One of the most difficult parts of living with eczema is dealing with the itch. One way that eczema affects your skin is by releasing chemical messengers that stimulate your nerves and make you itch. Eczema also causes changes to your nerve fibers, causing an increase in sensory fibers. This change causes itching even with the lightest touch, called neurogenic itching.
Along with the physical itching associated with eczema, there is a psychological component as well. Chronic itching conditions such as eczema are associated with increased stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety, in turn, are triggers for eczema and make itching worse. Your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) plays a role in this itch-anxiety cycle.
Tips for Relieving Itch
Here are some strategies to cope with itching and avoid scratching:
Use moisturizers frequently
Apply a thick moisturizer to your skin to keep it hydrated and prevent itching. Be careful not to apply it too thickly, since it can block your pores and make itching even worse. Apply a thin layer and reapply it before you skin dries out. Use smooth downward strokes but avoid rubbing it into your skin because it can increase the itchiness.
Use a cool compress
Wet a clean towel in cool water and wring out until it's damp. Apply it to the itchy area. When you remove it, apply moisturizer.
Take a bath
Add colloidal oatmeal to the running water when you prepare a warm bath. Soak in it for 10 to 15 minutes. Gently pat your skin dry leaving your skin damp. Apply moisturizer within 3 minutes of getting out of the bath.
Using Mind Body Techniques for Relieving Itch
Dr. Ted Grossbart, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School, developed a program of using psychological techniques to deal with itching and scratching. His program, called Skin Deep: A Mind/Body Program for Health Skin, involves keeping a timeline of your itching. This helps you figure out what your emotional triggers are and how to deal with them.
Healing states
The Mind/Body program involves training yourself to enter into a healing state. This is similar to the state you're in when you're daydreaming or deeply involved in a pleasurable activity.
Soothing hand
Another aspect of the program is retraining your hand from a scratching hand to a healing hand. Using mental techniques outlined in the Skin Deep program, when your hand goes to scratch, you can focus on retraining it to become a soothing hand instead. With time and practice you can learn to break the anxiety/itching cycle to improve your eczema.
