Condition

What is it?

A condition of the skin that can include small blisters, red irritation and scaling, eczema is itchy and can occur at any age, from infancy through adulthood. Most commonly, the condition begins in infancy or childhood.

We often hear patients tell us that they had eczema as a child, it was treated with topical steroid cream, and then they developed asthma. The reason for this association is physiological. Just as eczema is an irritation or inflammation of the skin, asthma is an irritation of the lung mucosa-essentially the same physiological process occurring at a deeper level.

Both conditions have an allergic component, and one can easily follow the other especially with suppressive treatment such as steroid use.

Key Points:

• Also called atopic dermatitis, this condition is chronic and extremely itchy
• Commonly accompanied or followed by stuffy nose and/or asthma
• An overactive immune system contributes to this condition
• Foods, inhalants, or other allergens can be triggers
• 70% of cases first occur in children under the age of five years old
• Breastfed infants have a lower risk of developing eczema
• Studies have shown homeopathy is an effective treatment for many patients
• Essential fatty acids can assist in rebalancing the immune system