A Case Study on Xerotic Eczema Treated by Oriental Medicine

수부(手部) 건성습진(乾性濕疹)에 대한 한방치료(韓方治療) 증례(證例) 보고(報告)

Eczema is a general term for skin diseases showing itching, vessiculopapular eruption, and erythema when acute, or lichenification and scale if chronic. It is classified as irritant dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, nummular eczema, statis dermatitis, infective dermatitis, xerotic eczema, and pompholyx by afflicted regions and symptoms. Therapy for eczema is allopathic, and includes application of ice- pack to erythema, and application of emollients and steroids to the affected parts during subacute or chronic stages. Eczema is understood as ulceration(瘡), tinea(癬), wind syndrome(風證), and dryness syndrome(燥證) in terms of oriental medicine. Xerotic eczema is understood in dryness syndrome. Nourishing blood(養血) therapy is used. This is a case study on which xerotic eczema occurred on a patient's afflicted left palm and fingers after stroke. The patient's xerotic eczema was attributed to dryness syndrome. Therefore, Samul-tang(四物湯) and Saenghyeoryunbu-eum(生血潤膚飮) were used for nourishing blood. This therapy was effective on eczema and accompanying symptoms such as dizziness and numbness of the left hand.