Itchy bumps on feet are called dyshidrotic eczema in medical language. This is a condition of small blisters that may develop on the feet. The blisters are itchy and may be filled with fluid. They last for about two or three weeks and may be related to seasonal allergies or even stress in other cases.
Your feet are subject to a lot of stress of a great deal that is faced from our daily states. The stress emanates from the number of times we spend in shoes, socks and even walking. As a consequence, your feet are liable to quite a number of medical conditions that may cause itchiness.
Doctors believe that you have a greater chance of developing the condition if you’re experiencing a high level of stress (either physical or emotional) or have allergies. Some doctors think that dyshidrotic eczema may be a type of allergic reaction.
You may be more likely to develop dyshidrotic eczema in case of the following:
- your hands or feet are often moist or in water
- If your work exposes you to metal salts, such as cobalt, chromium, and nickel.
What causes bumps on feet?
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The real cause of dyshidrotic eczema is unknown. Experts believe that the condition may be related to seasonal allergies, such as hay fever, so blisters may erupt more frequently during the spring allergy season.
All and above, your feet are subjected to extreme temperatures from your shoes and the physical stress of bearing your weight. This can lead to dryness and irritation, which are common triggers of itchiness. The extremes also leave the feet vulnerable to fungal infections that may cause them to itch.
Also, in as much as scratching is our normal response to and temporarily relieves us itchiness, it is a key precipitant of the same. It can in fact make the problem worse by subjecting to bacterial infections that may or may not be foreseen. Some disease conditions can also cause skin itchiness.
Looking at it in another way, red bumps can appear on the tops of your feet in response to local irritants, such as;
- bug bites
- a general condition, such as diabetes
- An allergic response to ingested substances, that affects other parts of your body.
The presence of additional symptoms may help determine the cause of your red bumps.
The outline below therefore gives a summary of the causes that may be the key reason as to why you are likely to have itchy bumps on your feet:
Fungal infections
An array of fungal infections could be the reason of having bumps on the feet. Athlete’s foot is a common one. It is medically known as tinea pedis. It occurs with a red or scaly rash with the resumption of itchiness as the symptom. It can occur on the soles of your feet as a widespread rash with a lot of powdery appearance or it can be localized between the toes.
Eczema
This is also another condition that can give birth to athlete’s foot. It is normally a rash that appears with symptoms that are similar to those of athlete’s foot. It can appear as:
- small circular areas of thick, scaly skin
- larger, less distinct lesions
The typical causes of eczema are irritation that comes from overexposure to, moist conditions or as such dry skin that occurs due to low humidity or excess heat exposure. Infants also experience this condition and it is normally called the atopic dermatitis. It may be related to the history of allergy or asthma. It presents as areas of thickened, scaly skin with increased depth and appearance of skin lines.
Contact dermatitis
This is also not left out among the causes. It is brought about by skin’s contact with irritants or so called allergens. Common irritants include:
- the glues or chemicals found in shoes
- neomycin found in antibiotic ointments
- poison ivy
- adhesive tape
- perfumes or other chemicals used in skin and nail care products
To add, a condition that is basically dry skin could also precipitate itchiness of your feet. This is technically called xerosis cutis. The condition takes place secondary to a medical condition like the atopic dermatitis. It can also be brought about by external conditions.
Dry skin has also been linked to the normal aging process. Also, a diet that is devoid of certain vitamins or essential fatty acids and the use of harsh and unfriendly cleansers could give you dry skin. The condition of dryness tends to get worse during the winter times and therefore calls for more creams and lotions.
Scabies
Could also lead to an itchy skin. The infection by the Sarcoptes scabei mite condition can appear as little red bumps that may resemble pimples, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Itching usually accompanies this condition. If the spots seem to form around hair follicles on the top of your feet, this can indicate the presence of folliculitis, a bacterial infection within the follicles.
On the other hand, corns and calluses can also bring about itchy skin. They are patches of hard, thickened skin. These can be anywhere on your body, but they’re typically found on your feet.
Corns are small, round circles of thick skin. They are most commonly found on the tops and sides of your toes and on the sole of the foot. They occur more frequently on bony feet that lack cushioning.
More still, warts could also bring about itchiness. Warts are raised bumps on your skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts have disturbed humans for thousands of years they have been discovered on 3,000-year-old mummies and were mentioned by Shakespeare. Although warts are generally not dangerous, they are;
- ugly
- potentially embarrassing
- contagious
- can be painful
Symptoms
They appear as small fluid-filled blisters called vesicles appear on the fingers, hands, and feet. They are most common along the edges of following parts:
- fingers
- toes
- palms
- soles
These blisters can be very itchy. They also cause scaly patches of skin that flake or get red, cracked, and painful.
The scratching leads to skin changes and skin thickening. Large blisters may cause pain or can get infected by either bacteria or fungi just in case you do not take good care of the situation at hand. You should therefore take good care.
Itchy bumps on feet
This may or may not be a pointer to a very serious health condition. It therefore requires the intervention of a trained professional and more specifically a dermatologist to narrow down and establish the exact reason behind the bumps.
They could be brought about by either fungal or bacterial infection and therefore proper diagnosis will be able to help you narrow down to the particular one. It will also give you a road map on the correct and proper medication to go for.
Red bumps on top and bottom of feet and ankles
Rashes and uncomfortable skin conditions that appear on top of the feet typically are different than skin disorders that attack other parts of the foot, such as warts or corns, according to Skin Sight. Skin rashes on top of the feet usually are related to disorders that affect the entire body. Rashes on top of the feet and ankles are caused by a number of factors, ranging from sun exposure to dermatitis and allergies.
According to the National Institutes of Health, athlete’s foot is in the family of tinea infections that also include jock itch and ringworm. The infection easily is passed on in soil and tiled shower rooms, from person to person and through infected animals. The rash on top of the foot is red and scaly, and typically spreads to the sole of the foot and between the toes.
Fluid filled bumps on legs
Skin infections and contact with irritating substances provoke inflammation and immune responses in the skin tissues. These responses often lead to the development of itching and eruption of fluid-filled blisters, or vesicles, in the affected skin areas.
- The blisters rupture and heal without scarring in most cases, and itching gradually recedes as the blisters resolve. Topical or oral treatments may help speed recovery and ease discomfort.
- Disease conditions like impetigo could lead to this condition. It is a bacterial infection of the superficial skin layers.
- It occurs most frequently in babies and young children. Fragile, fluid-filled blisters typically develop on the face, arms or legs.
- Although the blisters usually itch, they are not painful. Scratching or other skin friction ruptures the initial blisters, which leak infectious fluid. Touching the fluid and then another part of the skin can lead to secondary crops of blisters. The infection usually clears within 2 weeks.
Similarly, other conditions caused by herpes simplex viruses commonly infect the skin and moist surfaces of the body, causing episodic outbreaks of fluid-filled blisters. Common herpes simplex virus skin infections include:
- cold sores
- genital herpes
- herpetic whitlow, a herpes infection of the fingers
Itching, tingling or burning in a localized area of the skin often signals the onset of a herpes outbreak. Tiny fluid-filled vesicles form at the site of the abnormal skin sensations. The tender vesicles often itch or burn.
Painful lumps
A painful lump on the feet can be defined as a protrusion or a localized area of swelling that occurs on the foot. Other terms that can be used to define it includes;
- Bump
- nodule
- contusion
- tumor
- cyst
The lumps may appear as a result of local infections like the boils or abscesses. Traumatic causatives of foot lumps range from bug bites to more severe injuries that can localized collection of blood in tissues commonly called hematoma. Joint deformities may cause bumps on the feet.
The common bumps are the tender bumps that appear at the base of the great toe as a result of rotation and sideways angling of the bones that make and constitute the great toe.
Both benign and malignant tumors of the skin, soft tissues, or bones of the feet can sometimes feel like lumps. Cysts, which are fluid-filled, sac-like structures that can form in various parts of the body, often feel like lumps. Some cysts may be present at birth, while others develop as a result of inflammation, tumors, or wear-and-tear over time.
Remedies and treatment for itchy bumps on feet
Just to note, home remedies work best to help deal with bumps on the feet. They are cheap, easy to make and follow and readily available.
The first remedy to consider is
Walnut Hull Moisturizer
To use this in the most effective way, a recipe for a walnut hull moisturizer that can relieve itching caused by dry skin:
- Combine 1 teaspoon of ground walnut hulls with 1 cup of water in a saucepan.
- Simmer the mixture for 30 minutes over medium heat, and then strain it through a fine mesh sieve.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the warm liquid over your feet; pat them dry with an old towel.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of calendula blossom oil with 10 drops of tea tree oil and five drops of eucalyptus oil and massage the mixture into your feet.
- Walnut hull moisturizer has not been approved by medical professionals as a treatment for athlete’s foot.
Saltwater Soak
Soaking your feet in saltwater can ease the hustle of irritation. According to “1,801 Home Remedies,” a saltwater soak can soothe painful itching. To make a saltwater soak,
- Stir 2 teaspoons of salt into 1 pint of warm water.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow pan and immerse your feet in the liquid for five to 10 minutes.
- Repeat the process once every hour or so until the worst of the itching subsides. Saltwater soaks are not approved as an effective treatment for fungus.
baking soda paste
You can try a baking soda paste on itchy feet to relieve burning sensations and quell discomfort. To do this,
- Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water to 1 tablespoon of baking soda, stirring the mixture until a paste forms.
- Spread the paste on your feet, making sure you get it into crevices such as the areas between your toes.
- Allow the paste to dry for five to 10 minutes, and then rinse it from your feet with cool water.
- Pat your feet dry with a soft towel and apply a light dusting of cornstarch to soak up moisture.
- Baking soda paste is a home remedy that is not medically approved to treat fungal infections such as athlete’s foot. It may soothe the itching for a bit, but if something other than a minor skin irritation is to blame, it won’t cure the problem.
All in all, there are treatment options that you could use and these include applying ointments or creams. Apply twice a day and after you wash your hands. Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are heavy, slightly messy ointments, but can help ease itching and pain. Try over-the-counter lotions decided to help reduce itching when you do not have time to wait for heavy, messier lotions to dry.
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