Homeopathy treats eczema from the ‘root’

Homeopathy treats eczema from the ‘root’

Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, affects people of all ages; about 85 per cent present with eczema before age five. Many report of a family history, or allergy, such as allergic rhinitis or asthma. The disorder is not transmissible; it does not spread from one person to another. Some forms of eczema are triggered by substances that come in contact with our skin, such as soaps, detergents, cosmetics, clothing, or jewellery. Environmental allergens may also cause eczema, in addition to changes in temperature, or emotional stress.

Intense itching is usually the first symptom in most people — this may sometimes lead to blisters and oozing lesions, or a thickened, crusty skin. While any part of the body may be affected by eczema, the disorder typically appears on the face, neck, the elbows, knees, and ankles. In infants, it characteristically presents on the forehead, cheeks, forearms, legs, scalp, and neck.  One form of eczema may appear with “sticky” pus, or blood. This is called “wet,” or “weeping,” eczema.

Three-year-old Anuj presented with itchy eczema all over his body with pus and blood, so much so his clothes were stained. No amount of steroid creams, lotions or emollients brought any relief for him. I found little Anuj extremely irritable, crying or screaming, all the time. Interestingly, he was reasonably calm when he was carried around by someone. However, when he was put down on his bed to sleep, he would yell and get violent.

I asked his mother about her emotional condition during pregnancy. She revealed that she had carried a lot of suppressed emotions and also resentment during this time. Based on her symptoms of concealed anger during pregnancy, and excessive frenzy in her child, I gave Anuj Chamomilla, a homeopathic medicine, which suits cranky, irritable children and their problems. This not only reduced itchiness and discharge, but also calmed Anuj gently and made him sleep soundly. His eruptions too reduced, subsequently — this had not happened before. This is the subtle and refined sophistication of homeopathy, where medicines are sometimes prescribed not only on the basis of the child’s past history, but also on the basis of the mother’s emotional state during pregnancy.