So, if you're watching this video, it's likely that either you or a loved one is
sick of having constant itchy skin. You have Eczema, and you don't know what to
do about it. I want you to keep watching because
today, you're going to learn something that will hopefully take this away. In
this video you're gonna learn about things that you can do both at your
doctor's office, and more importantly, what you can do at home to treat this.
Also, make sure you stick around to the end because we're gonna give you a bonus
tip on how you can save money on your health care. All this and more, coming up!
Welcome to Family Med, your medical home for practical and accurate information
to help your family make healthy decisions. I'm Dr. Erik Richardson and
today, we're tackling part 2 of our series on Eczema. If you haven't seen the first
one, then definitely check it out. In that video we talked a little bit more about
what Eczema really is, and most importantly, some great steps you can
take to prevent your Eczema from flaring. In this one, we're gonna focus on
treatment. When you have Eczema, inevitably, there are gonna be times that you
or your child will get a flare. So what are you gonna do about it? First of all,
you're gonna continue doing all the preventative measures that we talked
about in the first video. You're gonna continue to care for your skin! Next step
in treatment is really gonna depend on how bad your flare is. For more
significant flares, you're likely going to need the help of your physician. I'm
not going to go too in depth with available prescription medications, as
that is something you can decide on with your doctor and discuss with them. But
common treatments will include various steroid creams, you may hear the names
such as Triamcinolone, Betamethasone, Clobetasol, these all act to help cut down on the inflammation of the skin and help
it heal. Now there are some non-steroid creams containing drugs, they're called
calcineurin inhibitors, okay a big word I know, but so these medications
have trade names such as Protopic or Elidel. What they do is they help
decrease your body's overactive immune response that is happening in Eczema.
There's also a new one called Eucrisa, okay, that's used kind of for the
same. These medications are designed for more long-term use because the problem
of long-term use of steroids is they can actually affect the skin including
causing skin changes and thinning of the skin. So that's why it's important to
work on prevention, so you don't have to use those as much. So, what are some
things that have been studied that you can do at home that can be
helpful? Okay, one simple thing that's available to you is just Hydrocortisone
Cream. This usually comes in like a 1% strength over the counter, it's easy
to apply, and does well to help on those early stages. It's not going to be strong
enough for a really bad flare, but if there's a mild area or one that is
starting, is certainly worth a try. Ok, so there's also an ingredient possibly most
of you have never heard of called Cardiospermum It's a flowering tropical vine
native to Indian Africa. When extracted and put into a topical ointment, this
Cardiospermum can actually reduce inflammation, itch,
and bacteria on the skin. There are some commercially available products that
have this in them, they can be a more natural steroid alternative. I'll put an
example of this in the links below. Another one that might be helpful is actually
sunflower oil. A few small studies have looked at sunflower oil. and have found some
benefit of its application in Eczema. It's been shown to help with bolstering
the protective fats in skin called Ceramide, and has some anti-inflammatory
properties. Applying a light weight oil on the skin after bathing, or mixing it
with some sort of a lotion can be helpful for some. So how about coconut oil? One
study showed that the application of coconut oil helped decrease the burden of
bacteria in the skin of those with the Eczema, and has been used quite a bit
actually in help treating inflamed skin. So mixing some oil with a
good lotion could also benefit some. So here's one that's interesting, a massage! We
know that stress can be a trigger for Eczema. They've
actually looked at massage and helping with the treatment and prevention of flares.
The studies done were very small, but did show actually some measurable
improvement in those where massage was incorporated into
their treatment. So, the next one is vitamin D. One study showed that those taking a
thousand units daily showed some improvement in their Eczema. This was a
small study, so definitive improvement really can't be proven, however it is
something interesting to think about. Talk to your doctor about their thoughts
on the safety of supplementation in your case. At last we're going to talk
about Probiotics. Now, Probiotics are a topic that has had a lot of press and a
lot of excitement regarding its potential in its helping with prevention or
treatment of Eczema. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that you can take that
are good for you, and support a lot of your body's functions. They're found in
foods such as yogurts and other fermented foods, as well as in various
different supplements. Some initial studies were done that should actually
some significant promise. One study in 2001 showed that when women who are
pregnant, and then their babies were given Lactobacillus, a Probiotic,
they cut the development of Atopic Dermatitis in half! Unfortunately the
follow-up studies weren't quite as promising. A study in 2005 showed that
getting Probiotics to older children with established Eczema helped them get
better. But again, the follow-up studies weren't quite as good. So there is some
thought that Probiotics can help, but what strain of bacteria, how much to give,
really aren't known. It isn't going to hurt you, so, you know maybe something you
want to consider or talk through with your doctor. As
always, if you're trying these things on your own and they aren't working, make
sure that you consult your doctor and take notes on the next steps you can
take. This is a treatable condition, so the quicker you can get on top of it, the
better off you'll do. So there you have it, hopefully you have some good useful
information to help you in your battle with Eczema. Remember, check out the notes
below to review some of the highlights. And go ahead and comment below as well!
What have you done to treat Eczema? Are there things that you have found useful
that we haven't discussed yet? There's certainly a lot of
things out there they can be helpful, so let us know what you think! I've also
attached some links and some products you might find useful, so go check them out!
Ok, now don't forget to Like, Subscribe and share this video with your friends, and take some time to
check out the other videos on this channel. Ok now I always have to say this,
remember my purpose in the sharing this information is to educate you in
things that you can think about in trying to make decisions in your own
health. In no way should this be taken as direct medical advice to you in your own
situation. So please, consult your own doctor for concerns regarding your specific
situation. So until next time, this is Family Med with Dr. Erik
Richardson. Remember, please take care of your body, because it is the only one you have!
Congratulations to those who have stayed till the end of this video, because you've
made it to the bonus tip of the day, so here it is. I hear all the time about how
expensive health care is. I can't deny this, but if you learn to work the system
right, then there are definitely ways that you can avoid spending so much.
Today's tip may seem obvious, but it can result in significant savings. When
you need care after hours, try and go to an Urgent Care center, instead of going
to the Emergency Room. This can result in thousands of dollars in savings. Now I'm
not gonna tell you when it's appropriate or not to go to the ER, I
don't know your situation. What I'm going to say though, is that much of the time,
the issues seen in the Emergency Room can easily be handled in an Urgent Care
setting. I'm not talking about your heart attacks, respiratory distress. I'm talking
about the late-night visits for cold or earache symptoms that tend to plug up at
the Emergency Room. If you wonder where is most appropriate to go in your
situation, call your doctor's office. There's always somebody that's on call
that can help guide your decision. A lot of the time things can wait until the
next day, so take advantage of whoever's on call, and get their advice on the best
place to go! If you don't have a doctor get one! If you still don't have one, then
a lot of insurance companies have Nurse Triage Lines that you can call and get
advice as well. Going to the ER instead of Urgent Care for an unnecessary visit
can cost you thousands of dollars more that you really didn't need to spend!