Chilblains: Difference between revisions
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*Mild but uncomfortable inflammatory lesions of skin | *Mild but uncomfortable inflammatory lesions of skin | ||
**Caused by long-term intermittent exposure to damp, nonfreezing ambient temperatures | **Caused by long-term intermittent exposure to damp, nonfreezing ambient temperatures | ||
**Symptoms precipitated by acute exposure to cold | |||
*Primarily a disease of women and children | *Primarily a disease of women and children | ||
Revision as of 15:27, 25 August 2015
Background
- Mild but uncomfortable inflammatory lesions of skin
- Caused by long-term intermittent exposure to damp, nonfreezing ambient temperatures
- Symptoms precipitated by acute exposure to cold
- Primarily a disease of women and children
Clinical Features
- Hands, ears, lower legs, feet most commonly affected
- Symptoms
- Tingling, numbness, pruritus, burning paresthesias
- Cutaneous manifestations appear up to 12hr after acute exposure:
- Localized edema, erythema, cyanosis, plaques, nodules
- May progress in rare cases to ulcerations, vesicles, and bullae
- Rewarming may result in formation of tender blue nodules which may persist for days
Differential Diagnosis
Cold injuries
- Generalized
- Freezing
- Non-freezing
Diagnosis
- Usually clinical
Treatment
- Affected skin should be rewarmed, gently bandaged, and elevated
- Nifedipine 20mg PO TID may be helpful as both prophylactic and therapeutic tx
- Topical corticosteroids and oral steroid burst have been shown to be useful