Neurodermatitis (Atopic Eczema): Therapy

General measures

• Notes on skin care:
  • Daily basic care for local treatment of the skin:
    • Skin irritated, inflamed and oozing → light, low-fat dermatics (medicines intended for use on the skin).
    • Skin dry, non-inflamed skin → preparations containing fat.
  • Limit the use of soap
  • Do not bathe in hot water, but rather take a short shower
  • After showering, do not rub the skin with a towel, but dab it off
  • Rub the skin still wet after bathing with a moisturizing cream / ointment.
  • Avoid multiple hand washing
  • Avoid handling substances that irritate the skin
• Avoid working in a humid environment
• Nicotine restriction (refrain from tobacco use).
• Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
• Avoidance of irritating substances (wool clothing, animal hair, perfume, etc.).
• Daily airing of the apartment
• Keeping the humidity of the air constant! Attention. Overheated rooms, underfloor heating and air conditioning lead to drying of the skin.
• Avoidance of materials made from animal products such as mattresses with feathers.
• Avoidance of products containing formaldehyde releasers as preservatives; these particularly often trigger a type IV allergy (synonym: allergic late-type reaction)
• Note for the pregnant woman: breastfeeding infants (protective effect of breast milk nutrition; breastfeeding for at least > 4 months) reduces the risk of neurodermatitis in the newborn.
• Avoidance of psychosocial stress:
  • Stress
• Avoidance of environmental stress:
  • Airborne allergens or bacteria

Regular checkups

• Regular medical checkups

Nutritional medicine

• Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
• Dietary recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means:
  • A total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits daily (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
  • Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
  • High-fiber diet (whole grain products).
• Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
  • Low-salt diet (because of evidence that sodium chloride has in vitro influence on TH(T helper) 2 cell immunity, and in lesional skin (in affected skin lesions) of atopic dermatitis patients could be detected increased sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations.
  • Diet rich in:
    • Vitamins (D, E)
    • Omega-3 fatty acids (marine fish) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).
    • Secondary plant compounds (eg beta-carotene).
    • Probiotic foods (if necessary, dietary supplements with probiotic cultures).
• Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
• See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement Attention! Taking a dietary supplement with probiotic cultures (probiotics) reduces the risk of disease in the newborn baby.
• For detailed information on nutritional medicine, please contact us.

Psychotherapy

• Stress management, if necessary
• Adjuvant use of psychotherapeutic procedures:
  • Behavioral therapy (appropriate)
  • Psychotherapy Indications: Presence of psychological factors as individual risk factors of neurodermatitis or secondary psychosocial consequences for the patient due to neurodermatitis.
• Detailed information on psychosomatics (including stress management) can be obtained from us.

Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)

• Phototherapy: light therapy (blue light therapy; UVB 311 nm light therapy; rather than broad-spectrum UVB) – used to stabilize the skin after drug therapy; children with moderate to severe atopic eczema, like adults, benefit from therapy
• Balneophototherapy – treatment method in which substance-containing baths (eg.B. with high salt concentrations) can be used together with phototherapeutic measures (UV light); effectiveness is considered assured for the indication neurodermatitis.
• Hydrotherapy in the form of oil or tar baths can be used to support the healing process

Training measures

• Age-adapted interdisciplinary neurodermatitis training in small groups.