How do you know you have severe eczema?

There are several scales for grading eczema. One popular one is the Rajka and Langeland scale developed in 1989.Using this scale, eczema symptoms are divided into three categories. These are the extent of the eczema (what percentage area of the body it covers), duration (how long bouts of eczema last), and the intensity of the symptoms. A person with eczema can receive a minimum score of 1 and a maximum score of 3 in each category. People with scores of 8-9 are considered to have severe eczema.

The typical picture of a person with severe eczema is as follows. More than 36% of the body surface is involved; bouts of eczema last about nine months of the year or are continuous; and there is severe itch that normally disturbs sleep at night. Eczema this severe affects the quality of life of the person, and can have a serious psychological impact. This is especially true in children and young adults, where self esteem can be quite low.

Your medical doctor may also classify your eczema as severe, if first line treatments such as emollients, topical steroids or immune modulators, fail to control your eczema.

The Medical Management of Severe Eczema

The first line of medical treatment for severe eczema is the use of oral steroids. These work by bringing the inflammatory response in eczema skin under control. These should be used for short periods, as they can have severe side effects, especially on rapidly growing teenagers.

An alternative to oral steroids are immunosuppressant medicines, such as cyclosporine and methotrexate. These act by modifying the body’s immune response. These medicines can cause liver toxicity.

Both oral steroid and immunosuppressant medicines are very potent medicines that can have very serious side effects. As a result they should only be used under the care of a skin specialist. In addition, there should be very close monitoring with blood test to detect any evidence of toxicity.

Ultraviolet light therapy has been found to be extremely useful in some people with severe eczema.  Also, giving the drug psoralen by mouth, followed two hour later by ultraviolet light therapy has also been found to be effective. The short term side effects of ultraviolet light therapy, is sun burn; in the long term skin cancer is a real risk.

Alternative therapies for Severe Eczema

The problem with alternative treatments such as evening primrose oil and Chinese herbal remedies is that their effectiveness has not been studied to the same extent as medical treatments. As a result evidence for their effectiveness in treating severe eczema is lacking. Also, one has to be very careful with alternative therapies taken orally. In the same way that medical therapies have side effects, alternative therapies also have side effects. This is something that many people tend to forget, as these products are usually promoted as herbal remedies. Some people believe that herbs cannot be harmful. This is not necessarily so. The wrong combinations of herbs or other medicines with herbs can be quite harmful.

The above is not to totally put people off from using alternative therapies. It is just to inform you that the same care needs to be taken when using herbal remedies, as when using traditional medicines. Before you embark on any alternative medicine, you should have a full check up by your doctor, to ensure that you do not have any medical conditions, such as kidney or liver disease that can make taking herbal remedies dangerous for you. If you do decide to take them, you should have regular monitoring and check ups.

That being said, there are several people who have seen significant improvement in their severe eczema, by using alternative remedies.

Tackle the root causes of eczema, if you know them.

A lot has been learnt about the causes of eczema, over the years. This information puts the person with severe eczema in a powerful position. Learn all you can about eczema, and recognize that controlling your eczema, is not as simple as taking the right pill, or putting the right cream on, even though these can help. If you are aware of what your triggers are, making lifestyle adjustments that significantly reduce exposure to your eczema triggers, can lead to significant improvements of your eczema.

Be sensible in the way you care for your body. Eat a well balanced healthy diet, rich in fruits vegetables and whole grains. Avoid foods you have detected trigger your eczema. If you can use organic, this is preferable. Drink plenty of water. Eczema skin looses water much more readily than normal skin, so you need to not just apply moisturizers on the outside, but moisturize your skin from the inside as well.

Some people with eczema, have found that natural organic plant oils and butters, act as well tolerated good moisturizers for their skin. These can be substituted for emollients in some cases.

Summary on Severe Eczema

Severe eczema can be difficult to manage, and you will need some help in order to achieve control. First ensure that you have the right diagnosis by visiting a doctor. Several skin conditions and even diseases can mimic the appearance of eczema. It is therefore important that you do not just assume you have eczema, and run off to treat your self. In rare cases this could cost you your life.

When you are sure of your diagnosis, explore the options available to you, and make informed decisions about your treatment options.

If you want to know more about eczema click on the link below, to get your free e-book on ‘How to Treat Eczema and Achieve Control’. http://youreasyeczemaremedies.com.