Alternative Remedies
Among the many ways of helping, relieving, and fighting eczema, there are a variety of alternative remedies. These methods, which involve natural solutions or lifestyle changes, have proven to be very effective for many people. Obviously, they are not part of the conventional medical or scientific forms of treatment, but this does not mean that they are any less effective. In fact, many of the alternative methods are actually safer and do not carry with them the potentially harmful side effects of medicines. Here are a few of them.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal can have a soothing affect on eczema. Its primary quality is its ability to assuage the itching sensation that eczema produces. Many commercial products, recognizing the benefit of oatmeal treatment, now market a variety of products that use the natural powers of oatmeal to treat eczema. Aveeno is the best known of these products. Colloidal oatmeal works best—oatmeal that is finely ground and mixed into warm bathwater. Try an oatmeal bath twice weekly for two months and see if it has an effect on your eczema.
Bleach Treatment
Honestly, using bleach on your body is probably a horrifying thought. The stuff stinks, stains clothes, and ruins hair. True. But in a mild form, it demonstrates an ability to subdue the symptoms of eczema. Use carefully! Only a half-cup of bleach to a bath full of warm water is all you need. The bleach contains bacteria-killing properties that may help clean the skin of the bacteria that make eczema worse.
Seawater
Some alternative methods fall in the strange-but-true categories. The seawater method seems to be such a method. However, seawater with its high concentration of salt and other minerals has antiseptic qualities that can fight bacteria and enhance the skin. The more “stuff” in the water, the better, according to some. Thus, the Dead Sea is more than just a scenic vacation spot; it has become a center for alternative treatment seekers.
Sulfur Springs
Most people are aware that sulfur springs and natural hot tubs are popular forms of relaxation and possible healing. While there isn’t as much evidence for the healing qualities of sulfur springs (as much as there is for oatmeal, bleach, and seawater), there have been good reports from those who have tried this treatment.
Chiropractic Care
The health impact of a correctly aligned spine is quite amazing. Though it is not the cure-all, and its impact upon eczema is not entirely clear, there may be some benefit from chiropractic adjustment—even to your skin.
