Eczema - World Class Holistic
Homeopathy Treatment
SKIN – Eczema
The skin covers and protects muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves, inner
organs, etc. It aids in providing physical make-up and appearance. It also
helps in regulating our body temperature with blood circulation and sweat. So
any disease or disturbance in the skin will make one suffer cosmetically as
well as with disease symptoms. Nowadays nearly 25 per cent of the people suffer
from one skin complaint or the other. The most common among them is eczema.
Eczema commonly refers to non-contagious, chronic, inflammatory scaly skin
lesion. It usually present itself as itching rashes with redness, swelling,
papules, vesicles, pustules, ulcers, oozing sticky discharges, crusts formation
and skin thickening which finally end in leathery skin. Remissions and relapse
with flare-ups (in weeks or months or even years or decades) are very common
events in case of eczema.
Causes and incidences
The cause for eczema is always said
to be unknown. It is supposed to be inherited through genes. The common
triggers are dryness, sweat, low humidity, acids, irritants, alkali,
detergents, meat, egg, fish, cosmetics, costumes, jewellery, nylon socks, drugs
lowering immune mechanism, stress and skin diseases like scabies, herpes,
erysipelas, impetigo, urticaria, dermatitis.
Even though eczema is supposed to be inherited, it can present its symptoms
at any age and at any place. Eczema is more common in the leg, hand, scalp and
forehead. Also, eczema occurs more closely with asthma and other allergy
problems. Triggers enhance early presentation. Eczema usually gets worse during
winter, since blood supply to the skin/extremities will be less. This makes the
skin dry, weak and to crack which paves the way for infection/invasion of
bacteria. Also, eczema seems to get worse in temperate climates due to undue
sweating which can cause/induce more itching/scratching.
Types
Eczema may be acute or chronic by the nature of symptom presentation. It is
mostly localised, but can also very rarely occur as a generalised condition. It
may be of dry or wet (oozing) type. Usually it is classified with its causative
factor/triggers, i.e., as exogenous or endogenous which means due to external
factors or internal factors.
According to the occurrence, character, nature and reaction of the eczema,
it is named as Allergic contact eczema, Atopic eczema, Asteatotic eczema,
Seborrhoeic eczema, Gravitational eczema, Discoid eczema, Pompholyx eczema,
Eczema erythematosum, Eczema vesiculosum, Eczema papalosum, Eczema squamosum,
Eczema sclerosum, Eczema fissurum.
Symptoms
Usually symptoms vary from person to person in presentation, place,
intensity and suffering. The lesion may remain in one place or have the
tendecny to spread to other places adjacently or otherwise. Likewise, after
remission, the lesion may recur in the same place or in a different place. The
common symptoms are
·
Dry, itchy, scaly rash
·
Raised patch with ill-defined margin
·
Unpleasant feeling – like tickling, pricking, creeping,
pinching, annoying, etc.
·
Uncontrollabe tendency to scratch
·
Scratch provoking cracks
·
Burning pain after scratching
·
Redness with odema (swelling)
·
Exudation – sticky discharges
·
Ends in crust formation, thickening (hyperkeratosis –
leathery in appearance)
·
Discolouration of the skin
·
Restlessness and irritability due to itch which disturbs
work and sleep
Diagnosis
It can be easily made out by simple
examination by the doctor with a magnifying lens. Even though eczema cannot be
fixed with any tests, tests can rule out other diseases to fix the
complaint as eczema. Eczema can be fixed with its close relation to allergic
problem and wheezing. Other than routine blood tests Tc, Dc, Esr, Hb, absolute
eosinophil count, blood sugar, etc., skin swab and culture may be necessary to
rule out other complaints. Allergy test (patch or prick test) are also often
evaluated to note allergens that need to be avoided.
PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT
Since cause is unknown and suspected to be inherited, no one can
aim/claim to prevent eczema. But caring skin even in a simple manner can
prevent triggers and flare-ups. Preventing flare-ups is more important since no
one can guarantee total cure even after prolonged medication. This means that
people should take care of their skin (for moisture) in a continuous manner,
even after active medication.
The do’s and don’ts for preventing flare-ups of eczema are:
Do’s
·
Control scratching
·
Wash and keep the parts clean
·
Use moisturiser to avoid dryness of skin especially in
winter
·
Keep nails short and trim
·
Maintain personal hygiene
·
Dry the sweat fast
Take
·
A lot of water to maintain good hydration
·
Fresh fruits and vegetables for healthy skin especially
carrot, apple, pineapple, papaya, cherry, ginger, beetroot and spinach
·
Vitamins A, C and zinc supplements for healthy skin
·
Avoid
·
Dryness
·
Scratching, to avoid infection
·
Irritants or allergic substances – food / pollens /
chemicals / drugs
·
Long time exposure of extreme temperatures / direct
sunlight
·
Swimming pool water
·
Excessive sweating
·
Cosmetics – strong soaps, powders, perfumes
·
Stimulants – coffee, alcohol, smoking & chewing
tobacco
·
Preservative added tin-packed foods / drinks
·
Animal proteins i.e. meat, fish, egg, also mil in high
concentration
·
High sugars, i.e. chocolate, pastry, cakes
·
Emotional or mental stress
·
Unnecessary medication
·
Woollen clothes
COMPLICATIONS
Eczema can cause irritability and lack of concentration due to constant
itching or irritation. Eczema as such won’t produce any complication unless
otherwise it is complicated, i.e. only when it gets suppressed does it lead to
other diseases / disorders or organ damages.
Till the itching remains on the surface, it seems as if it is going away,
but when it is arrested or suppressed, it will burst inside creating other
diseases. The main complication will be only from adverse effects of the drugs
used for the eczema.
GENERAL TREATMENT
Allopathic approach is usually against the causative factor or
disease. In eczema, since the causative factor has not been identified,
treatment is aimed at temporary management with medications and external
applications.
Dermatologists or cosmetologists usually prescribe ointments, oils or skin
soothing / smoothening lotions. The uncontrollable flare-ups usually drive
patients to frequently get prescribed with anti-histamines and steroidal creams
that work only for a short term. The complaint often rebounds in due course on
stopping the course of treatment and sometimes even while anti-histamines and
steroidal ointments are in continuous use.
The anti-histamines usually compliment one with drowsiness and lack of
concentration whereas the steroidal drugs / ointments suppress the disease and
our immune force to drive it inside to get reflected in some other form i.e.,
either as asthma, fits, blood pressure, diabetes, or organ damage (kidney,
liver). Sometimes, UV rays, phototherapy with psoralen will also be advised by
the physician according to the resistance of the disease and its response to
other treatment. Each one has its own adverse effect. Sometimes, it may also
lead to risk of skin cancer.
In resistant eczema, before going to the doctor or after getting treatment,
people would keep trying on their own to alleviate the complaint with external
applications like olive oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, petroleum jelly, tar,
turmeric, sandal, etc. Normally, none of these can give sustained relief for
eczema. Some would go to hot spring places to wash away the eczema. Sulphur
granules and other salts in the hot spring usually provide some relief, but
that relief also cannot be sustained for long.
HOMEOPATHIC APPROACH
Usually skin complaints are tough to treat and eczema and psoriasis are the
toughest. Recurrences and remissions are very common in the treatment of eczema
as every tide has its ebb. Nobody can claim complete cure since it can recur
after 5-6 years or even more than that. So everyone should aim for a
longer remission period. Homeopathy very commonly provides it without any
side-effects. After Homeopathic treatment, one cannot notice the flare-ups i.e.
,even when it recurs, it is less intense and goes away soon. This shows that
the disease is tapering with effective Homeopathy treatment.
The disappearance of the itch/scaly skin itself doesn’t mean that the
disease is waning, i.e., skin rash can be easily made to disappear with
steroidal external applications which will usually mask the complaint, but very
temporarily.
Likewise, just applying moisturisers or having anti-allergic medicines will
have effect / betterment for that day only and so it is of no value. It is like
treating only the effects of internal disease(s) and not the disease itself.
This palliative type of treatment usually drives the disease inner or deeper.
Also, if suppression type of treatment is followed for quite a long time, then
it is not only tough to cure the case but also difficult to treat or manage its
side-effects which may endanger life. But, Homeopathy treats the symptoms of atients
internally, rather than the disease or its effects.
It is difficult to avoid all the triggers all the time.
In persons who follow only with preventive measures / avoidance, flare-up
becomes more common when one gets exposed to allergens / irritants. Homeopathy
can comfort modern living even in the midst of these pollutants by enhancing
and strengthening the vital force i.e., immune mechanism.
To enjoy this benefit, one needs to take sweet pills (undergo medication)
for a prolonged time with patience i.e. atleast one full season. Since
Homeopathy treats everyone as a unique individual, what people need to do is to
express their entire sufferings, feelings, allergies, medications, treatments,
etc., to the healer without hiding them or forgetting them.
Homeopathic medicines commonly used for eczema are Acid nit, Anti crud,
Apis mel, Ars alb, Bacillinum, Bovista, Cantharis, Causticum, Clematis, Crab
apple, Dulcamara, Graphites, Hepar sulph, Hydrocotyle, Kali ars, Kali Brom,
Merc sol, Mezereum, Nat mur, Petroleum, Psorinum, Radium Brom, Rhus tox,
Sarasaparilla, Sepia, Silicea, Skookum chuk, Staphysagria, Sulphur, Tellurium,
Thuja, Thyroidinum, Tuberculinum, Urtica urens, Zinc met, etc. These Medicines
should be taken under the advice and diagnosis of a qualified Homeopath.
for
new hope
Dr. S.
Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)
Laxmi
Homeo Clinic
24 E.
New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai,
TN 625 001
India
Tel: +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011
(Mob)
Fax:
+91-452-233-0196
E-mail:
drcheena@yahoo.com
www.drcheena.com / www.drcheena.in
(Disclaimer
- The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content
is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice,
diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for
any health problem or medical condition.)