What's the best way to keep a casted arm from itching?

Pooh93

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Sep 19, 2000
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Youngest dd fell off the monkey bars at summer camp on Monday. I'm sure you can figure out the rest.:( She had to be put under yesterday in outpatient surgery to put the wrist bone back in place for her growth plate. With it being summer time, I am really afraid of her sweating and it starting to itch. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am really bummed for her and us for the rest of the summer. :(
 
I have never had the experience, but people I know who have usually stick a pencil through the cast and scratch away.:D
 
Is it a plaster or fiberglass cast? The fiberglass ones tend to be less itchy as they are "breathable" or so they say! Many moons ago when I had one on my ankle I used a bit of plain old talc/powder sprinkled down it. And used a ruler (thin and fits down easily) to scratch when I had to!! Good luck to your DD and I hope it isn't too bad!
 
Yes talic powder to keep it dry and sweat free alsothe ruler is good or vacum with exhaust.
 

Oh, man........I am so tired. I could've sworn the title of this thread said "castrated arm"!!! :eek:

Best wishes for your DD.
 
My DD did the same the friday before July 4th..........couldn't cast it until the Tuesday after!! Luckily she did not need surgery but did fracture it at her growth plate. She haasn't complained of it being itchy but we did have to change it already due to it getting too loose................Dr. says he will remove it the day before we leave for Disney (7/30)............we have used talc powder with oatmeal in it for my other DD when shee had a cast...........


Good luck with your DD..............
 
I can tell you what not to do. Don't stick a pen up to itch it with the pen cap still on. The cap will get lost and you will be in pain.



BTW- I had a student do this and it was funny to watch her face as she realised what she had done. We got it out no prob and had a good laugh.
 
/
Our orthopedic doc strongly advised NOT using anything to scratch the itchy skin under the cast when my son broke his arm. If you break the skin, the wound can become infected easily (think warm, dark, damp area) and not be detected before it becomes a serious problem. He told us he would rather reapply a new cast if the itchiness became a serious than risk having sharp instruments shoved under the cast...
 
ok..

DO NOT STICK ANYTHING IN THE CAST TO SCRATCH an itch!
IF THERE IS ANY OPEN WOUNDS INSIDE OF CAST.. SCRATCHES, STITCHES, BUG BITES.... DO NOT PUT ANY POWDER OF ANY KIND IN THE CAST! Avoid putting powders in the cast at all... think of it this way... powder (cornstarch was a favorite in the midwest) in a moist place.. getting damp from sweat or uninvited water, gets mucky, funky and can get moldy..... eww! Takes you from bad to worse....

I have had many, many patients do the above two things... resulting in INFECTION! Yup it happens..

If the cast is making her feel HOT.... you can take a ziplock bag of ice wrapped in a towel and lay it on her hand and at her elbow.. it will make her feel a little cooler.

Set your blowdryer on COOL.. blow into the cast.. both ends if possible.. this will help the itchy feeling.

If she is going to get in the shower, tub or pool... the cast must be covered. Special coverings are sold at the drugstore. A Clean bread bag, or dry cleaner bag works great for showers.. use waterproof tape to seal the bag around the arm.

Hope your princess: is feeling better right quick!
 
PandW...

LOL.. glad you liked it girlfriend! LOL... I must have been typing when you posted!

I know it is hard not to scratch that "Itch" that everybody gets when casted... but if the docs would show them pictures of what happens to those who powder or scratch.. and the nasty infections that can occur... less people would be sticking pencils down those casts..

People really hate admitting to the Ortho tech or the PT that they ''Lost" something down in the cast while scratching. :earseek: :crazy:
 
Originally posted by poohandwendy
Our orthopedic doc strongly advised NOT using anything to scratch the itchy skin under the cast when my son broke his arm. If you break the skin, the wound can become infected easily (think warm, dark, damp area) and not be detected before it becomes a serious problem. He told us he would rather reapply a new cast if the itchiness became a serious than risk having sharp instruments shoved under the cast...


Exactly! Be careful of getting the scratch infected! That's a whole 'nother mess inside the cast at that point. ICK!!!

My husband made a great scratcher for me when I had my cast..........bend a wire hangar and slide the bent/folded end in to itch the itch. LOL

It worked well!
 
Is it a plaster or fiberglass cast?
It's an old fashioned plaster cast.

but did fracture it at her growth plate.
Sounds very similar to dd's. I am still confused whether it really was a fracture or more of a dislocation, since he put her under to put it back in place. My head was spinning the other day and I will have to ask for further clarification on Monday.


Thanks for all the advice. She goes back on Monday for another x-ray to make sure nothing has moved, so I will ask for further advice from them also. She's only mentioned the itching a couple times, and I figure the key will be to keep her cool. (we're supposed to go see Toby Keith, outside on Aug1 and I don't think she'll be going due to the heat which would make her sweat and itch) The orthopedic surgeon told me, that she will have this long cast on for 3 weeks and a shorter one on for another 3 weeks. If all goes well, it will come off right when school starts, which will be a blessng because the school is not air conditioned.


Please keep us in your good thoughts the next few weeks.
 
I've heard that a clean dry flyswatter is a good thing to use. No sharp edges and it is flexible enough to get in there. Be careful though.
 
Try using a hairdryer (on the COOL setting, of course!) and shooting cool air up under the cast. Relieves some of the itching, doesn't break or scratch the skin and has the added benefit of keeping the cast a little drier and less sweaty inside (which usually means less itching in the future.)
 
PLEASE be carefull of sticking ANYTHING in the cast as a simple irritation can easily become a staf (sp) infection.

I was told to use the hairdryer on cool and it really does work.

Pixie Dust to your Daughter ....
 
Had my foot and calf in a cast for about 8 weeks last September - November, so I feel your DD's pain.

You're right not to let her stick anything down the cast to itch. A blow dryer does work somewhat, but let's not pull any punches -- it will still itch. Best thing to do during the day is a distraction to forget about the itching. Best thing at night: benadryl!
 
When I had a cast I would use the hair dryer or a hanger!!! Don't use the hanger..not good.
 
Originally posted by Pooh_Friend#1
When I had a cast I would use the hair dryer or a hanger!!! Don't use the hanger..not good.


The hanger worked great for me. I bent it in half and slid the folded, rounded end into the cast. It was very gentle but it did the job.
Anything rounded and smooth won't hurt the skin. (and I have very tender skin to begin with)
 
My daughter has been in a full arm cast for 4 weeks now, and really does not seem to have much problem with itching. She also had to be put under to have the bone reset as it was a pretty bad break, and we had to go in for an Xray every week, to make sure that it was resetting correctly. She did fing that glow necklaces are really cool looking inside of a cast, and they work very well for those itchy spots;)
 

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