Reflexology Treatment for Eczema

Eczema is a skin condition characterized by patches of red, inflamed, blistering and itchy skin, sometimes called dermatitis. When the condition persists for long periods of time, the affected skin may actually become thickened due to constant scratching. Eczema often comes and goes throughout the lifetime of the sufferer, and it is suspected that it is caused by allergies or aggravated by stress or fatigue. Reflexology, applying pressure to specific spots on the feet believed to correspond to areas of the body, has been found to be helpful in alleviating the stress surrounding the condition, and is sometimes recommended as a therapy option by those within the medical profession.

Difficulty in Treating Eczema

• Eczema is difficult to treat, because the condition has so many causes, and each eczema case may have different roots. Many issues, such as lifestyle and diet, need to be considered in order to assess each case, and determine what treatment is needed. To decide whether or not reflexology would benefit a sufferer, it's important to determine possible contributors to the condition. Reflexology is often a recommended option if a high-stress lifestyle is a factor, especially for patients who do not wish to participate in chemical treatments that include prescription drugs, or creams.

Diet

• Diet is an important aspect in assessing the cause of eczema. For instance, diary products are strongly correlated with the problem, something about which scientists and members of the medical profession are aware. If poor diet habits are responsible for the skin condition, simple changes in eating and drinking patterns can relieve the problem; other methods of treatment would not be required.

Stress

• Eczema that is related to a subject's stressful lifestyle responds well to the use of reflexology, in addition to other treatments. Stress is present and consistent in the lives of many today, as divorce, separation, death, financial insecurity and the cost of living take center stage in people's lives. Unfortunately, many of the stressful situations we encounter are not easily relieved or changed, and reflexology has been found to improve physical conditions that are highly related to personal stress.

Reflexology, Stress and Eczema

• Reflexology can assist the eczema sufferer by alleviating stress. Allergies can be treated through working to release toxins from the body by applying pressure to the reflex areas of the feet that correspond to the digestive and lymphatic systems of the body. Inflammation can also be reduced through work on the endocrine system, including the adrenal glands. Massaging the area on the foot that actually relates to the area on the skin affected by eczema can help resolve the problem.

Reflexology and Medical Intervention

• Reflexology is meant to be used along with medical assistance, not in place of it. Due to the many factors that can cause this skin problem, it is especially important to have your doctor assess the eczema condition, and make recommendations and suggestions about how it should be treated. To learn more about reflexology, please visit the sites listed below.