5 Natural Remedies That Can Improve Eczema Treatment

Did you know that eczema is prevalent in up to 20% of children and 3% of adults globally? This skin condition usually presents on the scalp, knees or elbows, or the back of a person’s hand. It can be characterised by brown or red skin patches that appear cracked, dry or scaly. If you experience some of these symptoms, it’s not too late to find the most effective eczema treatment that could end your misery.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners, a healthy skin complexion is an external representation of a person’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being. To achieve good health, you need to ensure a fluid balance of yin and yang. They are two opposing yet interdependent forces in the body.

Here are a few effects of yin and yang imbalance and 5 tips that you can practice to treat the symptoms of eczema.

What Happens When There’s a Yin and Yang Imbalance in the Body?

When either of these two forces become more prominent than the other, it will impair the normal functioning of all organ systems. Thus, when three specific organs — the heart, lungs and spleen — are affected, it may trigger various skin problems.

The effects of yin and yang imbalance in the heart

Having too much heat (yang) in the heart can cause skin itchiness. Emotional tension or the consumption of too much spicy food usually cause this excess of heat. A deficiency of yang energy, on the other hand, can make your skin complexion look dull.

The effects of yin and yang imbalance in the lungs

One of the body’s five yin organs, the lungs, are responsible for the health of your hair and skin. They also promote qi circulation in the body and ensure optimal skin hydration. If your lungs are healthy, your skin may present as moist and supple. Alternatively, dry lungs and lung heat (excess yang) can cause your skin to become flaky and start itching. It can also cause a burning skin sensation.

The effects of yin and yang imbalance in the spleen

The primary function of the spleen is to remove dampness in the body. In this regard, spleen dysfunction will cause excess dampness and heat to accumulate in the body. It will also cause an increased production of sebum which, in turn, causes breakouts.

How to Manage Skin Eczema Effectively?

The primary goal of incorporating different therapies to help improve eczema treatment is to help your body achieve a balance of yin and yang forces in the heart, lungs and spleen, and a smooth flow of qi in the body.

Consuming traditional herbal remedies

The consumption of a few traditional remedies is effective in relieving the aggravated symptoms of eczema. Qinzhuliangxue (QZLXD), a Chinese herbal formulation that includes several ingredients like liquorice root, pearl powder, and skullcap. It effectively relieves eczema symptoms and reduces the frequency of a relapse. 

Similarly, another formula called Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (BZYQT) combines ingredients like Bupleurum, Chinese Angelica root (Danggui) and ginseng. It can reduce the severity of eczema in people who had a delicate, easily fatigable, and hypersensitive body constitution. 

You can use BZYQT alongside topical corticosteroids or oral antihistamines to keep their symptoms in check. Because of this, it is a suitable adjunctive therapy to the use of conventional treatments. You may also prepare American ginseng with other ingredients, including dried longans and chicken drumstick, in a herbal remedy that nourishes your yin, clears excess heat from the heart and improves lung function.

Getting acupuncture treatment

The findings of a study on the relationship between acupuncture and eczema demonstrated that this therapy helps improve symptoms like itchy skin in people with mild to moderate eczema. 

On the other hand, a separate study finds that acupuncture can reduce lesion size and lower the risk of symptom recurrence, both attributed to elevated levels of stress.

Making dietary changes

Like asthma, depression and hay fever, food allergies are also linked directly with eczema breakouts. For instance, foods like eggs, dairy, fish, peanuts, and wheat are all common triggers of an eczema flare-up.

Therefore, eliminating each of these foods, one at a time, can be an effective way to identify the triggers of eczema. You can also opt for a rotation diet in which you only consume these foods once every few days.

Either way, you should seek the advice of a nutritionist beforehand. They can help you decide on replacement foods that you can eat to prevent a nutrition deficiency. Consuming a herbal remedy that combines essence of chicken and ginkgo biloba extract is also essential for providing your body with amino acids, minerals and protein. They are important for improving alertness, neutralising free radicals in the body and promoting healthy blood circulation.

Taking oatmeal baths

Colloidal oatmeal — oatmeal grounded into a fine powder — has demonstrated protective and soothing effects against itching and irritation due to eczema. It forms a protective film on the skin, supports the retention of skin moisture and eases inflammation. 

This is evident from the findings of a study, which finds that people who followed a colloidal oatmeal bathing regimen for 4 weeks improved their skin condition and, in turn, their quality of life.

It is a given that eczema treatment can only help to manage its symptoms. In that regard, you should check out this article to gain a better understanding of how the health of our internal organs is reflected externally. At the same time, take comfort in knowing that a consistent practice of the tips above will help you enjoy the finer things in life by lowering your risk of an eczema relapse.