Note: Homeopathic Treatment requires strict individualization. Please do not take any medicine without consulting your physician/homeopath.
The terms eczema and dermatitis are now used synonymously.
They refer to a distinctive reaction pattern of the skin showing
a combination of signs which depend on the duration of rash and
type of eczema.
Eczema / Allergic Dermatitis - CAUSE
Based on the etiology, eczemas are divided into
two basic groups:
1. Exogenous - This
can occur due to contact with some irritant or allergen
2. Endogenous - This
group contains all other types of which cause and mechanism is
poorly understood. Many factors like heredity, hypersensitivity,
fungal infection, senile changes, venous stasis etc are implicated
in various forms of endogenous eczema.
Eczema / Allergic Dermatitis - MECHANISM - WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS?
It is not very well understood. In acute stage of eczema, edema
of the epidermis and intra-epidermal vesicles form. In chronic stage
there is thickening and pigmentation of skin.
Eczema / Allergic
Dermatitis - SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Acute Eczema
- Redness ans swelling, usually with ill defined margins
- Papules, vesicles, and more large blisters
- Exudation and cracking of skin
- Scaling of skin
- Itching in and around the lesion
Chronic Eczema
- All the above plus
- Thickening and lichenification ( a dry leathery thickening
with increased skin margins, is secondary to rubbing and scratching
and is most often seen in atopic eczema.)
- Fissures and scratch marks
- Pigmentation of the skin in and around the lesion
Eczema / Allergic Dermatitis - COMPLICATIONS
Super infection - most often with bacteria (staph-aureus) and yeast
(candia). Super infection is encouraged by the use of local steroids.
Eczema / Allergic
Dermatitis - HOW IT IS DIAGNOSED?
Usually eczemas are diagnosed clinically. Patch test and prick
test may be required for allergens.
Eczema / Allergic Dermatitis - WHAT TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM?
- Simple pruritis
- Fungal, bacterial, and other infections
- Exfoliative dermatitis
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT & Medicines
for Eczema, Allergic Dermatitis
Homeopathy offers very good treatment for eczema, but the approach
used by homeopaths is very different from that of conventional treatment.
Homeopaths usually do not give anything to apply topically. Instead
they try to remove the basic disposition/sensitivity to develop
such a lesion using internal medicine. This approach not only successfully
removes the eczema but also removes the possibility of development
of other hypersensitivity disorders like asthma after the
eczema is cured. To find the proper remedy a homeopath collects
all the past medical history of the person, his/her family history,
his/her physical and psychological characteristics etc. All this
information helps the homeopath to find a remedy which not only
will remove the eczema but will also remove the disposition to acquire
such diseases. As a note of caution I would like to add here that
after a proper remedy is given the eczema may occasionally ( not
often) show a mild flare up. This should not worry the patient
as it is often considered a good prognostic sign by homeopaths.
There are many medicines in homeopathy that are used for this condition.
ars-alb, bovista, dulcamara, graphites, lycopodium, mezereum,
peteroleum, rhus-tox, sulphur, cicuta etc are some commonly used
medicines. But which medicine will work in a particular case can
only be judged by a trained homeopath.
Eczema / Allergic
Dermatitis - CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT
Topical application of steroids and oral anti-allergic drugs form
the main stay of treatment.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? - ACCESSORY MANAGEMENT
Avoid any allergen or irritant that may be causing the problem.
WHERE ELSE TO FIND MORE INFO? INTERNET
RESOURCES
REFERENCE WORKS
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed, McGraw-Hill
Davidson's Principles and Practise of Medicine, 17th ed, 1996,
Churchill Livingstone
New Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory, William
Boericke, 2nd revised ed., 2001, B. Jain
A Concise Repertory of Homeopathic Medicines, S.R.Phatak, 3rd ed,
B. Jain
A Clinical Repertory to the Dictionary of Materia Medica, J.H.Clarke,
reprint ed, 1989, B. Jain |
