Treating
Common Skin Conditions
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can
be very effective at treating skin conditions. Treatments can
provide quick relief for acute symptoms and can provide significant
and lasting relief from recurrent or chronic skin
conditions.
The skin reflects imbalances within the
body’s internal landscape and the effects of the environment.
Internal disharmonies caused by strong emotions, diet, and your
constitution as well as environmental influences, such as wind,
dryness, dampness, and heat can all contribute to the development of
a skin disorder.
Oriental Medicine does not recognize skin
problems as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the
specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a variety
of techniques such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, bodywork,
lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore
imbalances found in the body. Therefore, if 10 patients are treated
with Oriental medicine for eczema, each of these 10 patients will
receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture
points, different herbs and different lifestyle and dietary
recommendations.
General Skin Conditions that can be treated
with acupuncture and Oriental medicine:
- Acne
- Dermatitis
- Eczema
- Pruritus
- Psoriasis
- Rosacea
- Shingles
- Urticaria (Hives)
If you suffer from a skin
condition, please call to find out more about how acupuncture and
Oriental medicine can help you.
Treating
Hives with Acupuncture
About 20 percent of people will
experience urticaria or hives at some point in their lives. While
standard treatment for hives is directed toward relieving the
unpleasant symptoms with antihistamines or a corticosteroid drug,
many people are turning to acupuncture and Oriental medicine to
address underlying imbalances that cause this condition and to stop
recurrent outbreaks once and for all.
What is
Urticaria?
Hives (medically known as urticaria) are
swollen, red, bumps, patches or welts on the skin that appear
suddenly. Itching is the most common symptom associated with hives,
although some people report that hives cause a stinging or burning
sensation. Hives can occur anywhere on the body including the hands,
face, lips, tongue, throat, or ears.
Hives are a sign that
the whole body is experiencing a hypersensitivity reaction and an
outbreak can occur due to a wide array of stimuli. While intolerance
to certain foods, additives, intense emotions, sunlight exposure,
and medications can all cause hives, in the majority of outbreaks
(70-75%), the exact cause of hives remains unknown.
Hives
can last for just a few minutes, a few hours, or they can persist
for several weeks. Hives are rarely a medical emergency, but in some
cases they can be accompanied by shock and difficulty breathing and
can be life threatening. Treatment of hives is directed toward
relieving the unpleasant symptoms, primarily itching.
Over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines are most often used.
When antihistamines don't provide relief, oral corticosteroids may
be prescribed. In addition to medications, applying cool compresses
to the affected area and wearing light, loose-fitting clothing can
help ease the discomfort of hives.
Urticaria and Oriental
Medicine
Evidence that Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
have been used for skin disorders, such as hives, can be found in
early medical literature dating back to 3AD. Medicinal plants and
stone needles were utilized to relieve and cure discomforts of the
external areas of the body.
In Oriental medicine, an
outbreak of hives is described as wind invading the skin and the
meridians, causing itching and swelling. When the eruptions are
red it is an indication that wind and heat are
involved. When the eruptions are a pale pink or white, it is likely
that the diagnoses will be wind-cold invading the skin. How
the condition is diagnosed will determine what acupuncture points
are used, what herbal medicinals are prescribed and what
lifestyle/dietary recommendations are made.
Treatments will
be directed at addressing both the root (cause) and the branch
(symptoms) of the condition by providing immediate relief from the
itching and swelling (the branch) and addressing the underlying
imbalances and triggers that are causing the condition (the root).
Common
Acupuncture Points for Hives
While many different acupuncture
points are used, depending on your specific symptoms and the state
of your overall health, here are some acupuncture points that are
commonly used to treat hives:
Spleen 10 (SP 10) is
located two finger breadths above the top inner corner of the
kneecap when the knee is slightly bent. It is on the bulge of the
medial portion of muscle quadriceps femoris. This point is one of
the major points on the body for skin conditions including eczema
and hives.
Large Intestine 11 (LI 11) can be found in
the depression at the outer part of the elbow crease, between the
elbow tendon and the bone. The point is best located when the arm is
bent at 90 degrees with the palm facing the abdomen. This point
helps clear expel wind and heat from the body and reduces
inflammation.
Study:
Acupuncture and Hives
A study conducted at the Isfahan
University of Medical Sciences in Iran examined the efficacy of
acupuncture in the treatment of chronic urticaria.
For this
double-blind, placebo-controlled study, forty patients with chronic
urticaria were divided into two equal groups. One group was treated
with real acupuncture and the other with sham acupuncture for 3
weeks. The results showed that acupuncture was able to reduce both
episode rate and episode duration of urticaria by as much as 25%
when compared with the sham acupuncture throughout the duration of
study.
After three weeks the majority of the acupuncture
treated patients experienced partial remission of their symptoms.
The researchers also noted that the greatest improvements were seen
in the third week of treatments and commented that the efficacy of
acupuncture seemed to increase with each
treatment.
Source: Internet Journal of Dermatology, 2006,
Volume 3.
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In
This Issue
- Treating Common Skin Conditions
- Treating Hives with Acupuncture
- Common Acupuncture Points for Hives
- Study: Acupuncture and Hives
- Foods for Healthy Skin
Foods
for Healthy Skin
What
you put on your plate can be more important than what you put on
your skin:
Carrots and Sweet Potatoes - Healthy skin is
directly dependent on the amount of vitamin A in our diet. Vitamin A
acts as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful elements in our skin,
helping to prevent wrinkles, resist infection and maintain the
skin's elasticity. One of the best places to get Vitamin A is
vegetables that are deep orange in color. Blackberries,
Blueberries, Strawberries, and Plums - In a study recently
published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
these four fruits weighed in with the highest "total antioxidant
capacity" of any food. . The antioxidants and other phytochemicals
in these fruits can protect the cell from damage and disintegration,
thus guarding against premature aging. Salmon, Walnuts,
Canola Oil, and Flax Seed - Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are
responsible for skin repair, moisture content, and overall
flexibility, but because the body cannot produce its own EFAs, they
must be obtained through the diet. Fish, walnuts, and flax seed oil
are among the best sources for omega 3 fatty acid. Olive
Oil - Olive oil contains more than essential fatty acids. Eating
good-quality olive oil helps keep skin lubricated and keeps it
looking and feeling healthier overall. Which olive oil is the
best for your skin? Those labeled "cold pressed", "expeller
processed", or "extra virgin" are the least processed forms. As a
result, they contain the highest levels of antioxidative
substances. Whole Wheat Bread, Brown Rice, Turkey, Tuna
and Brazil Nuts - Selenium is an antioxidant mineral responsible
for tissue elasticity and healthy skin. It may play an important
role in preventing skin cancer, as some recent studies are showing
that skin damaged by the sun may suffer fewer consequences if
selenium levels are high. Dietary sources of selenium include
wheat germ, seafood such as tuna and salmon, garlic, Brazil nuts,
eggs, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. Brazil nuts are perhaps the
best source, and eating just 3-4 Brazil nuts per day provides
adequate selenium intake for most people. Green Tea –
Green tea's ability to slow down the development of some signs
of aging is attributed to its high levels of polyphenols,
which have been well-documented for their antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea also may help prevent or
reduce the risk of skin cancer according to a study published
recently in the Archives of Dermatology, which shows that
whether taken orally or applied to the skin, green tea can reduce
the risk of damage from ultraviolet light and thus reduce the risk
of skin cancer. Water - Hydration plays a key role in
keeping skin cells healthy. It is essential to maintaining your
skin's elasticity and suppleness. Keeping cells hydrated helps cells
move nutrients in and toxins out, which helps keep skin clean and
clear. |
