subject: Eczema Natural Treatments – Going Further Than Conventional Medicine [print this page] Eczema Natural Treatments Going Further Than Conventional Medicine
Because there is currently no known cure for the condition of eczema, natural treatments are often used either in conjunction with, or as a replacement for conventional therapy. The commonly prescribed corticosteroid creams, while often effective, only offer a short term solution to the problem. Prolonged use of these topical steroids can lead to side effects, the most common being that they cause the skin to become thin and fragile.
The world of alternative therapy opens up a whole new world of possible therapies for many conditions, including various eczema natural treatments. For some, this treatment can completely replace conventional medicines and eradicate the often dangerous side effects they bring.
Allergies are often to blame for eczema outbreaks, and identifying whatever caused the allergic reaction will allow you to eliminate it from your life. It could be something you've eaten, or it could be something you have come into contact with, such as soaps and detergents, animals and dust mites.
If an allergy doesn't appear to be the cause of the problem, or you are unable to identify what triggered the reaction, other eczema natural treatments can be employed. These can involve measures to soothe and hydrate the skin, as well as looking at how we can allow the immune system to better combat the problem from within.
Soothing the skin is not just important for treating the actual eczema itself, but also for reducing the strong itching sensation it brings. The temptation to scratch an itch is strong, and the effect is that it will make the condition worse. Scratching can also cause infection from bacteria that live under the fingernails, and then enter the body through the cracked and dry skin.
Keeping the body and skin hydrated is essential, and you should therefore try and drink at least two litres of water a day. Showering or bathing with natural oils can help, but don't soak your body for too long as this will drain natural oils from the skin. Moisturize afterwards, using a lotion with natural ingredients. For both bath oils and skin lotion, products containing Aloe Vera Juice and Oatmeal are often advised because of the soothing effect they have on the skin.
Eczema natural treatments that combat the cause of the condition on the inside, by helping your immune system, usually involve a combination of diet and detox. It is theorised that the cause of the immune system problem lies in toxicity levels in the body, and these levels can be reduced with this strategy. Our toxicity levels are greatly affected by what we put into our body's by way of food and drink, not to mention breathing polluted air and (for some) smoking.
To reduce the toxins in the body and allow the immune system to function properly again, a good detoxification program is required. At the same time, you should make changes to your diet that will lower the number of toxins getting into your body, to a level the immune system can cope with.
Eczema natural treatments often don't go far enough to fully deal with the condition, especially when people tend to pick and choose which they are going to try and which they will discard. When it comes to eczema, natural treatments are most effective when used in an overall program of natural therapy to combat the multiple factors that combine to cause the condition.
