What is eczema?
Eczema is an inflammatory disorder of the skin which has been brought about by an allergic reaction within the body (IgE mediated hypersensitivity). This brings about intense itchiness, skin redness with swelling, oozing, crusting, and scaling. It is an ongoing itch-scratch-itch cycle.
When does eczema typically start?
Around 80% of eczema patients will present with eczema by the age of 1 year. It is rare before 2 months of age. 90% will have presented by the age of 5 years. So it is only a small percentage of adults that will have eczema for the first time.
Does eczema always lead to asthma and hayfever?
About 50-80% of eczema patients will go on to develop asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. Eczema may also be the forerunner to other allergic diseases.
How can you prevent continued allergic responses?
Homeopathy excels in preventing chronic disease if helped early on in life when the initial disturbance in the body begins. When suppressive pharma drugs are given they can still be helped but the system is often more reactive during treatment and takes a much more gentle approach.
What is the best homeopathic treatment for eczema?
Acute remedies are generally used in between the deeper acting remedies for the superficial itch or for secondary infections and not so much for the deep healing of eczema. The real healing for eczema is by using the intercurrent (familial tendency), and constitutional medicines which are worked out with your homeopath through thorough history taking.
Here is a list of some of the constitutional medicines that may come up for eczema, but which one to use, will depend on the individual match on mental, emotional, and physical levels.
Calc Carb: Fearful, obstinate, chilly, scalp sweats profusely, sour discharges and has constipation. Eczema with dry, rough, chapped skin and a tendency to cracking. Often found on the hands. Worse in Winter and with repeated washing. Better by scratching, and by keeping warm.
Calc Iod: Always active, fearful and obstinate, is hot and has constipation. Worse Better by cold and cold application.
Calc Sulph: Eczema with easy infection and inflammation. Opens wounds by scratching in sleep, granular lesions which takes months to heal. Dry, sharply outlined, yellow crusty eruptions. Found on arms, hands, margin of nose, scalp. Worse night, heat, washing, infants, winter, emotional stress. Better bathing, open air, uncovering.
Graphites: Eczema with deep cracks of the skin. Hard, thick, dry, rough skin. Oozes an acrid, sticky suppuration. Often in folds and behind ears, on genitalia, hands and face. Worse night, from heat and becoming heated in bed. Better from wrapping up, open air.
Silica: Anxious, sensitive to noises, obstinate, sweat stains yellow, has a tendency to suppurate. Sensitive, pale, waxy skin. Eruptions itch only in daytime and evening. Ailments after vaxination. Cracks at ends of fingers. Worse from washing, morning, new moon, during menses, damp, cold. Better by warmth.
Sepia: Eczema almost always accompanied by thick eruptions or generally thickened skin. Vesicles found in folds, genitals, perenium, about lips or nose. Thickened and hardened skin. Worse in Winter, washing, before menses, menopause, nursing. Better scratching until raw, gentle warmth.
Natrum Mur: Irritable, reserved, sensitive to contradiction, craves salt, and is hot. Vesicles with intense itching, weeping a clear, thick discharge on scratching. Small vesicles burst on scratching, followed by rawness, then healing crusta and cracks. Found hair margins, between fingers, groin, where thighs rub. Worse heat, menses, exertion, Sea bathing, excess salt, after grief or suppressed emotions. Better Cold.
Sulphur: Hot patient. Moist eczema and may have a foul rotten egg odor. Tremendous, burning itching. Scratching until it is raw and oozing or begins to bleed. Often in margins of hairline, backs of knees, the groin, and feet. Worse night, getting heated, esp heated in bed, bathing. Better cold and cool applications.
Kali Sulph & Nat Sulph also come up high for eczema as well as several other remedies which will all depend on matching you and your individual presentation for the best outcome.
If you’d like a chat to discuss the possibility of working together for you, or your child’s eczema, you can book in for a free 15-minute chat!
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