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Common allergens include nuts, shellfish, and latex.
Since such a reaction may become life-threatening, you should seek medical attention at once.
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When this happens, you may also have symptoms like muscle pain and a low-grade fever.
If you experience a rash after taking a new medication, contact your healthcare provider right away.
In rare cases, this can indicateStevens-Johnson syndrome, a life-threatening reaction.
Autoimmune Disease
Cutaneous lupus erythematosusis an autoimmune condition that affects the skin.
One of the symptoms is a maculopapular rash.
Other symptoms include sores in the mouth, fever, sore throat, and loss of appetite.
Measles
Early symptoms of measles include high fever, cough, and red, watery eyes.
The rash usually appears three to five days after the other symptoms appear.
The rash then spreads down to the feet.
Scarlet Fever
This infection is sparked by the same bacteria that causes strep throat.
It usually begins with a sore throat and fever.
A maculopapular rash typically appears a day or two after the other symptoms.
A scarlet fever rash typically has very fine bumps that may feel like sandpaper.
This is part ofacute retroviral syndrome, the flu-like symptoms that newly infected individuals sometimes exhibit.
The rash may resolve after a couple of weeks.
Your provider will perform a full physical examination that includes a close look at your skin.
Sometimes the characteristics of a maculopapular rash can help identify the cause.
For example:
Blood or urine tests can help with diagnosis.
If there is a concern aboutanaphylaxisa full-body, potentially life-threatening allergic reactionyou will immediately be treated withepinephrine.
Allergic rashes or rashes due to an environmental cause may also be treated with a topical anti-inflammatory ortopical steroid.
Systemic steroids or NSAIDs may be recommended or prescribed in some situations.
A rash that is triggered by an infection may be treated with antibiotics if the infection is bacterial.
Viral infections are not treated with antibiotics; sometimes they are treated with an antiviral medication.
Depending on the cause of your maculopapular rash, you may need other treatments as well.
This rash can be itchy or uncomfortable, but it is usually treatable.
In some cases, it will simply go away on its own.
The diagnosis is often made with consideration of timing, exposures, other symptoms, and physical examination.
In some instances, diagnostic tests are needed, too.
Treatment will be determined by the underlying cause of the rash.
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