Eczema Bulletin, Issue #035 - Ayurvedic Medicine and Eczema
Welcome to June's edition of the Eczema Bulletin e-zine, and thank you for subscribing.
This is the 35th edition of Eczema Bulletin. It will bring you articles and news about eczema, and also any updates to what-is-eczema.com. If you would like to add any suggestions for articles or news, or even add your own then I would love to hear from you
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This month's Eczema Bulletin includes
- June's Featured Article – Ayurvedic Medicine and Eczema
- My favourite eczema news article
- Tip of the Month
- 5 Ways To.....improve eczema scars
Ayurvedic Medicine and Eczema
Ayurvedic medicine, or Ayurveda, is known as an complimentary treatment.
It is widely used in Indian culture, but it's definitely becoming more commonly used in other areas.
In ayurvedic medicine, skin conditions are put into one of three categories
Depending in which category your eczema falls into, determines how it is treated.
Practitioners of ayurveda believe that cleansing from the inside is the key to treating eczema. They use herbal treatments and over time will advise on how to make the diet cleaner.
Whatever category your eczema falls into there are reasons of why eczema flares up. Once you know which category your eczema is in, then a practitioner can advise which herbs can help relieve the symptoms.
The common herbs used in ayurvedic medicine are
- Neem
- Manjista
- Guduchi
- Turmeric
- Aloe
Vera
- Licorice
- Triphala
There are also other treatments that are sometimes suggested to be used alongside the herbal treatment
- Panchakarma – a detoxification that removes toxins and waste
- Warm oil massage
- Herbal steam bath
As there is no known cure for eczema, any treatment used to manage your eczema will need to be ongoing. You'll need to find a reputable ayurvedic medicine practitioner who can develop a long term plan that helps to manage your eczema.
This is a very basic explanation of ayurvedic medicine. I'm going to write a more in depth page for the website, which details the different categories and the herbs used in treatment.
I'd love to hear your experiences of ayurvedic medicine, including if you find it helpful and any advice that you have.
Eczema News Article
Pfizer, the US drugs company, have brought Anacor Pharmaceuticals, a California-based company, for $5.2 billion. Anacor have a product called crisaborole, which is a cream for eczema, that is waiting for approval by regulators in the US.
Crisaborole is a non-steroid topical cream. It is said to reduce inflammation. It is due to be approved by 7 January 2017. Studies have shown that in some patients it can clear eczema symptoms after 29 days.
We'll hopefully hear more about crisaborole in the next few months. Having a non-steroid topical cream available that can be used to treat eczema on really sensitive areas, like the face, can only be a good thing.
Tip Of The Month - Can A Water Softener Help Your Eczema?
There have been numerous studies done to find out if hard water can make the symptoms of eczema worse.
Limestone is the cause of hard water. When natural water travels through the ground and reservoirs, the limestone dissolves in the water. Limestone tends to be mainly calcium carbonate.
Water softeners are used to remove the calcium carbonate. They do this by replacing the calcium carbonate with sodium. The sodium is found in tiny beads in the water softener. The beads keep hold of the calcium, and the sodium is in the softened water.
One major study looked at the affect of having a water softener fitted for 12 weeks in homes of children with eczema. Occupants reported a small improvement in the severity of eczema, with 66% buying a water softener after the trial.
There is no medical evidence that soft water is more beneficial for eczema. But some families with eczema sufferers say that having a water softener has a positive affect on
symptoms.
Some of the benefits reported include
- the skin feels less itchy
- the symptoms reduced
- being able to use less emollients or topical steroids
- softer, smoother skin
Water softeners can be expensive, but they are the most effective hard water treatment. It may be something you can look into if you think hard water may be a problem for the eczema sufferers in your family.
It may be worth doing some research into water softeners if it's something that interest you. A good place to start is Water Softeners Buying Guide at Hometips.com
