Eczema can be treated by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
TCM treats eczema with different formulas according to patients’ patterns (a pattern is a set of symptoms).
Damp Heat Pattern is usually seen in acute eczema. The symptoms include a rapidly evolving red rash which may be blistered, swollen, itching, scaling and weeping. And the patients also have the symptoms, such as thirst, yellow urine, a red tongue with a deep yellow coating, and slippery and rapid pulse.
To treat this pattern, TCM chooses bitter and cooling herbs to cleanse heat and dry up dampness. The bitter herbs for drying up the dampness, and the cooling herbs for reducing heat. The following are three of classic herbal formulas from Chinese medicine:
Internal use:
– Scutellaria baicalensis (黄芩) 10g
– Amur cork tree bark (黄柏) 10g
– Atractylodes lancea (苍术) 10g
– Sophora flavescens (苦参) 12g
– Plantain (车前草) 15g
– Polyporus (猪苓) 10g
– Make a decoction, drink it twice a day
External use:
– Sophora flavescens (苦参) 50g
– Cnidium monnieri (蛇床子) 30g
– Xanthium sibiricum (苍耳子) 15g
– Make a decoction, apply it to wash the affected area
– Coptis chinensis (黄连) 10g
– Scutellaria baicalensis (黄芩) 10g
– Gypsum (calcined, 煅石膏) 10g
– Calamine (calcined, 煅炉甘石) 12g
– Borneol (冰片) 0.5g
– Make a fine powder, apply the powder (or mixed with sesame oil) to the affected area
Please note, a TCM doctor usually prescribes a formula according to a patient’s symptoms, case by case. The above are just typical formulas that may not be effective to treat your symtoms. You should always consult your doctor before using any remedies.
For more information about natural remedies for eczema, go to Natural Remedies Center: http://www.naturalremediescenter.com/treat/eczema/
