Eczema is a complex skin condition and in most instances needs professional treatment. The natural therapies have an extremely good record in treating people with Eczema and given the problems associated with the long term. Regular use of steroid creams, there is a lot to be said for looking at other options.
Home remedies for Eczema
Eczema Treatment using Aromatherapy and Essential Oils
The most important thing to remember when trying to help ease eczema is to be as flexible as possible. You may well need to vary the oils, and change the way you use them, since the nature of eczema can be due to so many factors and the skin can get better for a while with one oil and then may need something different as the symptoms change.
Another method for a larger area of eczema is to use the oils in a cool compress: start with just 5 drops to 500 ml water.
Herbalism - Herbal Hemedies for Eczema
This is an area where herbal medicine can be highly effective, and nearly always involves internal treatment as well as any local applications. Apart from some of the oils mentioned above, creams or ointments made with Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) or Marigold (Calendula officinalis) can help to reduce inflammation and speed up healing. For the intense itching that often accompanies eczema one of the best herbs is Chickweed (Stellaria media); use the fresh herb to make a cream or ointment, or simply make an infusion and when cooled apply as a compress.
If the skin is weeping, then infusions of Heartsease (Viola tricolor), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) or even Nettle (Urtica dioica) used in a similar way will help to dry the area. Applying Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil, either neat or in a cream base, can be very soothing and healing.
CAUSES OF ECZEMA
Essentially, eczema is an allergic inflammation and irritation of the skin. There may be a fairly straightforward external cause - for instance, a reaction to nickel which is often &, found in cheaper jewellery, watch straps, zips (zippers), and clips and so on. Cosmetics, perfumes and hair colorings are another source of potential allergens, and fur, feathers, mould spores or dust make up another major group of irritants. Occasionally people react badly to various plants, especially in bright sunlight, and keen gardeners need to be aware of possible dangers it they have sensitive skin.
For many eczema sufferers, however, any external irritants are secondary to inner factors. In what is termed atrophic eczema, there is often a family history of eczema, asthma or hay fever (all similarly over-reactive disorders), and problem areas such as emotional upsets, stress and food intolerance play a bigger part in the individual's eczema pattern. Unravelling the particular combination of factors for each person is often a detective story, which is where seeking treatment from a qualified natural therapist can be so valuable, with their focus on the whole person.
Eczema Homeopathy Treatment
Given the importance of stress in aggravating many kinds of eczema, looking at relaxation techniques may be valuable. Where eczema has been around infancy, it is often very beneficial to try eliminating cow's milk, cheese and other dairy products.
Naturopathy - Natural Home Cures for Eczema
Specific dietary advice will obviously require professional consultation, as there may be particular foods which provoke or aggravate an individual's eczema. If the suggestions in the Naturopathy section do not radically improve the skin with 6-8 weeks, get professional advice.
Treatment for Eczema By Natural Home Remedy
A little of the powdered bark mixed with warm water will give a healing paste which can be used on the hands and other sore places at night, whilst an emollient glass of slippery elm and honey taken each morning before breakfast may prove to be a necessary laxative in eczema cure.
Dip simmer 50g (2oz) of birch leaves in 1 litre (1.75 pints) of water for three minutes. Leave until hand hot then add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Allow to cool for several hours before using as a useful disinfectant wash and a therapeutic daily drink. This is a proven remedy for treating eczema.
Drink the juice or chew a few dried berries at a time to clear the skin of blemishes. Or make the following strong decoction to drink in the quantities of I small glass hourly.
Cabbage Juice is very useful in eczema; it may be drunk daily or take the well-pulped leaves of a fresh, green Savoy .
