How to treat erythema nodosum

In recent years, the incidence of erythema nodosum has continued to increase among young and middle-aged women. Although the clinical manifestations of most patients are relatively mild, such as occasional darkening of the skin on the thighs, neck, etc., the common color change is dark red, and a considerable number of erythema nodosum appear on the sides of the calves. So once similar erythema symptoms appear, how do we deal with and treat them?

1. Systemic treatment

(1) Find the cause and provide appropriate treatment. During the acute phase, you can rest in bed, elevate the affected limb, and avoid cold and strenuous labor. For those with obvious infection foci, antibiotics can be used in combination.

(2) For patients with more severe pain, oral analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as indomethacin (Indomethacin) and ibuprofen, can be taken. For those with obvious infection, give antibiotics. In severe cases, corticosteroids, such as prednisone (Kedison) or betamethasone/betamethasone dipropionate (Diprosone), can be given by intramuscular injection once every 3 weeks to quickly control the disease. In addition, 10% potassium iodide mixture can be used, 3 times a day, for 2 to 4 weeks.

This method is safe and effective, but it should be noted that long-term use may lead to hypothyroidism. For patients with stubborn illness, hydroxychloroquine and dapsone can be used, or the Chinese medicine Tripterygium wilfordii tablets or Kunming Shanhaisu tablets can be taken. Systemic treatment can also be done with ultraviolet light, wax therapy, diathermy or audio-frequency electrotherapy.

2. Local treatment

The principles of local treatment are anti-inflammatory and analgesic. For external use, fish boron ointment, 10% camphor ointment or 75% alcohol local wet compress can be used. In addition, corticosteroid ointment can be applied externally to relieve pain. You can also inject about 0.3 ml of triamcinolone suspension added to 2% procaine solution into the skin lesions, which has a significant effect on those with persistent and severe pain in the nodules.

The above is a relatively mature treatment plan for patients with erythema nodosum. For systemic treatment, high-intensity activities should be avoided. Also, pay attention to keeping warm and avoid catching cold, and use ultraviolet rays regularly to control and relieve the symptoms. Of course, for local treatment, certain plasters, such as camphor plaster, can quickly reduce pain, and it is also very important for removing inflammation.