Eczema
Skin Irritations
Definition
A generic term for acute or chronic inflammatory conditions of the skin, typically erythematous, edematous, papular, vesicular, and crusting; followed often by lichenifications and scaling, occasionally by duskiness of the erythema, and infrequently hyperpigmentation; often accompanied by sensations of itching and burning.
Causes
Allergies, herpesvirus type 1, vascular stasis. Most causes of eczema is unknown. Food allergies play a large part in most instances. Frequently eggs, wheat cereals, milk and certain fruits or berries. Lack of sunshine, fresh air, and constipation may be contributing factors.
Symptoms
Eczema may occur at any age but most frequently in infants. Most commonly on the face, but can appear on other parts of the body. It causes severe itching, burning, and stinging of the skin. Sometimes it begins with pimple like rash which develops into larger blisters filled with water. Usually the skin dries up and forms little scales that itch intensely. There are two kinds of eczema, dry and moist or weeping eczema. Both forms are usually worse during the winter months.
Treatment
Select alkaline foods. Bowels should be regular. Do not use soap and water for cleansing the skin; instead, use a weak boric acid solution. Using a salt solution of one tsp. to a quart of water is also helpful. Take equal parts of burdock root, yellow dock, yarrow, and marshmallow; using a heaping tsp. of this mixture of granulated herbs to a cup of boiling water, steep, strain, and drink one-half cupful 4-5 times a day. Healing herb salve should be applied freely to relieve itching and heal the skin. (Herbal Salve) Use granulated or powdered herbs. Use one pound of herbs to one and a half pounds of cocoa fat, or any pure vegetable oil, and four ounces of beeswax. It is necessary to use a little more beeswax in the warmer climates, as this is the ingredient that keeps the salve firm. Mix the above together, cover, and place in the hot sun or in an oven with the fire turned low for three or four hours. Strain through a fine sieve or cloth. When it is cold, it will be firm and ready for use. It can be used, however, before it is cold). Whenever eczema occurs in infants, gentle restraint off the hands must be used to prevent scratching of the lesions, which may result in infection. When an infant has eczema, he should not be vaccinated for smallpox, nor should he associate with other infants or children who have been recently vaccinated.
Herbal Medicine Formulas and Recipes
Chinese Formulas
Ayurvedic Formulas
Herbs
TB
- Aloe
- Arsesmart
- Ash, prickly
- Azuki bean
- Balmony
- Beech
- Birch
- Bittersweet
- Bloodroot
- Burdock, great
- Butternut
- Celandine, greater
- Chamomile
- Chickweed
- Cleavers
- Coriander
- Cowslip
- Crampbark
- Crowfoot
- Dandelion
- Echinacea
- Figwort
- Flag, blue
- Fleabane, Canada (horseweed)
- Fumitory
- Gentian
- Golden rod, European
- Golden seal
- Gotu kola
- Gum plant
- Heart's ease (johnnie-jump-up)
- Hedge hyssop
- Horehound
- Indian hemp, black
- Indian strawberry
- Indigo, wild
- Jasmine flowers
- Jewelweed (spotted touch-me-not)
- Knotweed
- Labrador tea
- Licorice
- Linden
- Marshmallow
- Nettle, stinging
- Oregon grape, wild
- Origanum
- Plantain
- Poplar
- Primrose, evening
- Red clover
- Restharrow
- Rhubarb
- Rosemary
- Sandalwood
- Sanicle
- Sarsaparilla
- Senna
- Smartweed
- Soapwort (bouncing bet)
- Speedwell
- Strawberry, wild, leaves
- Sumac
- Turtlebloom
- Valerian, Greek (Jacob's ladder)
- Vervain, European
- Violet, blue
- Walnut, black
- Watercress
- Wild cherry bark
- Willow
- Yam, wild
- Yellow dock
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