Chinese Medicine and acupuncture: Can it help skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis & acne?
Many people will phone asking if acupuncture & Chinese Medicine can be used to help skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and acne. In order to satisfy advertising guidelines from our governing body, AHPRA, we are always looking to the latest research for some scientific confirmation that acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help, regardless of whether we have a long tradition of working with these conditions.
Firstly, lets have a look at how we work.
Regardless of whether or not there has been published scientific trials surrounding an illness, as TCM practitioners we will always be more interested in the set of signs and symptoms that our patients bring to us. For example, symptoms like oily skin, feelings of stress, facial or skin redness etc.
What we are doing by acknowledging, and adding, theses signs and symptoms to our own diagnostic methods, is coming to an understating in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) language, as to how those symptoms have appeared. “Ah, so that’s why those symptoms are there!” We will then use acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to help ease those symptoms based on our own understating of how they appeared in the first place. TCM appreciates that things like stress, weather, diet and emotions can all affect how we look and feel. Of course, we take these things into account when making a diagnosis based on TCM.
Through questioning, inspection and palpation, Doctors of Chinese Medicine in ancient, and modern China, diagnosed according to the principles of TCM. As Chinese Medicine developed over its 3-4000 year history, various areas evolved liked gynaecology and dermatology.
If you would like to talk further about whether TCM may be able to help your current set of symptoms, please call us at the clinic – 3357 3205.
A note on the Research:
So, to talk about the research first, there was a Systematic Review in 2009 (1) which suggested that acupuncture was an effective treatment for acne, but limitations in the review were seen because of the quality of some of the trials reviewed. Since then, our own Acupuncture Evidence Project (2) has not found enough recent top-quality research surrounding acne ( and skin conditions in general ), for us to be able to state that acupuncture can help treat them. Our registration and governing body AHRA , requires more recent Systematic reviews and good quality randomised controlled trials for us to be able to say unequivocally that we can treat them, so we are eagerly awaiting more research to be published so that we can analyse the results!
We are aware of the huge issues with acupuncture research and how the true effect that acupuncture has on a condition is underrated – a real issue (2)! Our approach is always based on the long history of Chinese medicine, its unique approach to diagnosis, and its ability to treat the individual no matter what the symptom.
So, what causes eczema, psoriasis and acne?
Want to know more about how we may help with your current health concerns?
If you are looking for an acupuncture clinic in Brisbane where the practitioners pride themselves on their dedication to their work, then please get in touch. Phone us today at 3357 3205 or book online via the link below.
References
- Li et al 2009 Systematic evaluation of the therapeutic effect and safety for clinic randomised and controlled trials of treatment of acne with acupuncture and moxibustion 2009 Mar;29(3):247-51.
- McDonald J, Janz S. The Acupuncture Evidence Project: A Comparative Literature Review (Revised Edition). Brisbane: Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
- C. Lucida Eczema Genetics, the Filaggrin gene, and Environmental Influences 2010 https://www.dermaharmony.com/eczema/eczemageneticsfilaggrin.aspx (accessed 20 November 2016)
- Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy Eczema ( Atopic Dermatitis ) 2015 http://www.allergy.org.au/patients/skin-allergy/eczema (accessed 20 November 2016)
- Primary Care dermatology Society & British Association of Dermatologists Guidelines on the management of atopic eczema 2005 http://www.pcds.org.uk/images/stories/pcdsbad-eczema.pdf (viewed 20 November 2016)
- British Acupuncture Council Stress 2015 http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of- conditions/stress.html (accessed November 2016)
- British Acupuncture Council Eczema and Psoriasis http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to z-of-conditions/eczema-and-psoriasis.html ( accessed 20 November 2016 )
- Flaws B, Siounneau P The Treatment of Modern Western Medical Diseases with Chinese Medicine – a Textbook and Clinical Manual Blue Poppy Press Boulder, Colorado USA 201
- Pfab F et al. Influence of acupuncture on type i hypersensitivity itch and the wheal and flare response in adults with atopic eczema – A blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2010; 65: 903-10.
- British Acupuncture Council Feb 2015 Acne http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of conditions/acne.html (accessed Feb 20 2016)
- McKoy, K (MD) March 2015 Acne http://www.msdmanuals.com/en-au/professional/dermatologic disorders/acne-and-related-disorders/acne-vulgaris#v960051(accessed 21 Novemebr 2016)
- Lyttleton J The Treatment of Infertility with Chinese Medicine Elsevier China 2013 pp 173-229