Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by dry, itchy and irritated skin. It is a very common condition affecting 10-20% of the world's population. The majority of those who will develop atopic eczema will do so before age 5.
Atopic (allergic) eczema tends to run in families as part of the "atopic triad", meaning that family members will typically present with one of 3 allergic conditions (asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis).
Eczema is typically treated with emollients (moisturizing cream), corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infection, antihistamines to control itch, and light therapy in moderate to severe cases. While these treatments have their place, they do have side-effects, offer little in the way of a cure, and do not treat the underlying condition.
Treatment with Chinese medicine can literally bring the entire system back to a state of balance and help it to stay there. An custom herbal formula can address the symptoms and underlying imbalance concurrently.
DEFINITION
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition thought to be of autoimmune origin. Psoriasis is characterized by redness, papules and psoriatic plaques. This condition most commonly affects the extensor aspects of the limbs (elbows and knees), but can affect any area of the body including the scalp and genitals.
TYPES
• Plaque Psoriasis
• Guttate Psoriasis
• Flexural Psoriasis
• Pustular Psoriasis
• Erythrodermic Psoriasis
• Psoriatic Arthritis
INCIDENCE
Worldwide, psoriasis affects 1-3% of the population. The condition is more common in Europe and North America than it is in Asia and Africa. Psoriasis can start at any age though rare in children under 10, and most commonly develops between 15 and 30, with a second peak between 55 and 60.
WESTERN MEDICINE TREATMENT
Internal therapy in the form of immunosuppressants are routinely employed to treat psoriasis. These drugs suppress the immune system’s ability to ward of normally harmless bacteria and viruses, and can possibly leave the patient with a serious, even life-threatening infection. Systemic treatment can be toxic and most patients experience a recurrence of their psoriasis once the treatment has been discontinued. Topical treatments include corticosteroids which thin the skin over time and coal tars linked to carcinogenesis. A rebound effect is common with the abrupt withdrawal of steroid creams, where the skin becomes significantly more inflamed in a short period of time. As with most band-aid treatments, these do have their place, but offer little in the way of treating the underlying factors causing the condition.
CHINESE MEDCINE APPROACH
The primary pattern for psoriasis is “Hot Blood with Wind”, thus giving reference to the inflammation (heat) in the blood vessels and the resulting scaling with itch (wind). There is an entire class of herbal medicine used to address the condition of “Blood Heat” from which the practitioner must hand pick and prescribe at the correct dosage. Though this is the most common variant, each case must be differentiated depending on the presenting symptoms. Only a Dr. of Chinese Medicine with specialty training in dermatology is qualified to do so.
By treating the entire system as a whole, Chinese medicine is able to offer not only relief from symptoms, but the possibility of balance. As symptoms resolve with a combination of natural internal and topical therapy, systemic inflammation is reduced, helping the body to achieve and maintain homeostasis. The ultimate benefit to the system occurs through this mechanism, as psoriasis is linked with other conditions made worse by inflammation, including heart disease.