Boston resident Tanya Trevett has been battling severe atopic dermatitis for more than 15 years and has tried countless treatments to alleviate her symptoms, but with little relief. But it wasn’t until about 10 years after she was diagnosed with this type of eczema that she began to grapple with the mental and emotional toll of the condition.
Trevett turned to mind-body therapy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, her daughter also suffered from severe atopic dermatitis, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. “I knew I had to deal with the stresses in my life that were causing inflammation in my body,” she explains. Now, she says, “her meditation and mindfulness practices have helped her manage stress and anxiety.”
To Trevett’s surprise, her physical eczema symptoms began to improve after she started meditating. “I no longer get eczema on her face or eyebrows,” she says. “I now feel in control of my body, mind, and overall health.”
Mind-body therapy has been used for quite some time to reduce stress, anxiety, pain, depression, and more. More recently, however, these therapeutic interventions have also been used to treat chronic conditions such as eczema in combination with traditional prescription medications.
“More and more doctors are incorporating these mind-body therapies into their patients’ treatment plans,” says Victoria Kazlowskaya, M.D., a dermatologist at Dermatology Circle in New York City. She says, “There are her three types of effective interventions: psychological, behavioral, and educational. It’s all about figuring out which one is right for you.”
The “itch and scratch cycle” that often occurs in severe atopic dermatitis (when you feel itchy and scratch the affected area, it gets more itchy) can cause stress, affect mood, and lead to psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. It may cause health problems. Having a variety of mind-body therapies available to combat these emotional factors can help reduce the effects of the itch and scratch cycle.
Although everyone is different, there are some mind and body strategies you can try to reduce the emotional burden of eczema. Here are some.
mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation has been shown to provide some relief from dozens of medical conditions, including pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and more. So it’s no surprise that it has been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic diseases such as atopic dermatitis.
If you have eczema, areas of your brain are overactive, which causes the release of the stress hormone cortisol. A small study from Emory University found that meditation can help reduce the urge to itch by deactivating these areas of the brain.
“Mindfulness meditation is about noticing when your body is itching, recognizing that sensation, and then retraining your body to focus on something other than the itch,” says American. said Tania Elliott, M.D., spokeswoman for the College of American Colleges. She specializes in allergy, asthma, and immunology and is a clinical instructor at New York University Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. “It really helps reduce the symptoms of eczema.”
For Trevett, meditation has been invaluable in battling atopic dermatitis. “I meditate every day,” she says. “Whenever I feel anxious or stressed, I stop and meditate or use skills like tapping or breath control to control my anxiety or stress response.” (According to Kaiser Permanente, tapping (means tapping your fingers on specific points on your head, hands, or torso).
therapy/counseling
The more you know about atopic dermatitis, the more confident you will be in your ability to manage it. Case in point: A study published in 2021 found that an educational intervention reduced the severity of eczema in 21 people.
Talking about your eczema may also help control your symptoms. Another study published in 2021 found that adults with eczema who received internet-based treatment (12 weeks of access to a therapist via written messages), in addition to traditional self-care and medication guidance, experienced reduced itching intensity. , perceived stress, sleep disturbances, and depression are significantly reduced.
Dr. Kazlowskaya believes that people who are educated about severe eczema are better able to manage it. “Patients often don’t know the mechanism of their disease,” she says. “They’re just taught how to treat the itch and the symptoms, but they don’t actually understand why their body is reacting a certain way. I find that when I better understand who I am and why, I begin to better understand my condition and its triggers.
yoga
Another way to reduce the stress of atopic dermatitis is yoga, Kazlowskaya says.
“Eczema patients have a weaker skin barrier, which makes them more susceptible to stress,” she explains. A small study found that adults who attended a three-month yoga and meditation retreat experienced increases in certain anti-inflammatory proteins; decrease Contains pro-inflammatory proteins that cause conditions such as eczema. This was in addition to significant reductions in anxiety and depression.
hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy has been used for decades to treat a variety of conditions, including atopic dermatitis. This is a type of psychotherapy that uses relaxation and concentration techniques to increase mindfulness and bring about positive changes in unconscious states.
A small study published in 2020 found that 26 out of 27 participants who used hypnosis experienced a significant reduction in eczema symptoms.
biofeedback
Biofeedback has become a popular option for pain, stress management, and mental health. It has also been shown to help people with chronic conditions such as atopic dermatitis.
Biofeedback is designed to control the connection between the body and the brain, Kazlowskaya says. It works by measuring various functions such as muscle contractions, heart rate, and breathing with electrical sensors attached to the body.
That information is analyzed by a biofeedback provider, who tells you how to use mindfulness techniques such as meditation to soothe the area caused by itching or scratching, Kazlovskaya explains.
A study published in 2021 found that biofeedback can reduce stress, which can trigger eczema. You can find a certified local practitioner on his website for the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance.
