So you have been diagnosed with Eczema – “the frustrating itch”

Eczema is the name for a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy and inflamed. The word “eczema” is derived from a Greek word meaning “to boil over,” which is a good description for exactly what is happening in the body – inflammation is “boiling over” onto the skin. People who develop eczema do so because of a combination of genes and environmental triggers. When an irritant or an allergen “switches on” the immune system, skin cells don’t behave as they should causing an eczema “flare-up”. Eczema is very common, and can be managed effectively when the cause of an individual’s eczema and the type can be identified– is it a particular food or group of foods. is it something in your environment that is triggering you?, do you have an undiagnosed immune disorder? It is important to remember that eczema and its symptoms present differently for everyone.

So what are my treatment options?

Orthodox medicines often seem to treat eczema effectively, however the medications used, such as immunosuppressants, antihistamines, and topical steroids can have some severe side effects, such as an increased risk of infections, certain types of cancers, kidney, adrenal and liver damage, skin thinning, stretch marks and acne, hair loss, weight gain, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, glaucoma, menstrual irregularities, gastrointestinal issues…and the list goes on! Scary right? When you were prescribed any of these treatments were you made aware of the possible side effects did you know that treatments can often cause a “rebound effect” – meaning once “treatment” has ceased then your symptoms can come back WORSE than before. All these treatments can mask the underlying cause of what may be triggering your particular kind of eczema. Wouldn’t it be better to find the cause and treat your Eczema naturally – heal it up without all those nasty side effects. Learning more about the kind of eczema you have and what may have triggered it, is the best starting point to treating and managing it, so that your eczema doesn’t get in the way of your everyday life. If you or someone you care about is battling with eczema please consider taking a more holistic approach. Find a qualified medical herbalist, dermatologist or other complementary health practitioner who seeks to find the cause of what is driving your eczema and provides you with safe effective treatments to manage it. This could mean incorporating topical treatments like calendula or coconut oil into your daily skin care regimen, to moisturize, soothe and decrease staphylococcal colonization. Perhaps stress has been identified as a major factor exacerbating your condition, therefore stress-relieving behavioral techniques will be offered in addition to topical treatments. So what are you waiting for? Choose to take control of your eczema today and let us guide you back to better health – Naturally.