Female Sex Hormones- Hormone replacement therapy and pregnancy sometime cause itching to worsen. People suffering from itch-related liver diseases may have elevated ALP. A simple blood draw is used to measure the amount of alkaline phosphatase enzyme in the bloodstream. Here are some suggestions to help ease itching and help prevent skin irritation: Choose mild fragrance-free soaps.
Use warm or cool water rather than hot for baths and showers. Apply a cold, wet compress to the itchy area to help fight the urge to scratch. Avoid the sun or hot environments when possible. Wear loose-fitting, breathable clothing.
Share This Article:. There is no strong evidence, however, to support that bile acids cause this type of itch. Traditionally, the way itch has been studied has been by measuring the concentration of substances known to accumulate in the blood of patients with liver disease who itch.
This method, however, has not advanced the understanding of what causes this type of itch. In order to conduct scientific investigation, investigators have to apply reliable methods that allow for the collection of information that can be analyzed and interpreted in an objective way. The need for the availability of good methods has been recognized for many years by investigators in the field of itch. In this spirit, an instrument was designed over ten years ago that allows for the measurement of the human behavior that results from feeling the sensation of itch: scratching.
Several clinical trials that use this method to record scratching have been conducted. These studies have provided some insight into itching and scratching, including the demonstration that some patients scratch with a hour rhythm, known as circadian rhythm. This finding has suggested further that the itch secondary to liver disease is mediated in the brain. At present there are several medications that are used for the treatment of itch in liver disease. These medications include cholestyramine, the antibiotic rifampicin, the opiate antagonists naloxone and naltrexone, and the serotonin type-3 receptor antagonist.
These medications appear to decrease itching in many patients, but there is no medication that works well for all the patients. This reality underscores the need to continue to look for other medications that may relief the itch secondary to liver disease.
Keep in mind that itching may be an early symptom of liver disease. If these symptoms develop, you can see a dermatologist, keeping in mind that liver disease may be one of the causes.
Visit the Your Health First website. Materials provided by Duke University. Original written by Karl Leif Bates.
Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Science News. Story Source: Materials provided by Duke University. Kremer, Jennifer Y. Zhang, Andrea Nackley, Tony E. Epithelia-sensory neuron crosstalk underlies cholestatic itch induced by lysophosphatidylcholine. Gastroenterology , ; DOI: ScienceDaily, 6 April Duke University.
Maddening itch of liver disease comes from a surprising source: Itching sensation originates in the skin cells themselves, after signaling from an excess of lipid. Retrieved November 12, from www. Researchers have uncovered differences in itch on hairy versus
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