Connect
Itchy Skin with Sodium Chloride Nebulizer
I've been on a nebulizer with sodium chloride (7%) for Bronchiectasis since April and noticed that my skin is itching, burning, and tingling all day especially in the evening. Can the salt going into my system cause an immune reaction or dry my skin to cause the itch? My doctor thinks this is impossible since sodium chloride is a natural occurring substance in the body anyway. I'm using body lotion and cold packs to help, but I don't want to live with itchy skin forever.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.
Connect
Maybe lay off of the saline for a day and see if that's makes a difference in your skin? So far, I have never heard of itchy skin due to 7% saline. Seasons change, turning on the boiler etc all dry out the air and therefore our skin. If the itchy skin continues after stopping saline definitely get it checked out. Itchy skin *can* be a prodrome of something new.
@bdross Welcome to Mayo Connect. As @scoop said, you can try stopping the saline for a week and see if it makes any difference. I tend to agree with your doc, that itchy skin is unlikely t be caused by nebulized saline.
Let's see if there might be other issues here that could be causing the itch.
What medications are you taking? Especially, are you on antibiotics for MAC?
Have you ever been told you have any type of liver dysfunction? Or any type of neuropathy?
Do you have seasonal allergies?
Like scoop said, itchy skin, if not relieved by moisturizer, can be a sign of something new going on.
Sue
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI'm not on any medications and don't have any allergies or organ dysfunction. The itching started right when I began the nebulizer treatments. This can be a coincidence, but I did read that increased salt intake can trigger an immune response relating to t-cells. The nebulizer treatments have stopped my infections/fever from Bronchiectasis, so I'm a little hesitant about stopping my treatments as an experiment to see if the itching goes away. I did stop Albuterol two weeks ago thinking that I might have been allergic to that medication. It should be out of my system by now, but I still have the itching.
Maybe an alternative to stopping would be to cut the number of saline nebs by half, and just do airway clearance at the alternate time?
I know the saline stays in my lungs for up to 48 hours (I can taste it in my sputum.) That way you still have the benefit, but at half the dose.
Sue