Relieve Skin Itching and Dryness With These Eczema Remedies

The itchy and inflamed skin that accompanies an eczema flareup is one of the most bothersome feelings a person can experience. An eczema rash can be triggered by even minor stress and appear on any part of the body, the face, and even on your scalp, especially in the dry and cold winter months.

There are many types of causes of this condition, but they are all characterized by skin itching, dryness, redness, and flakiness. If you’re experiencing an eczema flareup and nothing seems to help, consider adding these home remedies and following these tips in addition to what you’ve been already prescribed by your dermatologist.

Eczema-prone skin is super sensitive and is deficient in the natural skin barrier that helps seal in moisture in the skin. That’s exactly why those who suffer from this condition have to baby their skin and be extra mindful of everything that makes contact with their skin, be it the body care you use, clothing, and even fabric softener and detergent. 

 

In this article, we suggest several practical tips that help alleviate eczema symptoms, including a few useful home remedies you can try. 

 

1. Moisturize immediately after taking a shower or bath

Skin that’s prone to eczema is chronically dry, and the best way to protect your skin from becoming even flakier, itchier, and more inflamed is to cover it with an occlusive moisturizer, balm, or ointment. Moisturize right after a shower or bath, don’t wait for your skin to become drier. 

 

Ideally, you should quickly pat-dry your skin with a towel and moisturize within 3 minutes after getting out of the shower with a moisturizer rich in oils. You will need to do this every time you take a bath or shower, and if your eczema shows up on your hands, it’s also a good idea to moisturize your hands after you wash them throughout the day. Moisturizing will help prevent flareups and will also make a rash go away sooner. 

 

2. Try colloidal oatmeal baths

If you’re experiencing a flareup that spreads on larger areas of the body and face, taking colloidal oatmeal baths for a few days in a row is scientifically-proven to reduce skin itchiness, calm down the redness, and heal the flakes or cracks in your skin. Colloidal oatmeal, or Avena sativa, is a powder made from finely-ground and boiled oats. 

 

Preparing a colloidal oatmeal bath is easy: simply pour an appropriate amount of the colloidal oatmeal in lukewarm water and soak for 10-15 minutes in the bath, making sure that all the affected areas are submerged in water. You can also make your own oatmeal powder by grinding 1 cup of oats in a spice grinder until completely fine and smooth. 

 

Colloidal oatmeal is also present in some creams and ointments, and these moisturizers are almost always fragrance- and irritant-free, so they will work well for eczema-prone skin. You can ask a shopping assistant at your local drugstore to help you find a moisturizer with colloidal oatmeal.

 

3. Bathe strategically 

Bathing can really help you reduce eczema flareups, as one of the common causes of a flareup is the accumulation of sweat on the skin or exposure to allergens, such as pet dander. In addition, baths can help rehydrate your skin. With that said, excessive bathing often has the opposite effect, and it can make your eczema worse in the following cases: 

 

When you’re using water that is too hot or too cold 

 

You’re bathing too frequently

 

Showering or bathing for too long. 

 

Therefore, you should be strategic with your bathing routine. The National Eczema Association recommends following these tips: 

 

1. Use exclusively lukewarm water. 

 

2. Bathe or shower once a day, more if you’re going to the gym or sweating. 

 

3. Limit bathing time to 10–15 minutes. 

 

4. Be aware of the cosmetic ingredients you should avoid 

Eczema-prone skin is a lot more sensitive to irritating skin ingredients than other people’s skin. This is exactly why you should be wary of the cosmetic products you’re using, be it your shampoo, shower gel, or moisturizer. First and foremost, avoid ingredients and products that strip the skin of its natural oils too much, such as alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate, soap, and scrubs. 

 

Also, stick to fragrance-free, dye-free, and essential oil-free cosmetic products, as both of these ingredients can irritate the skin. Seeking out hypoallergenic products or even products sold for babies is a good tip.

 

5. Try natural oils

While essential oils can be quite drying and irritating for eczema-prone skin, moisturizing carrier oils are actually quite beneficial for those who suffer from eczema. Here are the 3 natural oils known to help eczema: 

 

1. Virgin coconut oil contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients. It also helps seal the skin and protects it from environmental stressors. 

 

2. Evening primrose oil is favored by many eczema sufferers due to its anti-inflammatory properties. 

 

3. Sunflower oil also protects the skin from outside stressors and helps keep moisture in the skin. 

 

All of these oils can be applied topically to the body or the scalp, before or in place of a moisturizer. We advise against putting these oils on the face and parts of the body where you may experience acne, however, as they can block your pores. 

 

6. Be mindful of the laundry detergents you use

The laundry detergent you use can also have an effect on your skin's health. Opt for a gentle, fragrance-free detergent, as the fragrant components of the detergent can be transferred onto the skin and cause a rash. For identical reasons, we recommend you stop using fabric softener as well.

7. Watch your diet

Certain foods are known to trigger eczema flareups, too, especially in children. Be mindful of how your body reacts when you consume such foods as dairy, soy and soy products, eggs, and wheat. If you suspect that any of these foods are making your eczema worse, try eliminating it from the diet and see if it helps reduce your symptoms. 

 

In addition, nutritionists recommend eating more anti-inflammatory foods, such as those we listed in the article No More Inflammation With these 10 Food Combos. Since eczema is an inflammatory skin condition, enriching your diet with fruits, vegetables, herbs, and leafy greens can really improve your well-being. 

 

8. Avoid certain fabrics and clothing fits

Wearing tight-fitting clothing when you're having eczema can make your skin itchier and can lead to skin infections, so wear loose-fitting clothing in the affected areas of the skin. Certain fabrics can also lead to eczema flareups. Wool is the most notorious offender, but fabrics that don't allow the skin to breathe, like polyester, are also best avoided. 

 

Extra tip: for some people, nickel can also cause skin rashes. If you notice that your skin is becoming red and inflamed around the fingers, the neck, and behind the ears, it may be due to the jewelry you're wearing.

9. Extreme temperatures are your enemy

Climate is the last topic we will cover in this article. Unfortunately, eczema-prone skin is significantly more sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, and traveling or going outside when it's cold or hot outside can easily lead to a rash. This is exactly why most people tend to experience flareups during the winter when the weather is cold outside and the central heating is drying out the air indoors. 

 

Bundle up, wear a scarf and gloves when you go outside to prevent a rash from appearing on your hands, neck, and face. At the same time, try not to sit next to a heater or radiator to avoid dry air. Many eczema sufferers swear by an indoor air humidifier in the cold months, but you can easily just put a wet towel near the radiator to get a similar effect in a pinch, too.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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What Are Heat Cramps? Everything You Need to Know About Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

As temperatures rise during the summer, so do instances of heat-related illnesses. While they are often on a spectrum of severity—with heat stroke as the most severe and heat rash labeled as less severe—it's still important to know about any ailment you might fall victim to due to high temperatures this season and what you can do about it.

What are heat cramps?

Heat cramps are one of the less severe heat-related illnesses, or medical issues that result from the body's inability to adjust to hot temperatures, but they're still not something you should ignore. "Heat cramps are painful, involuntary spasms of the muscle that tend to occur during intense exercise in hot environments," a sports medicine doctor tells.

Because of their close association with exercise, heat cramps are often termed "exercise-associated muscle cramps," says an associate professor of family medicine. That's because "they don't always occur when an athlete is performing in warmer temperatures," she adds. Heat cramps are also common in workers and laborers who sweat a lot during strenuous activity outside in the heat.

What are the symptoms of heat cramps, and what do they feel like?

According to the NIOSH, the symptoms of heat cramps are mainly muscle cramps, pain, or spasms in the abdomen, arms, or legs. An emergency medicine doctor and professor of emergency medicine, says those heat cramps feel like a muscle spasm, or what's known as a charley horse. 

Dr. Gardner notes heat cramps should only involve only the skeletal muscles. “If there is involvement of any other system in the body [like your chest], then medical care should be sought immediately,” she explains.  

Before the onset of full-on heat cramps, there are often some momentary spasms of tightness, called fasciculations. “If you do feel these, it is important to briefly rest and rehydrate, which can prevent the progression to full cramps,” she points out. When heat cramps occur, the muscles feel like they have “locked up” and can’t be relaxed.

What causes heat cramps?  

Dr. Della-Giustina explains that heat cramps usually occur when someone is performing strenuous activity in the heat, after the individual has been active for some period of time—about 30-45 minutes, depending on their activity level. "It occurs in people who are just hiking as well as those in more strenuous activities," he adds.

The NIOSH says heat cramps are caused by a depletion of the body's salt and moisture levels, and low salt levels in muscles can cause painful muscle cramps. Dr. Gardner also points out that heat cramps are most common during pre-season workouts in athletes when the body hasn't yet adjusted to the intensity of an activity or hot temperatures. In addition to profuse sweating and inadequate replacement of fluids and electrolytes, wearing extra layers of clothing or protective equipment, which prevents efficient sweat evaporation and body cooling, can also put an athlete at risk for heat cramps.

There are also medications, supplements, and other substances that increase your risk of heat cramps, according to a family medicine physician at Orlando Health. These include certain blood pressure medications, caffeine, alcohol, some anti-depressants, some allergy medications, and many illicit drugs.

How can you prevent and treat heat cramps? 

Thankfully, it's relatively easy to prevent heat cramps—it can be as simple as maintaining balanced electrolyte and hydration levels before, during, and after exercise. "Athletes must be educated about the importance of this, and should be given time during training for hydration breaks,” says Dr. Gardner. “Acclimatizing athletes to hot weather, and undergoing exercise periodization, where the intensity and duration of activity is gradually increased over days, both allow the body to better adjust to the environment.”

Dr. Della-Giustina adds, "if you are going to be active outdoors, eat food with salt as well as drinking electrolyte solutions such as the sports drinks,” One pro-tip: You can dilute your sports drinks with water for better results. "It is actually better to be this way as it enhances absorption," says Dr. Della-Giustina. 

And if you do start to experience heat cramps, Dr. Della-Giustina recommends stopping whatever you're doing and taking a rest. Then, do a little stretching and drink a solution that has some electrolytes in it such as the sports drinks. That said, if the cramps do not improve within an hour, you should seek medical care ASAP.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement