Asthma And Eczema In Adults

Eczema Coping Tips Good Hygiene

Skin affected by eczema is more vulnerable to a range of infections, including impetigo, cold sores and warts. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus may cause a secondary infection of impetigo, and possibly contribute to the symptoms of eczema.Suggestions for washing include:

• Take lukewarm baths or showers, and avoid really hot showers.
• Dont use ordinary soap, as the ingredients may aggravate your eczema. Wash your body with warm water alone. For armpits and groin, use soap-free products, such as sorbolene cream.
• Bath oils can help to moisturise your skin while bathing.
• When towelling dry, pat rather than rub your skin.

Viral And Bacterial Infections

The common cold can cause an eczema flare. In addition, the herpes virus, which can cause cold sores in and around the mouth, can lead to flares including a potentially serious infection that can spread cold sores to other areas of the body.

Exposure to bacteria can cause harmful toxins to secrete into the skin, prompting an immune reaction and causing skin inflammation. One of the more common bacteria is Staphylococcus aureus, which can not only worsen eczema but also slow skin healing.

Eczema occurs in all races and ethnicities, but it has a unique appearance in people of color. See our partner website for more information

What Can I Expect If Ive Been Diagnosed With Eczema

Nearly half of children with eczema will outgrow the condition or experience great improvement by the time they reach puberty. Others will continue to have some form of the disease. For adults with eczema, the disease can be generally well-managed with good skin care and treatment, although flare-ups of symptoms can occur throughout life.

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What Is Eczema What Does It Look And Feel Like

Eczema is a condition that causes your skin to become dry, red, itchy and bumpy. Its one of many types of dermatitis. Eczema damages the skin barrier function . This loss of barrier function makes your skin more sensitive and more prone to infection and dryness.

Eczema doesnt harm your body. It doesnt mean that your skin is dirty or infected, and its not contagious. There are treatments that can help manage your symptoms.

In the word dermatitis, derm means skin and itis means inflammation. The word as a whole means inflammation of the skin. Eczema originates from the Greek word ekzein which means to boil over or break out.

Researchers Discover Why Eczema Often Leads To Asthma

Many young children who get a severe skin rash develop asthma months or years later. Doctors call the progression from eczema, or atopic dermatitis, to breathing problems the atopic march.

Now scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have uncovered what might be the key to atopic march. Theyve shown that a substance secreted by damaged skin circulates through the body and triggers asthmatic symptoms in allergen-exposed laboratory mice.

The findings, published May 19, 2009, in Public Library of Science Biology, suggest that early treatment of skin rash and inhibition of the trigger substance might block asthma development in young patients with eczema.

Fifty percent to 70 percent of children with severe atopic dermatitis go on to develop asthma, studies show. By comparison, the rate of asthma incidence among the general population is only about 9 percent in children and 7 percent in adults. Seventeen percent of U.S. children suffer from atopic dermatitis, although not all cases are considered severe.

Doctors and scientists had come up with theories to explain why a skin rash is sometimes associated with asthma. Do some people have an immune system disorder that causes an overreaction to allergens that contact the skin and lung airways? Or is it the opposite do they have defective skin and airways that trigger an excessive immune response?

Topics

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Study Setting Design And Participants

Kuwait is a small country overlooking the Persian Gulf, with a total area of approximately 18,000 km2. Geographically, Kuwait is divided into six governorates, and the school districts follow a similar geographic distribution. Education in Kuwait is mainly provided by free public schools funded by the state and, to a lesser extent, by private schools. The education system can be divided into four stages, namely, kindergarten, elementary school , middle school , and high school , and in the latter three stages, the students are segregated by sex. Schooling is compulsory for all children aged 614 years.

This cross-sectional study enrolled schoolchildren attending public middle schools throughout the State of Kuwait, which included children aged between 11 and 14 years. The schoolchildren were enrolled in the study during the 20162017 school year and the first semester of the 20172018 school year . A stratified two-stage cluster sampling method was used to select a representative study sample of schoolchildren from a random sample of schools across Kuwait. The sampling methodology is described in detail elsewhere . Ethical approval for the current study was obtained from the Standing Committee for Coordination of Health and Medical Research, Ministry of Health, Kuwait . The study was conducted in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki for medical research involving human subjects.

Adjusted Risk Factors For Asthma Rhinitis And Eczema

Age was not a risk factor for any of the conditions when adjusted odds ratios were calculated in multiple regression models . Female sex was a risk factor for both current asthma and current eczema . Family history of asthma and rhinitis significantly increased the risk of current rhinitis, and the risk of current asthma was of an even greater magnitude, while it was not significantly associated with current eczema. Allergic sensitization was the strongest risk factor for current rhinitis and the second strongest for current asthma but was not associated with current eczema.

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Q : How Can Skin Be Maintained And Protected Every Day

It is important to keep skin that is prone to eczema well moisturised every day:

• Moisturisers add moisture and form a barrier that protects the skin, so that it retains moisture. If the protective barrier of skin is damaged eczema frequently develops.
• Apply non-perfumed moisturiser to the face and body twice every day.
• Avoid moisturisers containing food proteins such as goat milk, wheatgerm and nut oils.
• After a bath or shower in lukewarm water, pat the skin dry and apply moisturiser.
• Use non-soap based wash or oil and avoid soap and bubbly products which dry out the skin.
• After swimming , rinse and apply moisturiser.

What To Make Of This

The statistics above clearly spotlight links between eczema and asthma. The identification of those 18 genes may help explain the link. Further research in this area may lead to better strategies for helping all the people affected by both asthma and eczema.

For more information about eczema , please check out our sister site AtopicDermatitis.net.

Do you have asthma and eczema?

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How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Eczema

There are steps you can take that may prevent eczema outbreaks:

• Establish a skin care routine, and follow your healthcare professionals recommendations for keeping your skin healthy.
• Wear gloves for jobs where you have to put your hands in water. Wear cotton gloves under plastic gloves to absorb sweat, and wear gloves outside, especially during the winter months.
• Use mild soap for your bath or shower, and pat your skin dry instead of rubbing. Apply a moisturizing cream or ointment immediately after drying your skin to help seal in the moisture. Reapply cream or ointment two to three times a day.
• Take baths or showers with tepid rather than hot.
• Drink at least eight glasses of water each day. Water helps to keep your skin moist.
• Try to avoid getting too hot and sweaty.
• Wear loose clothes made of cotton and other natural materials. Wash new clothing before wearing. Avoid wool.
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature and humidity.
• Learn to recognize stress in your life and how to manage it. Regular aerobic exercise, hobbies and stress-management techniques, such as meditation or yoga, might help.
• Limit your exposure to known irritants and allergens.
• Avoid scratching or rubbing itchy areas of skin.

Q : What Triggers Should Be Avoided

People with eczema should avoid known triggers and irritants, which may include:

• Dry skin – this is one of the main triggers of eczema.
• Scratching – keep fingernails clipped .
• Viral or bacterial infections.
• Playing in sand, such as sandpits.
• Sitting directly on carpets or grass.
• Inhaling pollen allergens from grasses, weeds or trees in spring and summer.
• Irritants such as perfumes, soap and chemicals.
• Contact with animals, house dust mite allergen, wool and synthetic fabrics.
• Temperature changes, such as overly heated rooms.
• Stress, which can make eczema worse, although eczema is not a psychological condition.
• Constant exposure to water or chemicals, which can damage the protective barrier function of the skin.

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What Is It Like Living With Eczema

Many people live with eczema . As many as 15 million Americans may have this skin condition. Living with it can be challenging.

There may be times when your eczema disappears. This is known as a remission period. Other times you may have a flare-up, which is when it gets worse. The goal of treatment is to prevent such flare-ups, preventing your symptoms from getting worse. Be sure to avoid triggers, moisturize, take your medicine and do anything else your healthcare provider recommends.

How Is Eczema Treated What Medications Are Used

Treating eczema can be difficult if the cause is something you cant control, like genetics. Fortunately, you may have some influence over your environment and stress levels. Do your best to figure out what triggers or worsens your eczema, and then avoid it. The goal is to reduce itching and discomfort and prevent infection and additional flare-ups.

Consider these treatment tips:

If your child has skin problems, such as eczema, you can:

• Avoid long, hot baths, which can dry the skin. Use lukewarm water instead and give your child sponge baths.
• Apply lotion immediately after bathing while the skin is still moist. This will help trap moisture in the skin.
• Keep the room temperature as regular as possible. Changes in room temperature and humidity can dry the skin.
• Keep your child dressed in cotton. Wool, silk and manmade fabrics such as polyester can irritate the skin.
• Use mild laundry soap and make sure that clothes are well rinsed.
• Watch for skin infections. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice an infection.
• Help them avoid rubbing or scratching the rash.
• Use moisturizers several times daily. In infants with eczema, moisturizing on a regular basis is extremely helpful.

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Importance Of Eczema Treatment

There is growing evidence that allergens introduced into the body through the skin can lead to the later development of food allergy, asthma and hay fever. Aggressively treating eczema in children and taking steps to restore normal skin barrier function may lower the risk of future development of these conditions.

Ultraviolet Radiation Therapy For Eczema

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation can help reduce the symptoms of chronic eczema. Exposure under medical supervision can be carefully monitored with the use of specially designed cabinets the person stands naked in the cabinet and fluorescent tubes emit ultraviolet radiation.A person with stubborn eczema may need up to 30 sessions. The risks of unsupervised ultraviolet radiation therapy can be the same as for sunbathing faster ageing of the skin and greater risk of skin cancer.

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Articles On Allergies Vs Eczema

• How to Get Rid of Eczema

Did you have eczema as a kid and now get hay fever as an adult? Does your child have red, itchy rashes while you or your partner has seasonal allergies or asthma? If so, it’s no coincidence. The eczema rash on your child’s skin can sometimes be linked with allergies, hay fever, and asthma.

Studies show that if one or both parents have eczema, asthma, or seasonal allergies, their child is more likely to have eczema. What’s more, children with the disease may be more at risk for getting allergies or asthma.

Scientists are still studying the link between the conditions. But understanding the connection can help you manage the disease. There are things you can do to soothe the itch and maybe cut the chance of having allergies.

Differences Between Ad In Adults And Children

Even if you had AD as a child, your skin can look and feel differently when you have AD as an adult. Thats actually one of the most striking differences between AD in adults and AD in children.

In adults, the skin tends to be extremely dry and scaly where the AD appears.

If youve had AD for years, patches of your skin may be thick, leathery, and darker than the surrounding skin. Years of scratching causes this. The thickened skin can itch all the time.

Adults also tend to get AD on different parts of their bodies than do children. When an adult has AD, its most likely to form in one or more of these areas:

• Backs of the knees

• Back of the neck

Adults, unlike children, often have AD around their eyes. Youll often see thickened, darker skin circling the eyes, as shown in the picture on this page. The skin around the eyes also tends to be very itchy.

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Asthma Is Usually An Allergic Disease

In general, asthma refers to over-reactive airway disease. Airways in the lungs are overly sensitive to irritants. In the United States, allergic asthma is the most common form of the disease. This means the irritants that trigger airway inflammation and narrowing are allergens. This includes animal dander, dust mites, mold spores, pollen, and household pests, such as cockroaches. When people with allergic asthma breathe in these allergens or allergen particles, it causes an asthma attack. They experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing.

One of the risk factors for allergic asthma is having a parent or sibling with allergies or allergic asthma. This makes allergic asthma an atopic disease.

Q : What Is The Scratch And Itch Cycle Of Eczema

The scratch and itch cycle of eczema can cause discomfort, disrupt sleep and affect quality of life:

• In people with eczema the skin does not retain moisture very well, which causes it to dry out easily.
• This makes the skin more open to allergens and irritants, which can trigger the skin to release chemicals that make the skin itchy.
• Scratching itchy skin causes more chemicals to be released, making the skin feel itchier.
• If eczema is well managed this can avoid the scratch and itch cycle. It is therefore important to keep skin that is prone to eczema well moisturised, by using moisturising creams on the skin every day.

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Q : How Can Itch Be Controlled

The following actions may reduce itch, to help control the scratch and itch cycle of eczema:

• Keep skin well moisturised every day.
• Use cold compresses and wet dressings/wraps, as directed.
• Consider using non-sedating antihistamines, especially if there are hives . Sedating antihistamines are generally not recommended and should not be used in young children without specialist supervision.

Asthma And Eczema Statistics

My curiosity was peaked when I saw the results of our latest Asthma In America survey. Of those who completed it, 15% said that they also have eczema. This statistic matches the results of other similar surveys. In fact, there are actually confirmed links between eczema, asthma, and allergies.

For instance, researchers have discovered that:1

• 35% of adults with asthma or allergic rhinitis had eczema as kids
• Similarily, up to 80% of children with eczema grow up to develop asthma or allergic rhinitis
• 1 in 3 infants born to moms with asthma will develop eczema.
• 15-20% of children have a diagnosis of eczema.
• 1-2% of adults have a diagnosis of eczema.
• 60% of eczema patients are diagnosed in the first year of life.
• 90% of eczema patients are diagnosed by the time they are five-years-old.
• Eczema usually resolves by adulthood. But 10-30% continue to have symptoms.
• For people living with eczema, 91% experience itching as the most common symptom.
• Children with eczema and allergies in infancy were seven times more likely to develop asthma by the age of three. They were 12 times more likely to develop allergic rhinitis rhinitis . They also have an elevated risk for developing food allergies. This is compared to those without eczema and allergies.
• When both parents have eczema, their children have a 70% chance of developing it.

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Questionnaire And Clinical Examinations

The questionnaire consisted of three parts administered at the same time. The first part was the Swedish OLIN study questionnaire covering asthma, rhinitis, COPD, respiratory symptoms and possible risk factors of disease such as smoking and family history of airway diseases. The second part included questions regarding occupational exposures, environmental exposures and health status. The third part consisted of the Swedish Global Allergy and Asthma questionnaire which further assessed respiratory symptoms and diseases and added questions about eczema. The clinical examinations included objective measures of height and weight, a structured interview and a drawn blood sample. Sixty-nine subjects did not participate in the blood sampling either due to unwillingness or technical difficulties but completed the other parts of the examination. The presence of serum Immunoglobulin E was assessed using a mixture of 11 common airborne allergens and included timothy, birch, mugwort, olive, parietaria, cat, dog, horse, D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae and C. herbarum . A value of 0.35 kUA/l was considered a positive test. Body Mass Index was calculated by weight/)2. BMI was defined as normal if 2025 kg/m2, underweight < 20 kg/m2, overweight 2530 kg/m2 and more than 30 kg/m2 considered as obesity.