Eczema – Dermatitis How Salt therapy can help Eczema sufferers

What is Eczema?

Eczema or Dermatitis affects people of all ages but is primarily seen in children. It may also be apparent in early life, disappear, and then return again in adult life. One in five children and one in twelve adults in the United Kingdom suffer from Eczema. Both Contact Dermatitis and Eczema account for 84-90% of occupational skin diseases.

What are the symptoms of Eczema?

Eczema is a dry skin condition which comes in many different forms. It is not contagious so you cannot catch it from someone else. In mild cases of eczema the skin is dry, scaly, red and itchy. In more severe cases there may be weeping, crusting, inflammation and bleeding. Constant scratching causes the skin to split and bleed and also leaves it open to infection. It is likely to be found on the flexor aspect of joints in the body.

What are the causes of Eczema?

There are many causes that may trigger the symptoms of Eczema and most of them are to do with ingestion into the body or exposure to substances that create an allergic reaction in the sufferer.

Foods that have proved to cause problems are Cows milk; hen’s eggs; and peanuts. Food allergies play an especially important role in children under the age of 1. House dust or house mites may also cause or exacerbate a condition as exposure to domestic animals such as cats and dogs my also be a trigger.

What treatments are available?

Topical corticosteroids are safe and can be effective medicines when used correctly. They come in various strengths and should be used to control inflammation.

Mild corticosteroids are generally used for children and on the face and more tender areas such as the crease of the elbow or behind the knees.

More potent corticosteroids may be needed for adults with Eczema on the scalp, limbs, and trunk. Once the inflammation is under control, topical steroids should be reduced to the mildest strength needed to control the Eczema, or if possible, stopped. This is because constant use of steroids or disabling side effects from the medicine can cause problems. It is therefore recommended that patients using topical steroids should be frequently reviewed by their doctor.

Elidel cream and Protopic ointment are two treatments for reducing inflammation and controlling flare-ups which do not contain steroids and do not have the same level of side effects. However, they are usually only used when corticosteroids have not been effective or cause unacceptable side effects.

Can salt therapy Help as an alternative medicine?

Many doctors will prescribe salt water baths to patients with Eczema in an attempt to control their symptoms. Salt therapy has been used in eastern European countries as a complimentary medicine and alternative therapy for skin problems for many centuries.

Now the benefits of this ancient natural therapy are becoming known in the United Kingdom. Its greatest asset is it has a positive effect on sufferers without ingesting steroids which may cause harm over a long period of time.

Many patients visiting the salt cave will wear swimsuits (which is quite acceptable) so a greater part of their bodies can be cleansed by the salt particles. Particles of the dry salt aerosol kill bacteria and fungi and cleanse your skin and respiratory tract of allergens like pollen, dust or smoke which trigger your disease. If you also suffer from Seborrhoeic Dermatitis and have suffered hair loss, salt therapy has been known to stimulate hair growth.