Acupuncture Relieves Itching Induced By Eczema

According to some recently released health reports, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can bring relief to the itching which is endured by most patients suffering from atopic eczema.

Researchers have recently examined the short term effects of acupuncture on itching and skin inflammation on thirty patients suffering from atopic eczema. Researchers discovered that when performed a minute after the patient’s skin was subjected to an allergen, such as dust mites or pollen, acupuncture appeared to soothe the subjective itchiness feelings.

Researchers also discovered that the skin reaction was less severe when patients were subsequently exposed to the allergen for a second time shortly after acupuncture.

The study clearly demonstrates that acupuncture does ease the itch associated with atopic eczema. The study also notes that while more research is needed to determine the extent to which acupuncture can reduce eczema sufferers itching, it does appear that it is beneficial to the atopic eczema sufferer.

The study, however doesn’t tell us anything new. It has long been known that treating eczema with herbs, Chinese medicine, and acupuncture can be most effective. There have been cases where the itching was reduced by fifty percent after only one treatment. The skin is usually back to normal after a month or two.

Chinese medicine also benefits children with eczema or other skin problems. The treatment mode used most often while working with children is sho-ni-shin, which is a Japanese acupuncture system that utilizes acupoints which are little metal tools that are used without puncturing the skin and stimulates the meridians.

However, with eczema, most therapists do not recommend using any modality which stimulates the skin. Thin acupuncture needles seem to work very well. They need not be retained for children up to ten years of age. It is best for the therapist to see the child twice a week for the first two to three weeks, although a weekly treatment will usually suffice for milder cases or later on in the treatment. The treatment duration may last anywhere from a few weeks to three months, depending on if the eczema has been there for a long period of time or if it has recently appeared. Also, the presence of aggravating factors and the strength of the child’s qi should be considered as well.