Chinese medicine treats the cause of eczema.
Eczema is a common and rapidly disabling condition. There are many causes, but most often they are related to a blood disorder. Unfortunately, the patients who consult us often have long-standing eczema. We can never repeat it enough, any pathology should be the object of a quick consultation with a traditional practitioner to avoid the passage to chronicity.
It is therefore necessary to take into account the history, the appearance and the evolution of the lesions in order to understand their significance and to elaborate the most appropriate treatment. In the acute phase, it is necessary to cool the heat, disperse the wind and eliminate humidity. In the chronic phase, the blood must be nourished and the dryness moistened. It is also necessary to look for a possible damage of one of the 8 extraordinary meridians and to correct the diet.
Finally, it is essential to look at the emotional aspect of eczema because the skin organ is linked to our emotional state. Our history and our relationship with our parents, and in particular with our mother, also influence our emotions. Some people retain great anger from their adolescence, others great sadness, or a strong bond of emotional dependence.
Chinese medicine treats eczema after identifying its origin. It is difficult to get rid of it. The creams and treatments offered by Western medicine will relieve the symptoms, but do not treat the cause and often have side effects.
This is why many eczema sufferers turn to traditional medicines, which, according to their holistic approach, will identify and treat the cause of the condition.
TCM will use pharmacopoeia, associated with acupuncture. But the Chinese medicine practitioner will also advise his patient on his diet, and question him on his lifestyle because a badly managed stress, recurrent emotional disturbances have an important impact on eczema.
The patient should therefore, in parallel with the treatment received, adapt his or her lifestyle in order to favorably accompany the treatment towards recovery.
In all cases, and especially if the eczema has been present for some time, it will take time to get rid of it.
The patient must therefore commit to the long term, and not give in to discouragement. However, improvements can be felt quickly, and discomfort can be significantly reduced. Each case being different, it is impossible to predict precisely how and after how long this improvement will be felt.
The causes
There are several possible causes or “perversions” that can cause eczema: heat, wind, humidity or dryness. The nature of the lesions gives an indication of this origin.
Heat
The skin is red with a local burning sensation, it is swollen. The origin is what TCM calls a Fire, which comes from within. This fire can come from an unbalanced diet, including an excessive consumption of fatty or hot foods (fried foods, spices, alcohol, dairy products etc). This generates first an excessive stagnation in the stomach and then a Fire in the stomach or in the Gallbladder.
Emotional disorders can also generate fire in the Heart and Liver.
Finally, the heat of the Blood can turn into dryness of the Blood with emptiness of yin and release of heat.
Dryness
The skin is dry with scales and crusts. The eczama is in this case linked with a lack of organic liquids, due to a lack of blood, or a lack of Kidney Yin, or sometimes a lack of Lung Yin, or Liver Yin.
Wind
In case of pruritus (itching), the origin of the affection will be linked to the wind. If this wind is of internal origin, it is often the consequence of a blood vacuum. In this case, the itch is less intense but chronic, with worsening at night.
Of external origin the pruritus is intense and extended, generally on the upper part of the body. It is generally improved by cold.
The origin can also be a wind associated with heat. The eczema will then be dry but itchy, and the tongue will be very red with a white coating. It is generally the result of a stagnation of the Liver qi, itself generated by annoyances, pent-up anger, frustration.
Humidity
Moisture is, like dryness, often associated with wind or heat. The lesions are sticky, sometimes purulent, and present vesicles or bullae. Its origin can be external (accumulation of moisture-heat or penetration of wind-humidity), or internal.
Internally, it is often linked to an energetic imbalance in the spleen, such as a lack of Qi. The origin is often dietary (excess consumption of cold or sweet foods which exhaust the spleen).
Treatment
As for any pathology, after a diagnosis to identify the cause(s) of the eczema as precisely as possible, we immediately combine acupuncture with pharmacopoeia. We encourage our patients to go directly to a traditional pharmacy to receive herbal ointments.
During one or more sessions, we also offer an examination of the patient’s eating habits in order to help him/her find a suitable and, if possible, pleasing diet. Finally, we invite our patients to follow the precepts and techniques of Yǎngshēng, the Chinese medicine art of living for health and longevity.
As with any chronic illness, we propose qi gong as a fundamental support for the proper management of one’s emotions. Finally, it is important for each person to identify his or her own priorities in relation to health. It is gratifying to note that those who decide to do everything possible to get out of it, obtain results.
Let’s not forget that each person is his or her own doctor!
Effectiveness of TCM on eczema
Three studies conducted between 2006 and 2008 at the Ming Qi Natural Health Center (New York, USA) aimed to evaluate the impact of Chinese medicine on eczema.
In one study, 37 young patients with eczema were given a herbal decoction, while the other group received a placebo. At the beginning of the study, more than half of the participants had severe symptoms. Those who received the treatment experienced greater symptom relief than those who received the placebo.
“Improvement in symptoms and quality of life was seen by the third month,” says researcher Julia Wisniewski. And after eight months of treatment, most had mild symptoms. Eighteen of the patients experienced a 90% or greater reduction in their eczema.
In another study, several participants drank a Chinese herbal decoction. They also took herbal baths, and applied herbal creams to the affected areas. Finally, they received acupuncture sessions. This combination of therapies significantly reduced the symptoms of most participants, who started the study with severe eczema and ended it with very mild symptoms.
Participants also reported a reduction in the use of antibiotics steroids and antihistamines within three months of their TCM treatment.
“Chinese medicine is a very good alternative to conventional treatment for patients with eczema,” the researchers concluded.
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