Urticaria, one of the most common allergic diseases aside from allergic asthma and rhinitis, responds well to acupuncture. Other skin conditions like itching, neurodermatitis, and even psoriasis have also seen success with acupuncture treatments, often employing similar techniques.
Acute Urticaria: Acupuncture is particularly effective in acute cases. Commonly used points include Quchi, Xuehai, Sanyinjiao, and Zusanli.
Chronic Urticaria: Chronic urticaria poses a greater challenge since conventional medicine lacks effective treatments. Currently, at least six different acupuncture methods have been developed, with classical acupuncture combined with auricular therapy showing the highest cure rate. Cupping on acupoints is also recommended for treating urticaria.
Itching: Studies indicate that acupuncture can effectively inhibit histamine-induced itching, with specific acupoint effectiveness being more pronounced than non-acupoint areas. Stubborn itching conditions have also been encouragingly alleviated with acupuncture treatments.
Neurodermatitis: In the treatment of neurodermatitis, acupuncture around the affected area can yield good results.
Psoriasis: Acupuncture has shown effectiveness in treating psoriasis, especially when conventional treatments fail. The possible mechanism for lesion disappearance is speculated to involve the skin's reticuloendothelial system.
Long-Term Efficacy: Acupuncture shows long-term effects in treating acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema, rosacea, and pruritus. Improvement typically occurs after 2 or 3 sessions, with an average of 14 sessions usually necessary. If there's no response after 6 treatments, it may be ineffective and can be discontinued. The approach to these skin conditions is similar and straightforward, making precise diagnosis less critical.
The effectiveness of acupuncture in treating skin diseases is closely related to the cause, nature, duration, and extent of the lesion. Generally, conditions with a longer duration and larger lesions are more challenging to treat, while those with a shorter duration and smaller lesions respond better. Conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, and acne are more challenging compared to urticaria, itching, or neurodermatitis. Conditions closely related to the nervous system or caused by allergies tend to respond better, while those with unknown causes are more challenging.