Rash that moves around my body

[LeoTR]

Hi everyone. At least a few times a year, I get a rash on my skin that moves from my head to my feet and then back up to my head, and then back down to my feet, and continues this pattern until it fades away.

The symptoms usually begin with a sudden need to go to the bathroom with an unexpected case of diarrhoea. Shortly afterwards I will notice a slight itchiness around my backside and crotch area. My tongue seems to get very sensitive and it feels like my teeth are very very sharp. My eyes will start to itch, and my arm pits will also become itchy. Depending on the severity of the rash, either my scalp or feet will become very itchy. The skin takes a slight mottling appearance, but apart from feeling like the skin is drawn tight over my feet (or hands) nothing looks notably unordinary. As the intensity of the itchiness increases, the itchiness of the rash begins to move. If it begins at my feet, the itchiness will start up my legs, into my knee area and onto my thighs. By the time the rash has reached my knees, the itchiness on my feet has gone. The rash will move up around my crotch area and lower back, and the itchiness in my legs will subside. As the rash moves up my back and chest, the itchiness around my crotch will subside. Eventually it will reach my upper chest and spread down through my arms and hands. The rash will then move from my upper chest and arms onto my face and scalp. The rash will remain on my head for a minute or two, and then pass down my body in a reverse of the rash moving up my body. The rash will "congregate" at my feet again, wait maybe a minute and then move back up my body. The time that this rash exists depends on the intensity. I have had cases where I have spent hours in bed at night cramped up and trying not to scratch my skin with the rash moving up and down my body repeatedly. Other times I have felt the onset of the rash and it moves up my body once and then fades away. Whether it is a severe or mild occurrence, the rash will eventually fade away as it moves more and more times up and down my body. The movement of the rash may concentrate at my scalp or on my feet for the first time.  I have suffered this rash for approximately ten years, although I don’t think I have had more than a few dozen attacks during those years.
About myself, I am a 39 year old Australian Caucasian male in good physical health with a low BMI. I have never taken drugs, I don’t smoke, and except for one mild case, I had not consumed alcohol prior to the bouts. I have worked in developing countries for the last 15 years, yet I have experienced the rash while travelling in the USA, visiting a MacDonalds in Europe, visiting an Indian restaurant in Australia, and twice while on a minesite in South America, and then numerous mild occurrences in general day to day situations.
I am presuming that I am allergic to something given that the rash seems to always appear after a sudden need to go to the bathroom, yet I have never read or heard about a rash that doesn’t spread across the body, but actually moves across the body.
If anyone has heard or seen a similar experience, I would be very interested in what you have learnt.

Thanks very much, Tony.

[Missloving]

I have the same symptoms that you have and it is driving me crazy! The itching is traveling up my body as I type.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
You seem to be having hives (urticaria). Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They have a tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.
The mainstay of treatment of hives is antihistamine which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks). Take non-sedating antihistamines such as Cetirizine(Zyrtec)or  Loratadine(Claritin) may be needed to get symptom relief. Sedating antihistamines such as Chlorphenamine(Benadryl)are used at night to get urticaria control. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms.You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement.Application of calamine lotion is also helpful.

If the symptoms persist, then you can consult an immunologist. He may start with immunosuppressive drugs.If the hives don’t go after 6 wks of treatment also, then it can be a case of chronic urticaria which needs further evaluation as it may be due to auto antibodies.
Hope it helps. Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.