Rashes may develop in response to contact allergies, systemic allergies, or to infections (bacterial, fungal, viral or parasitic) or autoimmune causes, among others.
The old joke about rashes is “if it’s wet, dry it; if it’s dry, wet it; if they’re on steroids, take them off; if they’re not on steroids, put them on.” Conventional treatment reaches far beyond these both diagnostically and therapeutically, with stunning successes. However, there are always those who either don’t respond to conventional interventions, or for whatever reason, reject conventional intervention. Dr. Cooke has worked with a number of patients in this category.
While she may suggest some conventional interventions, she has also achieved good results in some cases with complementary therapies. The skin reflects all the internal organs. It has been referred to as the “third lung.” It is intimately tied to the health of the liver and large intestine. Simple nutritional strategies for detoxification of the internal organs also bring benefit to the skin.
One woman in her sixties developed cold urticaria (itching) out of the blue, large welts forming on contact with cold. A detailed history and thoughtful prioritization of examinations led Dr. Cooke to suggest she see her dentist to investigate a possible pocket of infection underlying a tooth despite the lack of localized symptoms. Upon examination this is exactly what was found; the abscess was removed by her dentist, and the itching ceased. Another patient with chronic psoriasis had his best remission in years with a well known botanical preparation.