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.
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