Everyone Healthy Library
Pruritis
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
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Connected health information
Explore this condition in a clear order
Condition overview
Attributes
Commonalityis common
Linked signs and symptoms
3Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
Linked drugs / medications
5Medication information is educational only. A doctor or pharmacist should advise whether any medicine is appropriate.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
16Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Behavioural changes
4Alternative and complementary therapies
6Alternative medicine
3Other supportive options
1Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
1These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
Biological markers/agents
3This visual map shows biological markers/agents reported as increased or decreased with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
3- Alpha-1-Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.1–0.3 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Alpha-2-Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.6–1 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Beta GlobulinReference range exampleAll: 0.7–1.2 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
Often decreased
0No markers in this group.
Introduction / full article
Pruritis
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: Weakly against (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Goldenseal helps to treat pruritis. More studies are needed. Goldenseal may produce toxic effects, including depression, constipation, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, mouth ulcers and vomiting.)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Red Pepper (Capsaicin):
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: no recommendation (studies for the relieving effects of red peppers in pruritis have yielded unreliable and mixed results)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Sodium Bicarbonate Paste (Baking Soda):
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insuffient evidence to prove that sodium bicarbonate paste has any effectiveness in treating pruritis)
Grade of Evidence: very low level of evidence
Impatiens (Jewelweed):
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insuffient evidence to prove that impatiens has any effectiveness in treating pruritis)
Grade of Evidence: very low level of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary References
Treatments:
1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009
2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/goldenseal
3. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/goldenseal/
4. Tierra Michael (1998): The Way of Herbs. New York, Pocket Books
5. Grieve M. (1971): A Modern Herbal. New York, Dover Publications, Inc
6. Mills S. and Bone K. (2000): Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. Philadelphia, Churchill Livingstone
7. Tice Raymond (1997): Goldenseal and Two of its constituent alkaloids: berberine and hydrastine Research Triangle Park, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, in Seiger E: Review of Toxilogical Literature
8. http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/ellingwood/hydrastis.html