Nervous eczema in children and adults, symptoms and treatment methods. What is nervous eczema and how to treat it

Causes of nervous eczema

The main factor that causes nervous eczema to develop is stress. It can be acute - the sudden loss of a loved one, separation from a loved one, worries about exams, dismissal, etc. Or it can be chronic - difficulties in the family, unloved work, problems at school or university, failures in personal life, big workload, constant fatigue, etc. In any case, a stressful situation is a trigger for this type of eczema against the background of predisposing factors, namely:

tendency to allergic reactions;
presence of chronic diseases;
reduced immunity, etc.

Due to nervous experiences, a predisposition to eczematous dermatitis develops into a skin disease. And if treatment is not started on time, it can become a chronic process.

Nutrition and lifestyle

To prevent nervous eczema from bothering you and to keep your skin clean and healthy, you must follow the rules listed below:

Water for bathing or showering should be at a comfortable temperature. Don't make it too hot or cold.
After bathing, you need to use a soft towel and moisturizer.
It is better to eat natural foods, eliminating from the diet foods that adversely affect the functioning of the body.
It is recommended to avoid contact with aggressive chemicals. Gloves should be used during cleaning.
Clothing must be chosen from natural fabrics. It should be comfortable and not restrict movement.
It is important to learn how to properly allocate time for work and rest.
It is better to avoid overheating the body. After exercising or spending a long time in the sun, you should take a warm shower.

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In the treatment of nervous eczema, diet plays a special role. Since the disease is often provoked by allergic components, it is important to completely exclude them from the diet (honey, chocolate, eggs, whole milk products, smoked foods, products with dyes and flavor enhancers). To neutralize the symptoms of eczema, you should consume daily:

Fish varieties high in omega-3 acids.
Products with quercetin (broccoli, spinach, apples, blueberries).
Products rich in probiotics (kefir, soft cheeses, natural yoghurts).

It is important to give up bad habits and devote more time to sports and active recreation.

Fish varieties high in omega-3 acids.
Products with quercetin (broccoli, spinach, apples, blueberries).
Products rich in probiotics (kefir, soft cheeses, natural yoghurts).

How does nervous eczema manifest?

Nerve eczema is characterized by skin rashes that are extremely itchy and painful. There are several stages in this disease.

First, swelling and redness appear on the skin, most often on the hands. This is the initial stage.

Then nodules and bubbles appear, which open over time, forming small erosions on the wet surface. This is the wetting stage of the process. The affected area is very itchy, which can lead to the addition of a bacterial infection through the skin damaged by scratching.

Subsequently, the rashes dry out and itchy cracks and crusts appear. Once they are exfoliated, clean, undamaged skin is revealed.

Specific skin manifestations of nervous eczema include:

edema;
erythema;
bubbles;
papules;
cracks;
small ulcers;
crusts.

All these symptoms can be observed simultaneously, since without proper treatment, as some elements disappear, new ones are added. This phenomenon is called false polymorphism and is one of the distinctive manifestations of eczema. You can see what such rashes look like in the photo below.

Working with a psychologist and relaxation methods

To suppress the manifestations of nervous eczema, the use of medications or dietary restrictions may not be enough. Doctors must evaluate the atmosphere in which the patient lives. If he is regularly exposed to nervous overload, psychotherapy sessions are indicated for him.

Constant conflicts, problems at work and in the family negatively affect the functioning of the central nervous system, exacerbating the course of eczema. Relaxation and various self-training help eliminate the factors that provoke the disease. Psychotherapy sessions break the invisible connection between the manifestations of the disease and negative nervous reactions.

Help to relax and relieve nervous tension:

Breathing exercises.
Hypnosis.
Meditation.
Relaxing music.
Visualization.

First, patients, together with a psychotherapist, learn relaxation techniques. They are then practiced independently at home.

Diagnosis of nervous eczema

An external examination is usually sufficient for a dermatologist to make a correct diagnosis. The rashes associated with this disease are quite specific, as is the localization - nervous eczema mainly appears on the hands, but in other areas it is much less common. The nature of the disease is also indicated by the patient’s history and complaints from the nervous system:

insomnia;
depression;
irritability;
nervous breakdowns;
excessive emotional lability, etc.

In rare cases, histological examination of a skin biopsy from the affected area may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Prevention

When a disease such as eczema from nerves manifests itself, it is important to follow a proper diet. First of all, all products that can cause an allergic reaction are excluded from it.

The following are strictly prohibited:

honey;
coffee and coffee drinks;
chocolate;
all citrus fruits;
herbal and fruit teas;
kiwi;
Fish and seafood;
spicy, fried food;
smoked meats and pickles;
all products are red.

Even if you have not previously experienced an allergic reaction to these products, they should still be excluded. Sometimes you have to follow a strict diet for two weeks.

To prevent re-exacerbation of the disease, you must follow a number of recommendations:

from time to time cleanse the body of decay products accumulating in it using fasting days, enemas, enterosorbents; you need to learn to abstract yourself from inevitable stress and all problems; maintaining a daily routine in which it is important to devote enough time to rest and proper sleep; maintaining personal hygiene; use detergents and cosmetics that are not capable of causing allergies; healthy lifestyle and strengthening the immune system.

The occurrence of nervous eczema is not only a physical problem, but also a psychological one. Only in the absence of stressful situations, nervous shocks, or in the case of an adequate, calm reaction to problems, can this illness be avoided.

Treatment of nervous eczema

Treatment of nervous eczema includes the use of local and systemic agents. But, first of all, it is necessary to eliminate the stress factor that provoked the disease. At the same time, sedatives and tranquilizers are used to reduce nervous tension, depending on the severity of the experience:

Afobazole;
Persen;
tincture of valerian or motherwort;
Tenoten;
Relanium;
Phenazepam et al.

Without relieving stress and calming the patient, further therapy will not bring much success. If necessary, you may need to consult a psychotherapist with the prescription of more serious medications and physiotherapeutic measures to reduce nervous tension (electric sleep, aromatherapy, music therapy, hydrotherapy, etc.).

Local treatment of eczema

In dermatology, several principles apply to topical treatment, in particular:

Don't irritate the irritated.
Apply dry to dry.
For wet - wet.

All of them are used in the treatment of nervous eczema.

During the weeping process, local dosage forms are used in the form of wet lotions, gels, solutions, dressings, compresses, etc. When the rashes begin to dry out and crusts form, you can switch to ointments and creams.

External medications used for eczema include:

antiseptics to cleanse lesions and prevent infections (Resorcinol, Miramistin, Octenisept, Chlorhexidine, etc.);
drying agents (with tar, ichthyol, zinc, sulfur, etc.);
hormonal drugs to quickly relieve inflammation and reduce itching (Advantan, Sinaflan, Elokom, Dermovate, Celestoderm, etc.);
softening and regenerating agents (Radevit, F-99, Elidel, Skin-cap, etc.);
when a bacterial infection occurs, antibiotic ointments are prescribed;
in case of secondary fungal infection, external antifungal agents are used.

Local therapy is of paramount importance in the treatment of eczema, but systemic agents are also actively used under certain conditions.

General treatment of eczema

In the case of a pronounced allergic component with the development of nervous eczema, antihistamines are prescribed:

Tavegil;
Claritin;
Zodak;
Zyrtec;
Suprastin et al.

If eczema cannot be controlled with local therapy, systemic corticosteroid tablets must be used. Such treatment can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, since this group of drugs has many contraindications and side effects, including severe withdrawal syndrome (that is, the development of the disease with renewed vigor after stopping taking the pills).

In order to generally strengthen the body and strengthen the immune system, vitamin therapy is prescribed. Balanced vitamin complexes are more suitable for this:

Centrum;
Vitrum;
Supradin;
Alphabet;
Complivit and others.

If a secondary infection occurs, the doctor may additionally prescribe antibiotics or antifungal drugs in tablets or injections, depending on the type of pathogen and the severity of the process.

Disease Prevention

To prevent the development of eczema and avoid frequent cases of relapse, you need to follow simple rules of prevention:

Maintain a regime of active activity and rest.
Adhere to the rules of personal hygiene.
Periodically take baths with herbal extracts (chamomile, string, St. John's wort).
Avoid contact with possible allergens (animal hair, household chemicals, clothing made of synthetic materials, certain medications).
Choose the right diet.

After an illness, doctors recommend sanatorium-resort treatment to their patients. Skin pathologies respond well to treatment at the resorts of the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Altai Territory, and Transbaikalia. For some, a holiday on the shores of the Dead Sea is suitable.

Maintain a regime of active activity and rest.
Adhere to the rules of personal hygiene.
Periodically take baths with herbal extracts (chamomile, string, St. John's wort).
Avoid contact with possible allergens (animal hair, household chemicals, clothing made of synthetic materials, certain medications).
Choose the right diet.

General recommendations for nervous eczema

Proper nutrition is important in the treatment of eczema. Since the allergic component plays a large role in the development of this disease, it is necessary to avoid all products that can trigger allergies. These include:

honey;
chocolate;
red berries;
eggs;
cow's milk and whole milk products;
smoked meats;
products containing flavors, dyes, flavor enhancers and other similar chemicals.

It is better to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition, as this will help not only reduce the risk of allergies, but also improve the health of the body as a whole.

For the purpose of general hardening and stimulation of the immune system, it is recommended to engage in sports, active recreation and walk more.

You need to choose cosmetics very carefully, marked “hypoallergenic”, and experiment with new products less often. Proven drugs are much more reliable.

It is necessary to interact with household chemicals only with gloves, since chemical irritants can significantly worsen the course of nervous eczema on the hands.

It is very important to give up bad habits, especially smoking and drinking alcohol. And you definitely need to normalize your sleep and wakefulness, try not to overwork and get proper rest. If the disease arose due to problems at work, it would be better to change it.

All patients with nervous eczema are recommended to undergo annual spa treatment. This therapy perfectly helps to reduce the risk of new exacerbations due to proper rest for patients and stimulation of the immune system.

Following these tips will help you quickly cope with acute eczema and prevent the development of relapses during its chronic course.

Nervous eczema is a very unpleasant disease. It occurs due to stress, while severe itching and unaesthetic appearance of rashes in visible places only intensify the experience, which provokes a new round of the disease. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to cope with stress and try to remain calm in all situations. And if the nervous shock turned out to be too strong and still provoked the disease, it is better to immediately consult a specialist. Timely diagnosis and treatment will help prevent complications and prevent the disease from becoming chronic.

Symptoms of manifestation

The characteristic symptoms of the disease are visible immediately after suffering nervous tension or a stressful situation.

In the acute form of the disease, areas of the skin swell and turn red. Most often, this process affects the upper limbs. After some time, the skin thickens and blisters appear. Once the blisters burst, a skin lesion called weeping eczema occurs.

After the wounds dry out, crusts form that are unbearably itchy and flaky. Constant scratching leads to surface trauma and the introduction of pathogenic microorganisms, which, in turn, lead to the formation of ulcers and an increase in the extent of the lesion.

If eczema is not treated at the initial stage, it becomes chronic and has slightly different symptoms. Significant areas of the skin acquire a bluish tint, and the upper and lower extremities are initially affected.

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Next, the skin swells and thickens. In the center of the lesion, the skin completely loses sensitivity, which causes anxiety to the patient.

This disease interferes with the patient’s normal life and work activities. Often people with nervous eczema are on sick leave.

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Treatment should be comprehensive. Since the cause of the disease is stress, therapy should be aimed at normalizing the person’s psychological state, and only then, at eliminating the symptoms of the disease.

To begin with, consult a dermatologist so that he can determine the etiology of the manifestation of the skin disease and select treatment.

Treatment is divided into:

Psychotherapy is the basis of treatment. But getting rid of stress, everyday problems and conflicts is not so easy.

Therefore, you should consult a competent psychologist so that he can teach the patient to approach problems differently and look at life more simply.

For drug treatment, the doctor prescribes ointments and creams based on corticosteroid hormones.

With long-term use of these drugs, side effects may occur.

glaucoma;
skin atrophy;
the appearance of a bacterial or fungal infection.

You can use lotions and pastes prescribed by your doctor to reduce redness and itching of the skin.

According to the doctor's decision, they take tranquilizers and antihistamines. When infections occur, antibiotics are prescribed, as well as vitamins B1, B2, C, D and others.

Symptoms

Among the main signs of skin damage by eczema, doctors identify the following:

redness of the affected areas;
rashes;
transformation of the rash into papules - accompanied by severe itching and formations rising above the skin;
swelling;
epithelial dryness and peeling.

When a rash appears, which is accompanied by severe itching, the patient experiences emotional overstimulation, irritability intensifies, sleep becomes incomplete, and therefore there is absolutely no opportunity to relax. A sick person feels self-doubt and fear. During this period, he is characterized by sudden mood swings. In addition to mental disorders, there is also a violation of physiological functions, for example, digestion.

With eczema, psychosomatics manifests itself as follows. There is an exacerbation of chronic diseases of internal organs, hormonal levels change. The immune system weakens significantly and the disease takes on a chronic form, which is much more difficult to treat.

Eczema often appears on the hands and only after a while spreads to other parts of the body, the rashes merge and form large affected areas. This process can also be provoked by the patient himself.