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Main > Specialty Areas > Dermatology >
What is Eczema?
Going down the history lane, the word 'eczema' seems to have its roots in Greece. Eczema, pronounced as ek zema, is a combination of two Greek words ek meaning 'out' in Greek and zema stands for 'boils'. Essentially eczema refers to a skin condition where due to small blisters on the skin added with the pain and discomfort from it makes the skin feel like it is boiling.
Now coming back to a more recent age, according to the American Academy of Dermatology the term Eczema is associated with a range of skin inflammation conditions. If your skin condition is scratchy, itchy, dry, cracked, blistery or leathery then, Eczema is definitely a possibility. While there is no defined body area for Eczema occurrence but years of observations show that face, wrists, inside of elbows and knees and neck are some of the common body parts which show the first signs of Eczema flare-up.
The terms 'dermatitis' and 'eczema' are often used interchangeably. 'Atopic dermatitis' or 'atopic eczema' is one of the most commonly heard eczema flares. Most common in infants, a reassuring fact is that most infants grow out of it by their second year. However, if it persists it indicates that the child is a likely chronic sufferer who may face eczema flares repeatedly during his lifetime.
| Eczema is not a disease; eczema is known to be a hypersensitivity reaction. The body is more reactive more turned on more in tune to anything and so anything that touches the skin affects it from inside or from outside will make you itch. That itch will make you scratch. Hence, paying attention to prevention and developing certain behavioral patterns is important in preventing flare-ups. |
There are two main categories of Eczema: Contact eczema, also known as exogenous eczema, occurs when substances or chemicals cause irritation that leads to an allergic reaction in the skin. "Atopic" eczema (endogenous eczema), is when there is a genetic, or inherited, tendency to develop the condition.
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Epinephrine shot If you are known to have a severe anaphylactic reaction, carry an epinephrine (adrenaline) shot with you at all times. Pay attention to expiration date and replace it regularly: upon expiration, it loses its effectiveness. |
| Random Drug Info: |
Levothyroxine Levothyroxine is a pure synthetic form of T4 hormone that is made in a laboratory to be an exact replacement for the T4 that the human thyroid gland normally secretes. It comes in multiple strengths, which means that an appropriate dosage can almost always be found for each patient. |
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