A Simple Guide To Miliaria, (Prickly Heat) Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Miliaria (Prickly Heat), Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

In the Singapore Army, the standard issue is a Prickly Heat Talcum powder bottle to be kept in the backpack to be applied to prevent miliaria occurrences.
It is also used as cold dry bath when the soldier is outfield and has no water for bathing.
It helps to prevent heat exhaustion.
In fact in a tropical climate such as Singapore with its heat and humidity, we are always trying to find way to cool ourselves down with air-conditioners, fans and lots of iced water.
Many of us including myself make use of the Prickly Heat talcum powder to keep dry and cool.

Miliaria (also known as Prickly Heat) is a frequent non contagious disease which becomes visible as acute itchy red rash on the body due to retained sweat.

People of all ages are involved but it is more frequent in children and infants due to their underdeveloped sweat glands.

It is more frequent in hot and humid conditions.

Miliaria is a frequent skin disorder produced by the obstruction and inflammation of the eccrine sweat ducts.

Miliaria is often present:
1. In hot, humid, or tropical climates,
2. In patients in hospital, and
3. In the neonatal period.

Miliaria is also called sweat rash or prickly heat.

The heat rash happens to adults and children when sweat is trapped under the skin.

Prickly heat is occasionally called sweat rash or by its diagnostic name, miliaria rubra.

Children tend to get it more than adults because their sweat glands are still developing.

Miliaria can be uncomfortable and itchy.

Types of Miliaria

1. Miliaria crystallina

These are minute superficial vesicular lesions that normally do not produce any symptoms.

Miliaria crystallina (sudamina) is produced by blockage of the sweat ducts close to the surface of the skin in the stratum corneum of the epidermis.

Miliaria crystallina involves up to 9% of neonates, with the mean age of 1 week.

It can also happen in adults with fever.

2. Miliaria rubra

These are deeper layer inflammatory lesions producing the specific appearance of redness (hence rubra) and larger blister-like lesions.

There is extreme itching with inadequate sweating to involved areas.

Miliaria rubra accompanies the obstruction of the sweat ducts deeper in the mid-epidermis.

Miliaria rubra is the most frequent type of miliaria.

It is observed in children and in up to 30% of adults who reside in a tropical environment or are unexpectedly exposed to heat and humidity.

While miliaria may form within days of arrival in the tropics, it often takes several months to peak.

3. Miliaria profunda

This is the most serious type of miliaria due to its rapid spread and severe burning sensations.

Miliaria profunda (tropical anhidrosis) is the effect of sweat leaking into the middle layer of skin (blockage at or below the dermoepidermal junction) after repeated incidents of miliaria rubra.

The obstruction is fairly deep in the structure of the sweat gland causing the sweat to leak between the superficial and deep layers of the skin.

The rash happens within hours of an activity stimulating sweating and disappears within hours when the stimulus for the sweating is eliminated.

The danger of heat exhaustion is greater.

Miliaria profunda is rare and manifests in adult males.

Miliaria can involve all age groups and racial groups.

The cause is the effect of the keratin or dead skin cells or bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis of the skin obstructing the sweat ducts.

The occluded sweat ducts bursts when sweating happen and the sweat develop as an intra-epidermal vesicle which causes irritation (prickly sensation) and itchiness.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Miliaria
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Cha

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Jan 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005224028

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972. Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009. Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993. Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 70. However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com. His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com This autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com. From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks. He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books. He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures. Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple. For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients. The later books go into more details of medical disorders. He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter. The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks. He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke. His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre. The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall. He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) starting with the Apple computer and going to PC. The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core. The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive. He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance. His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner. The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned. This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale. Dr Kee is the author of: "A Family Doctor's Tale" "Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine" "Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

A

Simple

Guide

To

Miliaria,

(Prickly Heat)

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2021 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Miliaria (Prickly Heat), Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What You Need to Treat Miliaria)

This e-Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiography account of my journey as a medical student to family doctor on my other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiography account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

My diagnosis and treatment capability has improved tremendously from my continued education.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Miliaria Rubra (Prickly Heat)

In the Singapore Army, the standard issue is a Prickly Heat Talcum powder bottle to be kept in the backpack to be applied to prevent miliaria occurrences.

It is also used as cold dry bath when the soldier is outfield and has no water for bathing.

What is Miliaria?

Miliaria (also known as Prickly Heat) is a frequent non contagious disease which becomes visible as acute itchy red rash on the body due to retained sweat.

People of all ages are involved but it is more frequent in children and infants due to their underdeveloped sweat glands.

It is more frequent in hot and humid conditions.

Miliaria is a frequent skin disorder produced by the obstruction and inflammation of the eccrine sweat ducts.

Miliaria is often present:

1. In hot, humid, or tropical climates,

2. In patients in hospital, and

3. In the neonatal period.

Miliaria is also called sweat rash or prickly heat.

The heat rash happens to adults and children when sweat is trapped under the skin.

Prickly heat is occasionally called sweat rash or by its diagnostic name, miliaria rubra.

Children tend to get it more than adults because their sweat glands are still developing.

Miliaria can be uncomfortable and itchy.

What are the types of Miliaria?

Types of Miliaria:

1. Miliaria crystallina

These are minute superficial vesicular lesions that normally do not produce any symptoms.

Miliaria crystallina (sudamina) is produced by blockage of the sweat ducts close to the surface of the skin in the stratum corneum of the epidermis.

Miliaria crystallina involves up to 9% of neonates, with the mean age of 1 week.

It can also happen in adults with fever.

2. Miliaria rubra

These are deeper layer inflammatory lesions producing the specific appearance of redness (hence rubra) and larger blister-like lesions.

There is extreme itching with inadequate sweating to involved areas.

Miliaria rubra accompanies the obstruction of the sweat ducts deeper in the mid-epidermis.

Miliaria rubra is the most frequent type of miliaria.

It is observed in children and in up to 30% of adults who reside in a tropical environment or are unexpectedly exposed to heat and humidity.

While miliaria may form within days of arrival in the tropics, it often takes several months to peak.

3. Miliaria profunda

This is the most serious type of miliaria due to its rapid spread and severe burning sensations.

Miliaria profunda (tropical anhidrosis) is the effect of sweat leaking into the middle layer of skin (blockage at or below the dermoepidermal junction) after repeated incidents of miliaria rubra.

The obstruction is fairly deep in the structure of the sweat gland causing the sweat to leak between the superficial and deep layers of the skin.

The rash happens within hours of an activity stimulating sweating and disappears within hours when the stimulus for the sweating is eliminated.

The danger of heat exhaustion is greater.

Miliaria profunda is rare and manifests in adult males.

Miliaria can involve all age groups and racial groups.

What is the cause of Miliaria?

Cause:

The cause is the effect of the keratin or dead skin cells or bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis of the skin obstructing the sweat ducts.

The occluded sweat ducts bursts when sweating happen and the sweat develop as an intra-epidermal vesicle which causes irritation (prickly sensation) and itchiness.

Secondary infection may happen from invasion of staphylococcus.

Miliaria happens from sweating.

The main causative reasons are:

1. Immature sweat ducts in a newborn child

2. A hot and humid environment

3. Intense physical activity

4. Fever

5. Obstruction of the skin with non-porous dressings or synthetic clothing against the skin

6. Hospitalized or bedridden patients lying on waterproofed mattresses or mattress-protectors.

Other disorders