Symptoms of Eczema

As mentioned in our eczema home page, symptoms can be any and all of the following:  dry, itchy, flaky, cracking skin;  red, inflamed, swollen, bleeding skin;  weepy, oozing skin.  It can be slightly itchy, or it can be insanely itchy.  There may be a foul, burnt, rancid, or metallic odor detected on the skin. Patient often presents with other symptoms such as restlessness, irritability, insomnia, severe agitation, forgetfulness, increasing allergies to foods, pollens, animals, etc.  

Some individuals may also notice small oily bubbles in the skin, which are similar to pimples, but are much smaller and the inner fluid is clear.  These are often itchy, especially when scratched or broken open.  Some people may even experience these oily deposits on skin that is also very dry, cracking and flakey as well.  The combination can be difficult because this not only suggests a complex case, but the damp and dry together can often be extremely itchy and uncomfortable.

For some women experiencing eczema, they may notice that it worsens at specific times within the menstrual cycle.  Depending on the source of the problem, women may notice an exacerbation of symptoms during any portion of the month: before, during, after the period, or mid-cycle.  Chinese Medicine is very good at being able to work with this specific presentation.

Lack of elasticity is another common symptom of eczema.  This usually occurs after the individual has gone through several rounds of the skin inflammation.  Scratching the skin is one of the fastest ways to make it worse, and when this is done, it will usually encourage the skin to develop a thin, shiny look, become more paper-like, and lose elasticity.  This lack of elasticity allows the skin to split and break open more easily, which is a common occurrence with many skin disorders of this nature.  The strange thing about eczemas is that the skin can become more paper-like, and yet, can also become thicker.  Sometimes these qualities occur together, sometimes the skin will cycle through different phases of being thick and sloughing, and then thin and paper-like.  Some people may only experience one type of change in skin quality.

Some individuals may experience Eczema only during one season of the year.  If it is during Fall, this indicates that there may be more of a lung/intestinal/immune system involvement.  If it is during summer, this would indicate a problem with humidity and heat, thus implicating the “Spleen” and those tending towards a hot or damp constitution.  Those having problems during the spring may also notice allergies to pollens and grasses as well.  This would lead us to investigate the health and balance of the liver, and the several ways that it can fall out of harmony.  Winter-time eczema can be due to severe cold and dryness or can also indicate the need for some attention to the Kidneys.

If eczema is only appearing at specific times of the year, then this in an indication that it is still mild in severity and depth, but that something still needs to be addressed.  This can usually be done with acupuncture, herbs and dietary changes for a few months.

If symptoms are constant and severe, this is an indication that some major changes must be made within the diet, lifestyle, stress reduction, and adrenal health.  Changes of this nature may take several months before significant improvement may be seen and may require strict discipline regarding the diet, cleansing, and boiling herbs daily.

Although all of these symptoms may seem separate at first, in Chinese Medicine they fit into very distinct patterns.  We discuss these more in the section, “Types of Eczema”