Features - A Western Herbalist approach to eczema by Chris Caton

Herbal Medicine is the use of whole plant extracts in treatment of disease. It is the oldest medicine known to man and is still used by about eighty percent of the worlds population as a source of primary health care.

The National Institute of Medical Herbalists was established in 1864 and is the oldest body of practising herbalists in existence today. All members have achieved the necessary standard of training for entrance into the Institute. They are fully insured and adhere to a strict professional Code of Ethics. They carry the letters of their qualification after their name, MNIMH or FNIMH. These letters are a guarantee that you place yourself in safe, trained and caring hands.

Qualified western herbalists treat people as individuals, we spend time with them, exploring their symptoms, lifestyle, diet, emotional well being and their past medical health. We need to explore these avenues in order to build a complete picture and arrive at the causes of their illness, the name given to their diagnosis is not the important issue. Treating people as individuals, with individual causes and a treatment specific to them is the all important issue.

There are lots of different kinds of eczema, lots of different causes and lots of different herbal medicines that can help, choosing the right ones for that particular patient is important. Lots of available literature claims that, this is the herb for eczema, 'the miracle cure', it may or may not help YOU, it may or may not be a waste of money or worse still, it could make things worse. A herbalist does not have an eczema mix or cream, we only choose what we will use after a thorough investigation into your problem and usually get very good results, reducing symptoms and severity, often being able to irradicate the problem altogether.

The diagnosis of your eczema maybe, atopic, contact dermatitis, dishydrotic, neurodermatitis, nummular, stasis dermatitis or seborrhoeic and although this might guide us towards a possible cause i.e. immune weakness, dietary, digestive or nervous inbalances, it does not tell us how to treat it. We are looking for the cause, if we only treat the symptoms then the problem will only go elsewhere and nothing will be gained in the longterm. So what do we do, well as mentioned above we listen to what you have to say, how it effects you, and take a thorough medical history. From this we can decide which system or systems in your body need support and balancing.

Often people with eczema need to make changes in their diet and we can advise you of which changes you need to make in your eating habits. Essential fatty acids are often lacking in the diet or are being consumed in the wrong proportions. Atopic individuals will need to change their diets to exclude foods that are causing a reaction and also to include foods to support their immune function, this may be herbs/foods such as beetroot, alfalfa, nettle or a general increase in fresh fruit or vegtables.

If the digestive system is not working to its optimum then there will be a problem with absorption or waste material may be being reabsorbed, causing a toxic environment within your body fluids and tissues. Herbs can be given to help with constipation, bulk laxatives for example psyllium seeds or flaxseed. Bitter herbs such as Gentiana lutea and Taraxacum officinale can help with absorption problems or a digestive tonic may be given depending on the problem.

Emotional problems are linked to every system in our body for example anxiety causes the release of adrenaline, keeping our bodies in a state of flight or fight, closing down the digestive system to bare minimum, shifting blood from the periphery to more central organs such as the heart and lungs, thus depriving the skin of a healthy circulation, of course, if anxiety is only a temporary thing then these reactions can be of great benefit in our survival, but if our bodies are in a continuous state of anxiety then health will suffer. There are many herbs that can be beneficial to the nervous system for example Lemon balm, Valeriana and St Johns wort.

The liver is a major organ of metabolism, responsible for the breakdown of many waste products, nutrient storage, bile synthesis and formation of red blood cells to name but a few of its functions. It stands to reason that if the liver has been bombarded with toxins from dietary factors, hormonal imbalances, medications or has been weakened by previous damage or poor nutrition then this will have a knock on effect elsewhere. The liver can be helped with herbs such as Milk thistle, Dandelion root and Artichoke juice.

The skin needs to have a good circulation of blood and lymph in order for nutrients to reach all the cells and toxins to be removed, any weakness in the circulatory system will lead to an impaired ability of cell function. Circulatory herbs include Ginger, Calendula, Yarrow and Cleavers.

Advise may also be given on lifestyle changes that will enhance the healing process, a reduction in stress, increase in exercise or sunlight may all be needed.

As Herbal Medicine is working at the cause of problems it often takes time, in general the longer a problem has existed the longer the treatment, imbalances that have been ongoing for ten years or so cannot usually be fixed in a week, instead benefits are usually felt gradually over a peiod of time, depending on the patient.

It must be stressed that this is intended as a guide to how a herbalist views eczema and the type of treatment that may be given. The herbs mentioned have many actions and individual prescriptions are chosen with this in mind. Whilst it is often beneficial to treat yourself at home please make sure that you have enough knowledge about your condition and the herbs you are using before self medicating. Herbs used by a professional herbalist are safe, but some herbal medicines should only be used with caution and by a professional medical herbalist.

Whilst traditional use is beginning to be backed up by science and herbal remedies are widely available it should be noted that many plant medicines have been tested in the laboratory using only one of the plants chemical constituents, this does not give an indication of the overall effect of the plant when used in its whole form or when used with other herbs synergistically. Many available herbs have been standardised, the perceived active chemical constituent has been made up to a certain percentage, many qualified herbalist disagree with this method and do not use such remedies

By Chris Caton MNIMH

Market Rasen
Lincolnshire
England

e-mail herbalist.c.caton@btinternet.com

Web Site: www.traditionalwesternherbalist.com

Further Information

A register of members can be obtained from:

The National Institute of Medical Herbalists
56 Longbrook Street
Exeter
Devon EX4 6AH
Tel (01392 426022)

Page Updated: 23 April 2007