Table 2:
The comparison of hand eczema in current medicine and traditional medicine
| Traditional medicine | Current medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A disease which constitutes red rashes and excessive itching, developing more on the hands and between the fingers. (13, 17) | A common dermatological disorder an inflammation of the skin of the hands characterized by sever itching in hands.(3) |
| Signs/Symptoms Categorization | Redness, Itching, burning, secretion in wet type | Erythema, itching, dryness, vesicles, papules |
| Etiology | Dystemperament of liver, wet or dry | Irritants agents, allergy to a specific substance, endogenous factors (27) |
| Diagnosis | Clinical manifestations and signs and symptoms mentioned in medieval texts | Past personal and family history (exposure to irritants and allergens or atopic dermatitis), Physical examination, Patch testing, Prick tests and RAST(radioallergosorbent test) (44) |
| Prevention | Observing the six essential principles for the health maintenance. (climate, eating and drinking, retention and evacuation, repose and movement, sleep and wake-fulness and sensual qualities) | Lifestyle modification, Avoidance of irritants (and allergens), frequent application of lipid-rich emollients (ointments), use of gloves (29, 45) |
| Interventions | Life style modification and Nutritional therapies, Herbal remedies (simple or compound medicaments), special physical manipulations (13, 16, 17) | Lifestyle changes and topical corticosteroids, Calcineurin Inhibitors (such as pimecrolimus), Phototherapy (PUVA), Systemic treatments (such as Alitretinoin, Acitretin, Systemic Corticosteroids) (1) |