One
person in four suffers from a form eczema during their
lifetime; this irritating, often distressing condition may
affect anybody at any age.
Eczema is an
inherited allergy to anything from food to plants to
jewelry to clothing. People with eczema often have other
allergies, like asthma or hay fever. With this condition,
an itchy, scaly rash appears on the face or in warm, moist
areas of the body, such as behind the knees and ears, or
inside the elbows. The skin may flake off, followed by the
appearance of small, red pimples that leak clear fluid when
scratched.
80% of eczema sufferers have their condition aggrevated by
dust mites, and night time can be the worst time for
itchiness and overheating. Dust mites cannot live in a home
with low humidity, so a good quality dehumidifier will
help. Effective elimination of dust mites in the home can
also be achieved with good quality cleaning products;
vacuums, air filters and steam cleaners.
The use of steroid creams, topical antibiotics or
anti-inflammatory although useful in the short term or for
acute phases, is not to be recommended for long term
management of eczema, as it offers no prospect of actual
cure or remission of the condition.The side effects or
potential risks associated with the long term use of
steroids creams and topical antibiotics rarely outweigh the
benefit of this kind of symptomatic medication.
Eczema is frequently aggravated by stress, poor diet,
excessive consumption of alcohol; modest changes of
lifestyle may bring some marked improvement.
Should
eczema sufferers be tested for
allergies?
Since eczema includes unexpected reactions to common things
that are associated with asthma and hay fever (e.g., dust
and pollens), eczema is associated with these two diseases
and considered to be an allergic disease.
With this in mind, allergy testing is particularly helpful
to people with eczema under specific circumstances.
However, a positive allergy test is not the end of the
investigation. A suspected food allergy must be confirmed
by a "challenge" with the suspected food under the
direction of your therapist.
To do this, the patient must eat the suspected food for a
while. If there is a flare-up of eczema, the link between
the food and the flare-up can be considered positive.
In addition, both children and adults with eczema may
develop allergic contact dermatitis from agents that
contact the skin. This includes fragrances and
preservatives in moisturizing creams and ointments,
antibiotics, and even corticosteroid creams.
Many sufferers scratch themselves to the point of
developing a bacterial infection of the skin. Weeping from
the skin or golden crusting are usually indications of
infection.
In such a case, the use of antibiotic may be unavoidable.
Avoid applications of alcohol, astringents, drying lotions
or powders to your skin. They can be over drying.
Alternative medicine is able
to bring rapid relief in most cases, and offers safer and
better long term solutions to chronic eczema sufferers.
• Acupuncture, herbal medicine and
homeopathy can
be very effective in the long term treatment of eczema;
often, a combination of these techniques is even more
beneficial.
• Eczema need to be treated externally, using essential
oils in a cream or carrier oil base to reduce quickly
inflammation or itching, and to prevent localised bacterial
or fungal activity.
Good natural moisturisers are important for maintining the
skin in good condition.
• Acupuncture is
remarkable for its almost instant effect on stress and
is also effective in its own right in reducing
inflammation and itching.
• Chinese and Western Herbal
Medicine or
Homeopathy can
treat the skin condition from within; eventually this
may lead to complete cure or long term remission.
A successful treatment of chronic eczema need time and
patience, but good result can be achieved even in the worst
cases
First aid for eczema flare up:
Homeopathy: Arsenicum 30to reduce itching and scaling;
Sulphur 30 may also be very helpful; try also ccalendula or
Graphite cream
Chamomile infusion: to wash an itchy skin: very calming
Calendula oil with a few drops of lavender and Tea-Tree
essential oil to reduce inflammation and the risk of
infection
