How to Diagnose Scabies

Scabies is a skin infection caused by mites that enter the top layer of skin and cause visual and physical irritation. Scabies, by way of mite infestation, can affect a large portion of the body including the feet, knees, genitals, fingers and shoulders of both men and women. Determining whether or not you have scabies is mostly dependent on visual and physical clues.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Take note of any sudden itching anywhere on your body. Severe physical irritation such as constant itching is usually a result of an insect bite on the skin, and the itching can increase and decrease in severity depending on the activity of the mites buried inside the skin. Record the date or time the itching occurred as a timeframe to report to your physician if necessary.

2. Look for red marks such as lines, bumps or papules on the skin. Small white or flesh-colored lines are physical evidence of burrows created by a mite infestation and can also be used to diagnose scabies. Intense scratching can also cause bacteria-infected skin sores on the body.

3. Consult your doctor to visually confirm the presence of mites, mite fecal matter and mite eggs. Your doctor will be able to spot mites if they are present and remove them from their burrows with a needle. Confirmation that a patient has scabies can also be obtained by taking a sample of the patient's skin for analysis. Once your doctor has determined a case of scabies, she will prescribe medication for your condition. Usually, scabies is treated with scabicides that directly kill the mites and the mite eggs.

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent scabies, limit your contact with individuals that you know have the condition. Also, avoid sharing objects with them such as clothes, bed sheets and towels.
• Although visual and physical confirmation is normally used to diagnose scabies, further testing may be needed for individuals with no noticeable symptoms.

References

• More Symptoms of Scabies
• Scabies Diagnosis
• Treatment for Scabies

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