Hand and foot eczema
Introduction
Hand- and foot-eczema is a collective name for various forms of eczema that occur mainly on the hands, fingers, feet or toes. The skin may be red, dry, scaly and cracked, but there may also be strong itchy bladders or wet spots.
Complaints to the hands can have a lot of influence on daily activities and work. Walking, sports and wearing shoes can be unpleasant or painful. The symptoms may occur acutely, but they may also be long-lasting and recurrent in nature.
Different forms of hand and foot eczema exist. Therefore, treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine looks at the specific skin image, the course of the complaints and the underlying TCM pattern.
Common symptoms
Hand and foot eczema may have different appearances. Common symptoms are:
- itching;
- redness;
- dry and scaly skin;
- small or larger vesicles;
- damp or wet spots;
- a burning sensation;
- thickening and roughening of the skin;
- painful rifts;
- crust formation;
- recurrent flares.
The complaints may be limited to a few fingers or toes, but also cover larger parts of hands, palms, soles of feet.
A well-known form is vesicle eczema (dyshidrotic eczema/pompholyx) . This occurs mainly on the sides of the fingers, palms and/or soles of the feet small, deep and often very itchy vesicles. These can dry in later times, after which the skin can peel, flake or crack.
During long-term eczema, dryness, thickening and crevices can be more prominent.
Possible causes
Hand and foot eczema does not have one cause. Different forms of eczema can manifest on hands and feet and several factors can play a role at the same time.
Hand eczema, for example, is more common in people who often come into contact with water, soap, cleaning agents, chemicals or other irritating substances. This can occur in professions where hands are often wet or need to be washed regularly.
Allergic contact eczema can also occur on the hands or feet. In addition, people with atopic eczema have greater sensitivity to developing hand eczema.
In bladder eczema, the exact cause is not always clear. Heat and sweating may induce or worsen a flare in some people.
Because other skin conditions, including fungal infections and psoriasis, may sometimes resemble hand or foot eczema, medical assessment may be necessary when diagnosis is not clear.
How can acupuncture help with hand and foot eczema?
The treatment is tailored to the appearance of the eczema. Glasses with strong itching and moist skin require a different approach within Chinese medicine than chronic dryness, scaling and deep gorges.
Depending on the picture of complaints, treatment may be directed at:
- reduce itching and skin irritation;
- reduce redness and heat;
- reduce vesicles and moist skin discomfort;
- support dry and scaly skin;
- support the recovery of ripples and damaged skin;
- to reduce recurrent flares.
When contact with irritating or allergenic substances is an important cause, reducing such exposure continues to be an essential part of the approach.
How can Chinese herbal medicine help with hand and foot eczema?
Chinese herbs are chosen on the basis of the appearance and course of the eczema and the underlying TCM pattern. As a result, treatment in vesicleseczema may vary considerably from treatment with long-term dry and cracked hand eczema.
Depending on the grievance picture, herbal treatment may be aimed at:
- reduce severe itching;
- soothe redness, heat and irritation;
- reduce vesicles and wet skin defects;
- reduce dryness and scaling;
- support a thickened or cracked skin;
- to deal with recurring complaints.
Chinese herbs can be used daily between treatments. In the Chinese dermatology, external herbal treatments are described with hand and foot eczema. The choice of an external application depends on the condition of the skin.
TCM vision on hand and foot eczema
Within traditional Chinese Medicine, much attention is paid to the appearance of the eczema.
Dampness plays an important role in vesicles, moisture and wet skin defects. If the skin is also clearly red, warm or inflamed, this is seen as Dampness-Heat. Strong itching may indicate the presence of Wind.
In chronic symptoms, the skin image can change. Long-term eczema can be dry, rough, scaly and thickened and deep gorges can develop. Within the TCM more often patterns are seen where the skin is not fed enough and moistened by Blood and Yin .
In some long-lasting moist images, a weaker function of the Spleen can also play a role. Within the TCM, the Spleen is involved in the processing and distribution of moisture.
What is a TCM organ system?
A TCM organ system describes a group of related body functions and is wider than just the anatomical organ with the same name. Read more at TCM basics .
What is a TCM pattern?
A TCM pattern is a recognizable combination of complaints and physical characteristics that indicates which imbalance is likely to contribute to the complaints. Read more at TCM basics .
Below are only the most common patterns discussed. Other patterns are possible and multiple patterns can occur at the same time. This allows you to recognize yourself in different descriptions. Also, someone with a certain pattern does not have to have all the symptoms mentioned. The pattern is determined on the basis of the overall picture of complaints.
Most common TCM patterns in hand and foot eczema
Damp-Heat
Brief explanation
Dampness-Heat is particularly recognizable by an active skin image with vesicles, redness and moisture. This pattern can be very prominent in vesicle eczema.
Common symptoms
- strong itchy vesicles;
- redness;
- a warm or burning sensation;
- moist or wet skin;
- vesicles that may confluence;
- crust formation after vesicles have been opened;
- sometimes aggravated by heat.
Dampness due to Spleen-deficiency
Brief explanation
In this pattern, Dampness remains more easily present because the Spleen does not process and distribute enough moisture according to the TCM. The skin image is usually less hot and bright red than at Dampness-Heat.
Common symptoms
- recurrent vesicles;
- moist skin defects;
- itching;
- relatively low redness or heat;
- fatigue;
- bloating;
- decreased appetite;
- soft or loose stools.
Blood-Dryness with Wind
Brief explanation
In the case of long-term eczema, according to the TCM, the nutrition and moistening of the skin may fail. This creates a dry and rough skin image. Wind contributes to the persistent itching.
Common symptoms
- dry skin;
- scaling;
- itching;
- thickened or rough skin;
- cavities;
- scratch marks;
- little or no vesicles or fluid.
Blood stasis
Brief explanation
In case of very long-lasting skin problems, the TCM also indicates that blood's local circulation may be disturbed. This is especially true when the skin is thickened, hard and cracked for a long time.
Common symptoms
- persistent skin abnormalities at the same site;
- clear skin thickening;
- deep or painful gaps;
- dark or purple-like discoloration;
- raw skin;
- chronic course.
What can you do for yourself?
For hand and foot eczema, protection of the skin is important. Try to minimise contact with substances that are known to cause or worsen symptoms.
With hand eczema it can help to reduce excessive contact with water, soap, cleaning agents and other irritating substances. In cases where this is not possible, suitable protective gloves may be needed. However, long-term wearing of closing gloves can also cause problems due to heat and sweating.
Regularly use a suitable oily cream or ointment to support the skin barrier. In addition, footeczema may help to limit long-lasting warm and moist conditions in shoes if you notice sweating worsens symptoms.
Outlook
The course depends on the shape and cause of the eczema and on the ability to reduce triggering factors. Eczema by repeated contact with an irritating substance may continue to return as long as this exposure continues. Bladder'seczema may also have a recurrent course.
Chronic eczema with strong thickening and deep gorges usually takes more time than a recent, limited flare.
As a directive, acupuncture can be used once a week in the initial phase. If complaints become less and more stable, the frequency can be reduced. Chinese herbs can be used daily between treatments when appropriate.
Medical safety
Have skin complaints on hands or feet medically assessed when diagnosis is not clear, the symptoms are severe or continue to return despite treatment. Other conditions, including psoriasis, contact allergy and fungal infection, may sometimes cause similar skin image.
Contact your doctor if you experience rapidly increasing redness, swelling or pain, pus, extensive yellow crust formation, fever or if you feel ill. This may indicate skin infection.
In the case of persistent hand or foot eczema, additional research, such as contact allergy or fungal infection, may be useful.
Contact
Do you suffer from hand or footeczema and want to know if acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine can fit with your symptoms? During a first consultation we discuss what skin complaints look like, where they occur, the course, possible triggering factors and other relevant symptoms.
On the basis of the overall complaint picture, it is considered which TCM pattern is likely to be at the forefront and which treatment fits in with it.