Babies and children with eczema often find relief with acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Eczema is a serious problem for many children. It interrupts sleep, causes social issues, and can make children irritable, angry, and unfocused.
Thankfully, acupuncture and herbal medicine are two excellent modalities for helping children recover from eczema — even long-term and serious cases.
What Is Eczema
Eczema is an inflammation of the skin, often presenting as discolored, dry, itchy skin or sometimes cracked open and weeping skin. It often occurs in skin folds (elbows, backs of knees, neck creases, etc) but can happen all over the body. Eczema is frequently aggravated by food sensitivities/allergies and periods of stress.
Any child with suspected eczema should see a doctor for a diagnosis, as it can be confused with other skin conditions.
How Can Acupuncture Help?
Babies and children with eczema have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies. They often have gut issues and a higher level of stress/irritability due to the itching. Acupuncture is great at:
- Decreasing levels of inflammation in the body;
- Reducing the sensation of itching;
- Restoring gut health (both absorption and motility); and
- Decreasing stress and anxiety (calming the nervous system).
For these reasons, children who receive acupuncture for eczema often feel MUCH better after treatment. They are calmer, more focused, less itchy, and over time their digestive health improves as well. Skin healing comes with an improved digestive tract, less scratching, and lower levels of systemic inflammation.
How Can Herbal Medicine Help?
Chinese herbal medicine is used to balance the body. There are herbal formulas that reduce inflammation, aid with gut function, and decrease stress and anxiety. Children who are able to take their herbal formulas daily are getting constant support to help their skin and bodies recover from this condition. A knowledgeable practitioner will tailor the herbal formula for your child, making sure that he or she has a set of herbs that will help heal their particular body.
How Can I Get Started?
First you’ll want to find an acupuncturist/herbalist who specializes in working with children. Pediatric acupuncturists often use acupressure rather than acupuncture, using primarily a massage-style approach to activate the acupressure points instead of using needles. This massage-like treatment is very soothing for the child and is very effective.
Pediatric acupuncturists will also be familiar with working with the whole family. Typically a child who has been suffering with eczema will need to examine their diet to see what foods aren’t working with them. A skilled practitioner can support the family in uncovering food sensitivities as well as providing additional gut healing supplementation if necessary.
You can always call Inspire Family Acupuncture for a free consultation to see if acupuncture is the right fit for your family. Here’s to your family’s health!
