Understanding and Managing Eczema From a TCM Perspective

Eczema is a chronic, incurable skin condition that plagues millions of people worldwide, causing uncomfortable symptoms such as redness, itching, and inflammation. However, while there is no definitive cure, eczema flare-ups and its symptoms can be prevented and managed through a variety of western medicine, modern topical solutions, and the time-honoured Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

TCM is a holistic system of medicine that has been used for over 2,500 years. It employs various therapeutic techniques and practices based on a comprehensive understanding of the human body to restore and maintain balance. This approach to resolving different issues with our body can also be applied to skin health, helping to keep problems such as eczema under control. But before we share more about TCM treatments for eczema, here’s a brief look at skin health from a TCM perspective.

TCM’s View of Skin Health

1.1. The Connection Between Our Skin and Internal Systems

In TCM, the human skin is seen as a vital organ that reflects our internal condition, and not simply an external covering for our body. This is why it is crucial to understand the connection between skin and organs if you wish to maintain overall health and well-being.

According to TCM principles, our skin condition is associated with the Lung and Large intestine meridians, which are part of our body’s vital energetic network, Qi. The Lung is responsible for governing skin moisture and dispersing Qi and fluids throughout the body, while the Large intestine is in charge of detoxification and eliminating waste and toxins. When harmony is achieved and the organs are functioning optimally, the skin remains supple, healthy, clear, and vibrant. However, when there are disruptions and imbalances, they may manifest as dryness, acne, rashes, and redness on the skin.

The organ systems within our body are also associated with the five elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—each used to understand the balance and interactions within the body.

Wood: Liver, Gallbladder, and anger
Fire: Heart, Small intestine, and joy
Earth: Spleen, Stomach, and worry
Metal: Lungs, Large intestine, and grief
Water: Kidneys, Bladder, and fear

Discrepancies in any of the five elements may cause the development of skin conditions. But thankfully, simply working with a TCM skin specialist to reduce or boost the element in your body is sufficient to resolve the issue.

Skin health is also closely linked to emotions, which, in TCM theory, can affect the function and balance in specific organs. Excessive worry or anger, for example, contributes to an increase of heat in the body, while stress can cause stagnation of Qi, resulting in the development of symptoms such as hives, rashes, or redness.

1.2. The Role of Qi and Blood in Maintaining Healthy Skin

Apart from the state of your internal organ systems, skin health is also greatly influenced by the flow of life within our bodies. Qi and Blood are considered essential components of overall health and well-being, and their balance and flow are crucial for maintaining not just healthy skin, but also a strong and thriving body.

– Qi (气):

Qi is the vital energy or life force that runs through the body’s meridians and organs. It is described as the power source, responsible for keeping all bodily functions in control. Any disruption to this flow will not only affect our skin, but also our overall health.

Deficient Qi, or a weak flow of Qi, results in pale, dull skin, and slows wound healing. Individuals with chronic fatigue or a weakened immunity may also lose vitality in their skin.
Blocked or stagnant Qi can manifest as acne or redness on the skin. Emotional stress, which is a significant contributor to Qi stagnation also increases the risk of skin flare-ups.
Rebellious Qi, or Qi that flows in the wrong direction, typically stem from dietary imbalances or allergies. It can lead to problems such as rashes or hives.

– Blood

In TCM, the Blood represents not just the red fluid circulating in our blood vessels, it’s also important for nourishment within the body. Healthy Blood aids in skin hydration, repair, and rejuvenation, which are crucial for optimal skin.

Blood deficiency may cause skin to lose elasticity and appear dry, rough, and thin. It also slows wound healing processes.
Poor Blood circulation, or Blood stasis, which are usually associated with chronic conditions that hinder proper blood flow, can lead to bruising, varicose veins, and skin discolouration.
Excess heat in the Blood can result in inflammatory skin conditions such as acne or rashes. Common contributors to Blood heat include dietary choices and emotional stress.

Qi and Blood are also interconnected with Yin and Yang, the fundamental concepts in TCM that represent the dualistic, complementary forces existing in all facets of the universe and the human body. Yin is associated with dark, cold, and moist qualities, while Yang is tied to light, heat, dryness, and activity. Both Yin and Yang must be in harmony for good health.

However, to maintain Yin-Yang balance, there must be adequate Qi and Blood moving through the body. Qi provides the active, warming, and functional aspects essential for Yang energy, promoting circulation and supporting metabolic functions. Blood, on the other hand, is a dense form of Yin that provides hydration, substance and structure, as well as nourishment to preserve Yin energy.

When there are disruptions in Qi and Blood, Yin-Yang levels suffer too, which can directly impact skin health.

If you do suffer from skin problems due to disturbances to your internal systems, TCM can be an effective solution to turn to. It focuses on restoring balance internally through the use of acupuncture, herbal remedies, or lifestyle adjustments to address your condition and does not simply rely on topical treatments to temporarily provide relief. We dive into TCM treatments for eczema below.

TCM’s Holistic Approach to Managing Eczema

2.1. Understanding Eczema from a TCM Perspective

Now that you’re aware of how TCM views skin, understanding what causes eczema from the same perspective becomes easier. In TCM, eczema is considered a manifestation of internal imbalance involving the Liver, Spleen, and/or Lungs. It can be associated with:

– Liver Imbalance

Our Liver is closely related to our emotions. It is believed that emotional changes such as anger, frustration, and stress can trigger or exacerbate eczema symptoms.

– Spleen Deficiency

The Spleen is responsible for digesting food and transforming them into nourishment for the body. A deficiency in our Spleen prevents nutrients from being absorbed into the body, causes an accumulation of dampness and heat, and contributes to eczema.

– Blood and Qi Deficiency

Both Blood and Qi are essential for nourishing the skin. When there are deficiencies in these elements, dryness and itchiness associated with eczema may develop.

Learn More: Understanding Itchy and Dry Skin from a TCM Perspective

– Excessive Heat

Heat arising from spicy foods, emotional stress, or environmental heat can disrupt the body’s natural balance and aggravate other imbalances in the body, resulting in redness, inflammation, and itching.

– Dampness

Excessive moisture in the body can lead to dampness, which can affect the skin’s ability to breathe and function properly, as well as hinder the flushing of waste and toxins from the body. This can weaken the Spleen, affect blood circulation, and exacerbate eczema symptoms.

– Excessive Wind

When the body’s defensive energy, Wei Qi, is weak, it cannot effectively defend against external influences, making the body more susceptible to conditions like wind-cold and wind-heat. Imbalances in the body and emotional factors can also contribute to an increase in wind. When there’s excess wind, the skin’s protective barrier is disrupted, resulting in skin irritation, and sensitivity to environmental factors.

– Emotional Imbalance

Emotions such as anger, frustration, and anxiety, can disrupt the smooth flow of Qi and cause blockages in the meridians, affecting the proper nourishment of the skin. Intense emotions can also drive up the amount of heat in the body and weaken the body’s defensive Qi, potentially worsening inflammation and eczema.

2.2. TCM Dietary Tips for Eczema Management

TCM treatment for eczema places great emphasis on making the right dietary choices. These eczema diet recommendations in TCM aim to balance the body’s internal energies, clear excess heat or dampness, and nourish the skin.

– Balancing Foods

Foods such as grains, green leafy vegetables, carrots, and lean proteins are neutral foods that can help sustain harmony between Yin-Yang energies in the body. They neither generate excessive heat nor cold, making them suitable for general consumption.

– Cooling Foods

Energetically cool foods, such as cucumber, watermelon, mung beans, and tofu, reduce excess heat and inflammation in the body, and aid in alleviating redness, itching, and skin irritation.

Bitter foods are also cool in nature. They help clear dampness from the body, and can help soothe the liver. They include foods like bitter melon, dandelion greens, and green tea.

While cooling foods are important, your body may become too cold if you consume too much of them. Be sure to eat everything in moderation and work with a TCM specialist to devise a suitable diet plan.

– Hydrating Foods

Foods with high water content, such as pears, honeydew melon, and water chestnut, increase moisture to keep the skin and body well-hydrated. This reduces the dryness and discomfort often associated with eczema.

– Herbs

Herbal Tea

Herbal teas, such as chrysanthemum have cooling and dampness-clearing properties that help with reducing heat and inflammation and supporting detoxification. They are commonly used in TCM to address internal imbalances associated with eczema.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Herbs are also often used to create medicine formulations to address underlying imbalances. These Chinese medicine for eczema are tailored to specific patterns within your body, taking into account the root causes of your condition and the presenting symptoms. Herbs that are commonly prescribed for eczema sufferers include:

Huang Bai: A bitter and cold herb often used to clear damp-heat in the body. It can reduce inflammation, alleviate itching, and promote the healing of eczematous lesions.
Sheng Di Huang: A cooling and anti-inflammatory herb that nourishes yin, replenishes body fluids, and clears heat. It helps to address the dryness associated with eczema, as well as reduce redness and itching.
Zi Cao: An herb known for its ability to clear heat and toxins, reduce inflammation, and soothe and heal skin lesions.
Dang Gui: A blood-tonifying herb primarily used in cases of blood deficiency. It nourishes the blood and reduces dryness, promoting skin health.

– Avoid Processed and Refined Foods

Processed and refined foods often introduce excessive heat and dampness into the body, disrupting equilibrium and causing internal imbalances that may manifest as eczema. By consuming them in moderation or avoiding them entirely, you make it easier for the body to maintain balance. This can help prevent or alleviate eczema symptoms, especially in cases where heat and dampness are contributing factors.

– Avoid Alcohol and Spicy Foods

Both alcohol and spicy foods are foods that can trigger eczema. They generate internal heat and disrupt the body’s energies, which can exacerbate eczema symptoms related to heat and inflammation. Avoiding these items keep the body cool and promotes a more balanced internal environment.

2.3. TCM Treatment Approaches for Eczema

Eczema is an incurable condition, and TCM doesn’t offer an eczema cure too. However, there exists a number of therapeutic techniques good for managing and preventing eczema flare-ups that many can turn to. They include:

– Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific acupuncture points along the body’s meridians, which are channels that correspond to the body’s vital energy, known as Qi. This can help to:

Regulate Qi and blood flow
Balance the body’s energies
Promote the release of endorphins and other natural painkillers to reduce inflammation and alleviate itch
Modulate the immune response to reduce severity of eczema symptoms
Soothe the nervous system and reduce stress levels to prevent eczema flare-ups related to emotional factors
Enhance the body’s natural healing processes

– Moxibustion

Moxibustion involves the burning of dried mugwort (moxa) on or near acupuncture points, generating heat that stimulates the flow of Qi and blood circulation. It’s known for its warming properties, making it especially beneficial for skin conditions associated with cold or dampness. It can help to:

Stimulate Qi and blood flow
Restore balance to the body’s energies
Modulate the immune system and promote a balanced response
Produce an analgesic effect to provide relief from itching and discomfort
Nourish skin and promote overall skin health
Produce a calming and stress-reducing effect

– Non-Bleeding Cupping Therapy (Dry Cupping)

Non-bleeding cupping therapy, also known as dry cupping, is a traditional therapeutic technique that involves using cups to create suction on the skin’s surface. Unlike wet cupping, which requires small incisions on the skin to allow controlled bleeding, dry cupping does not puncture the skin. Instead, it relies solely on suction to promote various therapeutic effects, and it is believed to offer several potential benefits for individuals with eczema. They include:

Drawing blood to the surface to improve circulation, nourish the skin and underlying tissues, and support the body’s natural healing processes
Release stagnant energy for a smoother flow of energy and blood
Stimulate the lymphatic system to enhance the removal of waste and toxins from the body to help reduce inflammation and the buildup of harmful substances in the skin
Restore balance between the body’s yin and yang energies
Soothe the nervous system and reduce stress levels

2.4. Managing Eczema through Lifestyle Changes

The TCM treatments above can also be combined with lifestyle modifications to enhance skin health and reduce the frequency and severity of eczema flare-ups. Here’s what you can do:

– Drink Up

TCM believes that eczema can be exacerbated by a deficiency of Yin, which relates to moisture and coolness. Drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day to keep your body and skin well-hydrated can help balance moisture in the body to prevent flare-ups. Consuming herbal teas like chrysanthemum, chamomile, or mint works too.

– Practise Mindfulness

Emotional fluctuations, particularly stress, can trigger eczema flare-ups. In order to keep them in control, try cultivating mindfulness in your daily life. For example, stress-reducing activities such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, Qi Gong, or Tai Chi. These help to prevent emotional imbalances from affecting your skin health.

– Consume a Balanced Diet

TCM views diet as an important part of managing eczema too. Incorporating Yin-nourishing foods, such as leafy greens, cucumber, and watermelon, eating a balanced diet, and limiting alcohol and caffeine intake can help to keep eczema condition in check.

– Avoid Smoking

Smoking is known to worsen eczema symptoms and can slow down the body’s natural healing processes. Quitting smoking or avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke can have a positive impact on your skin health.

– Avoid Late Nights

TCM emphasises the importance of maintaining a regular sleep schedule. Avoid late nights and ensure you get enough rest, as disrupted sleep patterns can lead to imbalances in your body, aggravating eczema symptoms.

2.5. Choosing TCM for Eczema Relief

– Holistic Approach

TCM for skin takes a holistic view of the body, working to address problems as a whole instead of targeting only one particular area. Practitioners understand that even minor imbalances in one part of the body can have far-reaching effects on health, and such internal factors can influence the state of one’s skin. This is why they always aim to diagnose and manage skin conditions, such as eczema, by resolving the root cause. This not only provides relief from symptoms, but also helps to restore overall health and well-being to prevent future flare-ups.

– Natural Remedies

TCM treatments for eczema often rely on natural remedies, such as herbal medicine and acupuncture. These therapies are favoured for their minimal side effects compared to some pharmaceutical treatments for eczema, which can sometimes come with unwanted adverse reactions. Herbal medicines, in particular, are tailored to an individual’s specific pattern of disharmony, making them a personalised and gentle treatment option.

– Long-Term Benefits

TCM places a strong emphasis on disease prevention and maintaining health. Rather than just managing the symptoms of eczema, it seeks to address the underlying imbalances that contribute to the condition. By doing so, it not only provides immediate relief but also reduces the likelihood of eczema recurrence. This means that TCM can help individuals break the cycle of eczema flare-ups and enjoy improved overall health.

– Individualised Treatment

TCM remedies are highly personalised as they take into account a patient’s unique constitution, lifestyle, and the specific imbalances in their body when creating a treatment plan. This approach ensures that the treatment is tailored to the patient’s needs, increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. From a TCM perspective, what causes eczema?

TCM attributes eczema to various factors, including excess heat, dampness, emotional stress, dietary imbalances, and environmental factors, which disrupt the body’s harmony.

2. How can TCM help manage eczema?

TCM offers holistic treatments, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary adjustments, and stress management techniques, to rebalance the body’s energies, address root causes, and alleviate eczema symptoms.

3. Can TCM cure eczema?

TCM can help with managing and alleviating eczema symptoms. However, it does not provide a permanent cure to the condition. Instead, TCM focuses on holistic approaches and personalized treatments to effectively manage and alleviate the symptoms of eczema, offering individuals a path toward greater comfort and improved quality of life.

4. Is TCM suitable for all types of eczema?

TCM treatment plans can be adapted to cater to various types of eczema, but the approach may differ depending on the specific symptoms and underlying imbalances causing the condition.

5. How long does it take to see results with TCM for eczema?

The timeline for improvement varies, but many individuals experience relief within a few weeks to a few months of consistent TCM treatment. Long-term management may be necessary for chronic cases.

6. What are some foods to avoid for eczema?

TCM may recommend moderating your intake of dairy products, gluten, eggs, soy, nuts and seeds, shellfish, processed foods, spices, citrus fruits, tomatoes, spices, food additives and preservatives. It is also wise to avoid consuming cold and spicy foods as those can exacerbate eczema symptoms too.

7. Can TCM be used alongside conventional treatments for eczema?

Yes, TCM can complement conventional treatments. Consult with both your TCM practitioner and dermatologist to discuss a comprehensive approach to eczema management.

TCM is a holistic approach that seeks to address not only the symptoms, but also the root causes of eczema, focusing on restoring balance, harmonising Qi, and nourishing the body’s essential energies. By incorporating TCM principles, you can embark on a journey towards healthier skin and overall wellbeing.

Tangs Clinical TCM is a phytopharmaceutical research centre and a TCM skin specialist clinic in Singapore that provides holistic solutions to help manage various skin conditions. Our physicians work closely to develop herbal products and treatment plans that will help you address autoimmune skin problems in a natural and safe way. Achieve healthier skin by scheduling a consultation with us today.