Treating Scabies using Medications - For Information

This article discusses treating scabies using conventional medicine.

Please note that we generally do not advocate the use of chemical drugs and medications, except when out of sheer necessity in severe emergency situations. There are almost always natural alternatives which are safer and just as effective, if not more effective.

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A note about Treating Scabies using Medications - For Information

In natural health and healing, we believe in holistic health and healing, as we realize that different parts of the human body are highly interlinked, often beyond Man's understanding. We also believe that the body has the ability to heal itself of any disease, even supposedly incurable diseases.

In order to do so, the body needs the support of some basic dietary and lifestyle good health habits, such as a full body detox and a proper understanding and application of nutrition. No matter how remote or unrelated a health condition may seem, these fundamental health steps will greatly magnify the effects and benefits of any of our health-promoting efforts, including the use of specific natural health remedies.

However, this article on conventional treatment for scabies, from the point of view of conventional medicine, is put here for information purposes.

Click here for information on using a natural home remedy for scabies.

The disease condition of scabies, though it can be debilitating, is fully curable if diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. The various steps to be taken are as follows:

The treatment plan for scabies begins with diagnosis. The challenge of treating scabies is that it is difficult for the physician to identify the disease based purely on symptoms related by the patient. A clear diagnosis can be made only when the scabies-causing mites are examined under a microscope. This is critical and once this is properly diagnosed, effective treatment can begin.

Elimite Cream should be applied on all affected areas below the neck prior to retiring for the night and the effects of the same will work overnight; this needs to be rinsed and washed off in the morning with water. This treatment has to be repeated for 7 days. The other treatment plans include malathion liquid (trade names Derbac – M, Prioderm, Lyclear dermal cream etc). It is advisable to seek medical advice prior to commencing treatment with any of these creams even though these are available over the counter at any pharmacy.

Another possible option to treating scabies is by applying on the infected area 1 oz of 1% lotion or 30 gms of lindane cream - this again needs to be applied from below the neck and rinsed in 8 hours. This is because lindane can potentially trigger seizures when absorbed via the skin. Lindane is contraindicated if skin is bruised or wet and after a bath. In addition, pregnant and lactating women and also infants and toddlers below two years should not be using lindane. Lindane is a last recourse that is prescribed for patients with a scabies condition, only if other treatments have not been effective, or if the patient has intolerance for other treatment plans.

Antihistamines (especially those that contain sedatives since itching gets exacerbated at night) are prescribed to relieve itching. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is found to be effective in combating scabies.

Ivermectin is an oral medication and patients find this route of administration to be less bothersome than overnight leave-on creams. The prescribed dosage is 200mcg / kg of body weight ingested in a single dose, with a follow up dose in a fortnight. The flip side to the obvious benefits of ingesting an oral medication versus applying messy topical creams is that ivermectin is known to have more toxic effects than the topical cream and, as a scabicide, it is not any more effective than the topical creams listed above.

Other prophylactic steps that are recommended in treating scabies, are to wash in hot water to which an antiseptic solution has been added, all the bedclothes and clothing of the infected person.

Ensure that all those that one is in close contact with (sexually or otherwise) are to undergo prophylactic treatment themselves.

After treating scabies, the disease will gradually subside after a few days of commencing medication. It is important for the scabies infected patient to understand that, in a similar manner to the gradual exacerbation of the disease when symptoms got worse over a period of time, symptoms will subside at the same pace after treatment is started. If there is no noticeable change in symptoms, then the diagnosis of scabies should be questioned. This is because it is likely that scabies can sometimes be misdiagnosed, and the cause of symptoms could be something less acute, such as a rash caused by mosquito or insect bites.

Post treatment, the residual itch may be bothersome as it will take some time to completely disappear after the infection has been cleared. Crotamiton is an effective soothing cream that can be applied on skin which is not bruised or broken for gentle relief.

This sums up this article on treating scabies using conventional medical methods. Please remember that we do not recommend this; instead, this is discussed for informational and educational purposes.

For information on using a natural home remedy for scabies, click here.

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