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Category Archives: Acupuncture

Influenza – Preparing for Your Appointment

Listed below are certain questions you may ask your nurse or doctor to help you better manage your flu symptoms.

  • How can I distinguish between the symptoms of a cold and the symptoms of the flu?
  • Will I develop a fever? If so, how long will the fever last? Can the fever be dangerous?
  • Will I develop a headache, runny nose, sore throat or other symptoms?
  • Will these symptoms last long? Will I feel body ache or tiredness?
  • How can I determine if I have an ear infection?
  • Will I develop pneumonia?
  • Do I have HIN1 (swine flu) virus or another type of flu?
  • Can I infect other individuals? What can I do to prevent infecting someone?
  • What steps should I take if there is a child in my home?
  • When do you think my condition will get better?
  • What foods and drinks should I eat and drink? How much should I eat and drink?
  • What medications do you recommend for my symptoms?
  • Can I use acetaminophen or Tylenol or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or aspirin?
  • Can I take cold medications?
  • Will you prescribe more potent medications for my symptoms?
  • Are herbs and vitamins good treatment to make my flu or cold symptoms go away? Are these medicines safe to use?
  • Can antibiotics help improve my symptoms?
  • Do you recommend other drugs to help resolve my symptoms faster?
  • What steps do I need to take to prevent flu or cold infections?
  • Do I need to receive a flu vaccine? If so when? Do I need to be vaccinated once or twice a year? What risks does a flu vaccine entail? What risks are there I don’t get one? Will regular flu shots shield me versus the swine flu?
  • Is it dangerous to get a flu vaccine when I am pregnant?
  • Will a flu vaccine immunize me from flu and colds for one whole year?
  • Do you think being exposed to other smokers and my smoking itself can enable me to easily pick up the flu?
  • Am I allowed to use herbs or vitamins to battle or prevent the flu?

When you come in for your doctor’s appointment, the physician will probably utilize a number of techniques to evaluate your symptoms. These techniques usually involve a physical exam and certain diagnostic tests.

Your doctor in turn can query you about certain things regarding your flu while evaluating your symptoms at the same time. Another essential tip is to bring along to the appointment a list of all you health conditions as well as all the medications you are taking including also the medicine’s dosages as well as the names of doctors and other health care providers you have seen.  Some of the questions your doctor may ask may be like these:

  • When did you first start coughing?
  • Did your cough begin with a lung infection or an illness?
  • Do you cough only during and after an activity or all the time?
  • After eating, do you cough?
  • What particular period in the day do you have the worst coughing bouts?
  • Do you expel mucus when you cough? If yes, is the mucus thin and runny or is it viscous and thick? Do you cough up a lot of mucus? What color is the expelled mucus?
  • Do you feel any discomfort in your chest when you cough?
  • Do you wheeze when you cough?
  • Have you recently had fever?
  • Have you recently lost weight?
  • Have you had night sweats?
  • Do you have problems in breathing?
  • Have you had breathing problems (difficulty in breathing, feeling winded, difficulty in taking satisfying and deep breath or feeling short of breath) for a long time?
  • Do you frequently feel out of breath?
  • Does your shortness of breath limit the choices of activities you want to do?
  • Does your shortness of breath come with wheezing?
  • Do you have chest pain?
  • Do you experience any night sweats?
  • Do you feel tightening in your throat or tightening in your lungs?
  • How long have you been wheezing?
  • What seasons in the year do you wheeze the most?
  • What time of day do you often start wheezing?
  • Does your wheezing get worse at certain times?
  • Do you feel in the back of your throat any nasal discharge (post-nasal drip)?

 

Tree of Life Acupuncture
1215 120th Ave NE #206
Bellevue, WA 98005
(425) 732-3201
https://www.treeoflife-acupuncture.com/

Insomnia – Preparing For your Appointment

You need to consult with your doctor if youíre having problems with your sleep. In order to make your appointment productive, help your doctor by coming fully prepared for your insomnia appointment.  Listed below are some tips that can better prepare you for your appointment.

What you can do

* Know beforehand if there are any requests from your doctor you need to fulfill prior to your appointment ñ Your physician may request that you keep a sleep journal or diary wherein you can write down everything related to your sleep (number of hours you have slept, time of sleep or bedtime, the number of times you wake up, the how many times and the hours you wake up in the night and the hour in the morning you usually wake up). Include in the journal your normal daily activities and routines, and your sleep or rest during the day. You may start writing down all these a week or two prior to your appointment.
* Use a journal to list down all your questions to ask your doctor
* Have your sleeping partner accompany you to your appointment ñ Your partner can share valuable information about the way you sleep and about your problems with your doctor. This can help the doctor gain more insight to your problem and eventually formulate a correct diagnosis to your problem.
* List down in the journal the list of all medicines, herbs, supplements and steroids you are currently taking
* Also include in your journal all your medical conditions and information about yourself including recent noteworthy changes in your life, stress factors in your life and recent and current health issues.
* Jot down any symptoms you have even issues that may not be caused by your main complaint.

The questions you can ask your doctor that you should include in your journal can be like these:

* What is causing my sleeplessness?
* Are there other possible factors besides the likeliest factor that may be causing my insomnia?
* What do you think is the best way to address my insomnia?
* What is the best thing for me to do to properly address my other health problems including my insomnia?
* Do I need to go to a sleep clinic? If so, how much will it cost?  Is it covered by my insurance?
* Can I bring home insomnia-related articles and brochures from your office?  Can you recommend a website I can go to research further about my sleeping problem?

The doctor will need to ask you certain questions about yourself and your condition to help him come up with a correct diagnosis. Some of the questions can be like these:

* How long have you experienced your sleep problem?
* What are the symptoms of your sleep problem?
* Does your problem occur from time to time or does it affect you every night?
* What is your normal sleep pattern?
* Has anything occurred in your life that may have started to affect your sleep?
* Have you suffered from past sleeping problems? If yes, how was it addressed?
* Are you suffering from certain symptoms that may have arisen due to your sleeping problem?
* Is there anything that worsens your symptoms?
* Is there anything that makes your symptoms improve?
* Have you used nonprescription or prescription drugs to help you sleep?
* Do you take other types of drugs (prescription or nonprescription) for other health problems?
* Do you take illegal drugs like cocaine or drink alcohol to aid you in sleeping?
* Any home remedies you have tried? If so what are they? Have they been useful?
* Do you always feel very sleepy or sleep during the day especially during driving and work?
* Are your normal daily routines affected by your sleep problem?
* Do you have any family member that has been diagnosed with a sleep problem or with any type of depression?
* Do you have any health risks?
* Do you smoke?
* Do you snore?
* Have you experienced choking for breath while sleeping that forced you to wake up?
* What time do you sleep at night? What time in the morning do you wake up? Are your sleeping and waking times different during weekdays and weekends?
* How often do you wake up at night? If so, is it hard going back to sleep after youíve waken up?
* Does it take a while for you to fall asleep at night?
* How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?
* What part of the house do you sleep?
* Is your sleeping area noisy and/or brightly lit?
* What foods and drink do you eat at night?
* Do you exercise?
* Have you traveled recently?

Linda Lesperance is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of The Lotus Center of Oriental Medicine in Boca Raton, FL.

Coping with Dandruff

Listed below are some helpful ways to help you deal with your dandruff problem.

Massage – If you want your scalp to be well nourished you need to massage it at least once a week. This will help improve blood circulation in that area of the head.

Allergy – Allergy can also cause side effects such as dandruff. If this happens to you, avoid the product or food that you think is causing you this allergy symptom.  Use an anti-dandruff shampoo to rid yourself of the dandruff caused by your allergy.

Avoid or limit the use of styling chemicals and gels – There are hair-styling products in the market hat aggravate scalp dryness and hair oiliness that can lead to dandruff.  Therefore, it is in your best interest to avoid the use of these products if you want your dandruff problem to stop.

Diet – You can deal with dandruff problem very well if you change to a healthy diet. Attempt to eat nutritious and healthy foods every day that will enable your hair and scalp to be healthy and remain healthy. Foods that are particularly loaded with Vitamin B6 can be beneficial in helping reduce dandruff. You also need to have adequate and sound sleep and avoid stress at all times.

Dandruff control – You are doing right if you are washing your hair regularly using the proper shampoo.  The next step now is to take precautions to prevent your dandruff from spreading and make the problem worse. These precautions can include avoiding the itch as much as you can and to avoid scratching the scalp. In order not to make your dandruff more conspicuous wear white or light colored clothing that can cloak the flakes falling on your clothes.  If your dandruff problem worsens you may want to consult with your doctor or a dermatologist who can recommend some helpful remedies.

Selecting the right shampoo – Choosing the shampoo that best solves your dandruff problem is probably the most important factor in controlling this problem. The best shampoo for you is one that will help you keep dandruff away and make your scalp well nourished and moisturized.  A lot of shampoos available today unfortunately only worsen your dandruff problem by making your scalp even drier or hair oilier. You need to select a good anti-dandruff shampoo that can significantly reduce dandruff and keep your hair and scalp well nourished and moisturized.

Regular shampooing interval – If you shampoo with a regular shampoo and observe that your dandruff problem is only getting worse, you may need to switch to an anti-dandruff shampoo that you can use everyday to rid yourself of dandruff as quickly as possible. If you really have a severe dandruff issue, you may even need to use this type of shampoo twice a day. Depending on the severity and condition of your dandruff, you need to know how frequent you should shampoo your hair. You need to remember also that you need to rinse off the shampoo very well – rinse twice, if possible after shampooing your hair.

 

Manhattan Acupuncture Clinic
900 Broadway, Suite 404
New York, NY 10003
Ph: (917) 968-6456
http://www.manhattanacupunctureclinic.com/

 

Stress Risk Factors

All people experience stress in one degree or another. Some can handle their stress very well while some can be overwhelmed by it and can result in mental or physical health conditions that can be deadly if not managed properly.  There are people prone to stress and it manifests in their health or the quality of life they live.

Listed below are some of the conditions that make a person a high-risk candidate to stress-related health problems.

  • A piling up of often encountered stressful situations, especially situations that are difficult for the person to control.  This can include an unhappy relationship and a highly stressful job.
  • Persistent stress resulting from a severe acute reaction to a traumatic event. An example would be a vehicular accident.
  • Acute stress combined with a serious condition such as heart disease

People react to stress in different ways and in different conditions.  These conditions can include:

  • Early care – Children who have been treated badly may develop long-term dysfunctions in their hypothalamus-pituitary system.  This is the system which controls stress.
  • Personality traits – There are people with certain personality traits who are predisposed to overreact to stressful events.
  • Genetic factors – People with certain genetic factors such as problems in the regulation of their serotonin level can exhibit inordinate reactions to stress.  These reactions can be heightened blood pressure and heart rates. Serotonin is a chemical found in the brain that is responsible to a person’s relaxation or state of well-being
  • Immune regulated illnesses – Some diseases connected to immune problems like eczema or rheumatoid arthritis can make a person vulnerable to stress.
  • The intensity and duration of stress factors – The longer the person is exposed to stressors or stress factors, the more intense these stressors are can obviously affect the person negatively.

Individuals with High Risk for Stress

  • Senior People – The older a person gets the more difficult it becomes for him to respond in a relaxing way to stressful events. Aging may mean the wear and tear of systems that properly respond to stress.  Becoming old may cause these systems to not address stress properly as they used to do before.  Old people also often experience high stress factors like financial problems, changes in living environment, loss of loved ones and medical problems.
  • Women and especially working mothers – Working mothers generally regardless of their civil status are immersed with stress with levels that are higher than those of a typical male.  These kinds of mothers regularly experience high levels of stress which oftentimes affect their health.  They are often burdened with a work load considered heavy for a typical woman.  This is a typical reality experienced by working mothers in Europe and in the United States.  The stress these women acquire in their workplace often spills out to their home affecting their children and spouse.
  • Less educated people
  • Widowed or divorced people – Many studies have indicated that unmarried individuals on the average have a shorter life span that married people.
  • People experiencing long term unemployment, financial problem and those with no health insurance.
  • Lonely or isolated people
  • Individuals who are sexually or racially discriminated
  • People living in urban centers

The Workplace

Work stress in the office or workplace not only leads to low productivity but can even lead to harassment or even violence in the place of work.  Stress cost the economy billions of dollars not only in loss of production but also in medical expenses each year.  Stress is a major issue in all developed countries.  The Japanese even concocted a new term to describe a person who suddenly died due to overwork.  This term is known as “karoushi.”

 

Dale Roach is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of Dale Roach, MD,L.Ac in Larchmont, NY.

Causes of Sore Throat

Sore throat can come from or more of a number of causes. Some of these causes can include:

  • Strep infection – If your physician suspects that you suffer from a strep throat, he may use a Q-tip to swab the back of your throat to test it for any strep infection.
  • Cold – Cold can be caused by any of more than 200 types of viruses and some of them can cause a sore throat.
  • Throat Cancer – The immune system is severely impaired by cancer and cancer of the throat can easily lead to a sore throat. This type of cancer usually affects people who smoke or drink alcohol. Some studies also indicate that human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to neck, throat and head cancer. Early detection of cancer can make this disease be easily cured.
  • Allergies/Air pollution – A sore throat is one of the likely side effects of an allergy. Allergies can often occur from things like animal dander, dust, mold, grass and pollen. Allergies are often treated by medications known as antihistamines.
  • GERD – Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or simply called acid reflux, this is a condition wherein acid coming from the stomach flows back into the esophagus and occasionally even to the throat causing irritation of the throat and esophagus. This condition usually happens in the morning after you wake up.
  • Mononucleosis – Also known as mono for short. This disease often entails a really bad sore throat and inflamed tonsils. It spreads by saliva and cannot be resolved by antibiotics. Mononucleosis often takes about three months to heal by itself.
  • Post nasal drip/sinusitis – A post nasal drip can is when drainage from a runny nose travels to the back of the throat rather than in the nostrils. This is caused allergy, infections and sinusitis among others.
  • Intubation – Having a tube inserted into the mouth for a certain period of time can cause a sore throat. Certain surgeries like thyroidectomy or tonsillectomy can also cause you to develop sore throat.
  • Respiratory diseases – H7N9, H1N1, influenza
  • Pertussis or whooing cough
  • Herpangina
  • Excessive strain on the voice – The weakening of the voice and throat muscles can make them prone to infection which can lead to sore throat. Singers are prone to this condition

 

Harmony Wellness Center
110 N Orlando Ave
Maitland, FL 32751
(407) 234-6454
http://www.harmonywellnesscenter.com/

Insomnia Coping and Support

Insomnia can cause you to be mentally slow and more irritable; these two factors can increase your stress experiences. Listed below are some of the ways you can try to deal with stress-related insomnia.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

One cause of sleeping difficulty is too much muscle tension in your body. When a person is stressed out, he may not be aware of the tightened muscles in his body caused by his stress.  Progressive muscle relaxation is one sure way of relaxing the muscle tension in his body.

Journaling

Another effective way to help you get a good night’s sleep if you frequently wake up at night due to constant worrying is journaling. Journaling means jotting down whatever you wish, especially a pleasant experience that you remember or fantasizing about a new idea that makes you happy. Journaling is a therapeutic way to remove your mind of worries and negative thoughts and to keep thinking positive things that night and tomorrow when you wake up. You can also reflect on the day that ended, about the things that happened during the day and then letting them go. Journaling offers you a great way to let go of your stress and clear your mind so that you may be able to sleep well.

Work through Your Stress

A person who cannot sleep due to anxiety can be able to relax and fall asleep with a change of perspective. Anxiety is usually a natural reaction that entails some sort of action needed to be done to address the cause of the anxiety. Anxiety is about worrying and when you worry at night it keeps you awake. If you look at your situation as a challenge to you rather viewing it as a threat, you can more or less tackle this situation in a more proactive and decisive way instead of continuing in a passive and anxious frame of mind. If you can look at your situation in a different perspective, you may be able to see opportunities you may have initially overlooked.

Take the Pressure off Sleep

The problem when you begin to keep having frequent sleeping problems, bedtime itself can then become a not too pleasant experience as well. To prevent you from going into this kind of situation you can perform certain things to help take out the pressure caused by insomnia. One thing you can do is to arise from your bed (if you feel that you’re far from getting sleepy).  This will help you avoid the pressure of monitoring the clock for several hours. You can then occupy yourself with an activity. This way you may feel that you’re managing your time well unlike being in bed and looking at the clock for hours which can cause stress. Another thing to do is to make your bedroom first and foremost your sleeping area. This means you should only associate your bedroom and bed with sleep rather than stress. Doing other not-too stimulating activities like reading a book or watching a rather unexciting movie can bring sleep into your mind and body.  Try also not to take in caffeine during the afternoon and at night.

Seek Help

Unfortunately a lot of insomnia sufferers are unaware that joining a support group for their problem is a very effective way to help them deal with insomnia. A support group not only can assist you in getting sleep, it can also provide you with lots of information about your problem that can enable you to better handle and treat this condition.

Nawei Jiang is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of Nawei’s Acupuncture Clinic in Colorado Springs, CO.

Sciatica – Preparing for Your Appointment

Your appointment with your doctor may be brief and since you may have a lot of questions and things you want to ask him about your sciatica, preparing then for your appointment is the best thing to do to make the most out of your appointment. To help you out, listed below are some tips to better prepare for your appointment and what you can expect from your physician.

How to Prepare

You should be cognizant of any pre-appointment restrictions. When you have just made your appointment, the next thing to do is to know what you need to do in advance. This can be preparing for loose clothing in case you need to undergo an imaging exam or start making diet restrictions for yourself.

Use a journal to list down all known symptoms you are experiencing. That can be anything that may not seem related to the problem that prompted you to make the appointment in the first place.

Also list down in the journal all the medications you are taking including any steroids, supplements or vitamins you regularly use.

Bring along a friend or family member to your appointment. Having someone to accompany you to your appointment can assist you in remembering all the information the doctor says regarding your condition and what you need to do and not do.

List down in your journal all questions to ask your doctor. Remember that your time with your doctor may only last 15 minutes so compiling a questions list will optimize your appointment time. For your sciatica problems, some good questions to ask your doctor can include:

  • What most probably is the reason for my condition or symptoms?
  • Besides the most probable cause, what are the other possible reasons for my condition or symptoms?
  • What types of tests do I need required to undergo?
  • Do I have a chronic or temporary condition?
  • What course of treatment is the best for me?
  • What alternative treatments besides the primary approach can you recommend?
  • I have other health issues. What can I do to best manage my back problem along with my other conditions?
  • What are the restrictions do I need to follow?
  • Do I need to consult with a specialist? How much will that cost? Will my insurance plan include consulting with a specialist?
  • Do you have informational brochures and any other printed materials that I can read at home? Are there any websites you can recommend that I can visit regarding my condition?

If you have other questions for your doctor outside this list of questions, be sure to ask them all if possible.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor will have questions of his own to ask you as well. Some of the questions may be like these:

  • What symptoms have you experienced? Do you feel any weakness, pain, tingling or numbness?
  • What part of your body do you specifically feel those symptoms?
  • How long have you felt these symptoms?
  • Have they been occasional or continuous?
  • What makes your symptoms get worse?
  • Is there anything that makes it better?
  • Do you have a hobby or job that entails you to perform repetitive movements?

Migraine Symptoms

Migraine headaches can be very severe and can feel like stabbing pain in the temples and eyes of the sufferer. Knowing the signs and symptoms of these types of headaches is basically the beginning of searching for a treatment to address the pain.

Migraine headaches can sometimes be preceded by signs of an approaching migraine attack. These signs can be used to help the doctor diagnose the migraine and help him formulate a right plan of treatment.

Prodrome is the term used to denote that a migraine attack is on its way. “Migraine with aura” describes a person who experiences an aura prior to a migraine attack. The aura might manifest hours or even a whole day before the actual headache comes.

Some migraine auras can be described like these:

  • Zigzag pattern
  • Shiny stars or spots
  • Blind spots (like what one experiences immediately after looking directly at the sun)

Some auras affect the senses and can trigger conditions like:

  • Speech problems
  • Tingling
  • Numbness

Some non-aura signs that precede a migraine attack are also often experienced by migraine sufferers. They can include:

  • Cravings for sweets
  • Extreme thirst
  • Increased energy
  • Depression
  • Irritability

Migraine Headache Symptoms

Some sufferers may not experience the aforementioned warning signs. To help them know that they have migraine, they need to identify its symptoms that are totally distinct from a typical headache. If you have experienced the following symptoms, chances are you suffer from migraine headache:

  • Dramatic onset of pain
  • Sensitivity to certain smells
  • Sound sensitivities
  • Photophobia or light sensitivity
  • Nausea accompanied or not accompanied by vomiting
  • Intense stabbing pain

One other difference from typical headaches, a migraine headache often is severe from beginning to end. Physical activity and bright lights can amplify the headache. These are some signs and symptoms of a migraine headache.

Identifying the signs and symptoms of migraine is essential in precisely diagnosing this severe condition. You need to pay attention, even writing down the symptoms you experience. You can then report them during your appointment with your physician. Knowing the warning signs can lead to a more faster and effective treatment and/or migraine pain relief.


BodaHealth
1245 West Broadway #302
Vancouver, BC V6H 1G7, Canada
(604) 733-2632
http://bodahealth.ca/

Eczema – Preparing for your Appointment

Normally, it is not difficult coping with your eczema symptoms; however, if you find that your symptoms are worsening and becoming intolerable or if you notice new and unusual symptoms, scheduling an appointment with your doctor or skin care professional may be just the thing you need to address your worsening and unusual problems.  Below are some good tips on how to best prepare for your appointment.

The physician will converse with you regarding your medical and family history, allergies you may have and the medicines you are taking for your eczema and other conditions.  You need to answer the doctor’s questions as honestly as possible so he may come up with an accurate diagnosis and hence a right plan of treatment. To achieve this, you need to get as much information as you can about your medical history and keep a journal that contains all the important aspects of your health history in order not to forget them. Jot down your eczema symptoms and signs as well as their duration and the time and date they occurred. You also need to list down all the known and suspected factors that trigger or exacerbate your symptoms. These can be things like hot and long showers, sweating, cigarette smoke, detergents or soaps.

Your doctor or skin care professional may also ask you about any modifications you recently made to your lifestyle. He may also query you about some of the new products you’ve been using that he suspects to be triggers for your eczema. You need to include all types of drugs and skin products that you use including steroids, vitamins and herbal supplements. Stress is a big factor in causing eczema and you may need to tell your doctor if you have lately been under a great amount of stress.

You may undergo certain skin exams recommended by your doctor so he can diagnose the type of eczema you’re experiencing.  Corresponding treatments are given to certain types of eczema. Some symptoms may require the use of topical medications to alleviate symptoms such as irritation and redness. Oral medicines may be prescribed by the doctor if your symptoms are severe. You can write down all questions you have for your doctor so you may not forget to ask them during your appointment. Do not be ashamed asking questions that you think need to be asked to your doctor.

Some relevant questions you can ask your doctor regarding your eczema can include:

  • What do you think are the causes of my eczema symptoms?
  • Do I need to undergo tests to ascertain the diagnosis?
  • What do you think is the best treatment plan for my condition?
  • Is my skin condition temporary or long-term?
  • Is it right to just wait for my condition to resolve on its own?
  • What other treatment plans are available besides the ones you’re suggesting?
  • What skin care regimens can you recommend to uplift my condition?

The doctor, in turn, will ask you a number of questions related to your conditions. The questions can come like these:

  • When did you first notice your symptoms?
  • How frequent do these symptoms occur?
  • Are your symptoms occurring occasionally or continuous?
  • What things seem to better your symptoms?
  • What things seem to worsen your symptoms?
  • Do you have allergies or asthma? Do any of your family members and close relatives have allergies or asthma?
  • What skin products do you use?

 

Vital Gate Acupuncture
107 W 82nd St
New York, NY 10024
(212) 873-4244
http://www.vitalgate.com/

Definition of Eczema

Eczema is a Greek word that means ‘to boil over’.  It is a skin inflammation that is itchy and characterized as well by other symptoms like:

  • Evidence of secondary infection like crusty deposits or weeping
  • Blisters or lumps in the affected regions
  • Dry skin that thickens in areas of the skin that have been scratched
  • Redness on the affected areas of skin

Eczema is further classified into smaller subgroups according to the factors that mainly cause the eczema in the individual. However, the appearance and symptoms in the skin can also look the same in the different types of eczema. The classification of eczema may not be as accurate as one wants it to be since each person can develop eczema from different causes or factors. Nevertheless, the treatment approaches of the different types of eczema can all be the same.

The basic differences are the individual’s unique responses to the factors causing his eczema.  If, for example, his eczema has got to do with his exposure to a chemical irritant at work, protection or removal of this irritant will become an integral part in the management of his eczema as opposed to another individual who is not affected by this exposure.

Types of Eczema

The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis. It usually strikes people who also suffer from:

  • Problems in the barrier of the skin that causes moisture to seep out and germs to set into the skin
  • Family history of hay fever, asthma or eczema
  • Hay fever or asthma

Atopic dermatitis often develops early in life. It can set in during infancy or childhood but it can also develop at any stage in life.

Parts of the body affected by this disorder include:

  • Back of the knees
  • Inner elbows
  • Feet
  • Hands
  • Face

Continuous scratching on the affected areas can cause the skin to turn and red and thicken. Persistent scratching can also cause wounds that can develop infection. Products considered irritants for many people that worsen the symptoms of atopic dermatitis include:

  • Household chemicals
  • Coarse clothing
  • Perfumed soap

Dust mites, certain foods and other allergens can also worsen the symptoms.

Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis has two forms:

  • Allergic contact dermatitis
  • Irritant contact dermatitis

Both these forms can arise when a substance damages the skin. Frequent hand washing and certain chemicals are some of the factors that can cause contact dermatitis.  Things like poison ivy, cosmetics and nickel are some of the more typical ones that can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Irritant contact dermatitis, on the other hand, is caused by repeated skin contact with an irritating substance.

The hands are the most susceptible parts of the body that can develop contact dermatitis.

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis

This is a form of eczema that targets the hands and feet. Dyshidrotic dermatitis develops from unknown causes and is characterized by extreme itching then skin blisters which can turn into scaly patches a few weeks later. Occasionally the skin of the fingers or hands develops deep cracks from this condition. Dyshidrotic dermatitis can become painful and chronic.

Nummular Dermatitis

Men are more prone to this skin condition than women. Men often develop nummular dermatitis before they reach their mid-50s; women are likely to develop this condition during their teens or early adulthood.

This type of dermatitis is characterized by red marks that look like coins appearing usually on the:

  • Hips
  • Lower back
  • Forearms
  • Back of the hands
  • Legs

Nummular dermatitis stems from unknown causes but risk factors for this skin problem can include exposure to:

  • Metals especially nickel
  • Chemicals like formaldehyde
  • Dry, cold air

Neurodermatitis

This eczema type is characterized by itchy skin spots that develop from continuous scratching.  Neurodermatitis can develop in the person’s:

  • Behind and inside of the ear
  • Ankles
  • Wrists
  • Scalp
  • Genitals
  • Back or sides of the neck

Because of consistent scratching, neurodermatitis can turn into a skin outbreak that is albeit limited in scope; however, the affected skin can become extremely wrinkled and thicken and sometimes infection can develop in the affected areas.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

More popularly known as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis in infants usually develops in the scalp while adults may develop this common type of eczema in the:

  • Center of their chest
  • Groin
  • Parts behind the ears
  • Sides of the nose

Seborrheic dermatitis can make the skin fall off in flakes.  An overgrowth of a certain type of yeast is one suspected factor in causing this skin condition residing in the aforementioned parts of the body.  Overproduction and the immediate shedding of skin on the scalp is also another cause.  People with autoimmune disease may find it hard to treat this harmless condition.

Stasis Dermatitis

Stasis dermatitis can occur when the veins in lower legs of people are not strong enough to transport blood back to the heart. This type of eczema causes crusting and weeping of the skin and can develop quickly. Eventually, stasis dermatitis can lead to the development of brown stains in the skin after a certain period of time.

Acupuncture Health Center
1303 Astor St #101
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 715-1824
http://www.bellinghamacupuncturecenter.com/

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