is less often in the elderly.