Exercise-induced pruritus?
December 19, 2011 6:44 PM Subscribe
Sometimes, right before I start to sweat, I experience a temporary but intense itching sensation, to the point where I'd describe it more as a painful pricking feeling. Does anyone else have or know of this problem? Copious but not excessive information after the jump.
The pricking sensation covers almost my entire head and torso, particularly my scalp, the small of my back, and right under my breast. It very rarely extends to my groin, legs, or arms, although on a few times it has touched my deltoids..
A necessary but not sufficient condition seems to be mild exercise. I've never noticed it while cycling or lifting, but it often happens if I walk vigorously or do something low-intensity like push-ups or static holds. (E.g., last summer I would ride fifteen miles each way to work without any trouble, but then walk to the grocery store and itch like mad.) The feeling seems to come right when I'm about to start sweating. It usually lasts five to fifteen minutes, and goes away if I grit my teeth and ignore it long enough.
It doesn't seem to matter whether I stop or continue exercising once it starts. I don't remember it ever happening if I sweat because the room is warm (e.g., in summer). Scratching feels good somehow but doesn't actually lessen or shorten the feeling. There's no visible difference between itching and non-itching skin. It doesn't seem to correlate at all with how recently I've washed or what I'm wearing or what I've smeared on my skin recently. I'm pretty sure I'm not hosting any lice or fleas or bedbugs.
I don't think it's exercise urticaria because it does go away on its own after a while, because it only happens on certain types of exercise, and because it never progresses to hives or anything.
This seems a bit too trivial to warrant a doctor's visit, but it does annoy me often. Does anyone have any idea what's going on?
The pricking sensation covers almost my entire head and torso, particularly my scalp, the small of my back, and right under my breast. It very rarely extends to my groin, legs, or arms, although on a few times it has touched my deltoids..
A necessary but not sufficient condition seems to be mild exercise. I've never noticed it while cycling or lifting, but it often happens if I walk vigorously or do something low-intensity like push-ups or static holds. (E.g., last summer I would ride fifteen miles each way to work without any trouble, but then walk to the grocery store and itch like mad.) The feeling seems to come right when I'm about to start sweating. It usually lasts five to fifteen minutes, and goes away if I grit my teeth and ignore it long enough.
It doesn't seem to matter whether I stop or continue exercising once it starts. I don't remember it ever happening if I sweat because the room is warm (e.g., in summer). Scratching feels good somehow but doesn't actually lessen or shorten the feeling. There's no visible difference between itching and non-itching skin. It doesn't seem to correlate at all with how recently I've washed or what I'm wearing or what I've smeared on my skin recently. I'm pretty sure I'm not hosting any lice or fleas or bedbugs.
I don't think it's exercise urticaria because it does go away on its own after a while, because it only happens on certain types of exercise, and because it never progresses to hives or anything.
This seems a bit too trivial to warrant a doctor's visit, but it does annoy me often. Does anyone have any idea what's going on?
If you don't think it's worth making a special trip to your doctor, track your symptoms (what happens, when it happens, what you're doing, what you're eating, what you're wearing, etc.) and bring it up at your next annual checkup. If it's not a burdensome problem, there may be a simple fix.
posted by elizeh at 6:59 PM on December 19, 2011
posted by elizeh at 6:59 PM on December 19, 2011
This happens if I run for exercise. Someone who saw me scratching my legs said that it was because of the increase of blood flow, and that it would get better as I exercised more frequently -- and it did.
posted by Houstonian at 7:15 PM on December 19, 2011
posted by Houstonian at 7:15 PM on December 19, 2011
You should be able to rule out exercise urticaria pretty easily, take an antihistamine before you do exercises that trigger the sensation and see if it changes anything.
posted by TungstenChef at 7:55 PM on December 19, 2011
posted by TungstenChef at 7:55 PM on December 19, 2011
Are you usually exercising somewhere cold or brisk? This happens to me, but I feel it on my legs, arms, and sometimes my back. Most consistently, it happens when I run outside. It starts a few minutes after I start running, then it usually fades from my attention about it ten minutes later. This has also happened to me indoors when doing bodyweight exercises or running on treadmills.
It's been explained to me that it's caused by the difference between the temperature of your skin's surface and the surrounding air. Once you've started exercising for a bit, you've warmed up the air between your clothes and skin, so the sensation goes away. I don't know if this is the real cause, but it sounds plausible.
Regardless, it sounds very similar to a sensation I get and have gotten for years, with no adverse effects, other than annoyance.
posted by ignignokt at 8:19 PM on December 19, 2011
It's been explained to me that it's caused by the difference between the temperature of your skin's surface and the surrounding air. Once you've started exercising for a bit, you've warmed up the air between your clothes and skin, so the sensation goes away. I don't know if this is the real cause, but it sounds plausible.
Regardless, it sounds very similar to a sensation I get and have gotten for years, with no adverse effects, other than annoyance.
posted by ignignokt at 8:19 PM on December 19, 2011
take an antihistamine before you do exercises that trigger the sensation and see if it changes anything.
I've had decent luck with H2 blockers (Zantac, Prilosec, etc), which seem to match the histamine better for me, with the added bonus of not being zombiefying.
posted by rhizome at 11:26 PM on December 19, 2011
I've had decent luck with H2 blockers (Zantac, Prilosec, etc), which seem to match the histamine better for me, with the added bonus of not being zombiefying.
posted by rhizome at 11:26 PM on December 19, 2011
I used to get that. As it occurred most frequently in the early days of summer (before every day was sweaty-hot) and I had oily, acne-prone skin, I've always thought it was the sweat pores swelling until their internal pressure overcame a blockage.
I think clearing up the skin with diet and/or medication (also having a shower head that could put out a decent pressure jet) helped alleviate the problem.
posted by Tzarius at 12:57 AM on December 20, 2011
I think clearing up the skin with diet and/or medication (also having a shower head that could put out a decent pressure jet) helped alleviate the problem.
posted by Tzarius at 12:57 AM on December 20, 2011
I always get this when I exercise heavily-- usually running, just before the heavy sweat breaks out. My scalp, my legs and back. I just always assumed it was normal.
posted by amusebuche at 3:00 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by amusebuche at 3:00 AM on December 20, 2011
I had similar symptoms a long time ago, lasting a couple of months. I cured it by using an exfoliating scrub in the shower a few times. It went away fairly quickly and hasn't returned.
posted by cincinnatus c at 3:58 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by cincinnatus c at 3:58 AM on December 20, 2011
This happens to me when I let myself get too dehydrated, I've chalked it up to dry, easily irritated skin.
posted by knave at 4:58 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by knave at 4:58 AM on December 20, 2011
I get this too. I have very sensitive skin a many food intolerances. It happens most when:
1) I haven't sweated in a while
2) I haven't been on my restrictive diet
3) I have just finished a course of antibiotics.
I'm assuming that that first sweat is 'sweating out the toxins' and aggravating my skin. Once I have sweated a good bit, it doesn't happen unless I do 2 or 3.
If it really bothers you, I would suggest going to a steam room (take a friend with you if is your first time) and really sweat everything out.
Then pay attention to when it happens again and think back to what you have put in your body that is different (certain food, medication, half a bottle of tequila...)
posted by myselfasme at 6:28 AM on December 20, 2011
1) I haven't sweated in a while
2) I haven't been on my restrictive diet
3) I have just finished a course of antibiotics.
I'm assuming that that first sweat is 'sweating out the toxins' and aggravating my skin. Once I have sweated a good bit, it doesn't happen unless I do 2 or 3.
If it really bothers you, I would suggest going to a steam room (take a friend with you if is your first time) and really sweat everything out.
Then pay attention to when it happens again and think back to what you have put in your body that is different (certain food, medication, half a bottle of tequila...)
posted by myselfasme at 6:28 AM on December 20, 2011
I also get this. I'll be watching this thread with interest.
posted by knapah at 7:20 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by knapah at 7:20 AM on December 20, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hepta at 6:53 PM on December 19, 2011 [1 favorite]