Eczema. UGH!! What a pain in the butt! Especially with this heat wave! Is there no mercy?! Some people have dealt with bouts of sporadic, itchy, red, scaly skin since early childhood. It's hard to imagine. So what is eczema and why does it erupt? Eczema is actually an umbrella term used to identify a wide range of "rashes" and "dermatitis-like" skin conditions. Just like "inflammation" is a general term used for redness, irritation, or swollen reaction to an infection or injury in the body or on the skin. There can be a plethora of reasons for inflammation, and the same holds true for eczema.

Anyone who has suffered from eczema knows that symptoms can be downright debilitating physically, emotionally and spiritually. Painful rashes, sleepless nights, shame, and feeling disconnected from life and other people.

You may even have heard that eczema is an incurable condition that can only be managed with cortisone, Benadryl and topical steroids. I believe that is misguided information. If you're like me, someone who likes to get to the bottom symptoms rather than suppress them, help is here.