Atopic Dermatitis: Reducing the Itch With Acupuncture
Editorial Staff
Atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, affects nearly 10 million children and more than 16 million adults in the U.S. Itchy skin is one of the hallmark symptoms of this frustrating, often-chronic condition. Topical anti-inflammatories are the standard of care; but what about acupuncture?
A randomized, three-armed, controlled clinical trial published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (full text here) divided patients into three groups: acupuncture, osteopathic care or no intervention. All patients (ages 18-65) had "average reported itching severity of the skin between 40 and 80 mm on a visual analogue scale" at baseline (100 mm = maximum imaginable itching) – as well as an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. (Dermatitis in dementia patients been associated in previous studies.)
Acupuncture patients "received eight semistandardized treatments of 30 minutes at one- to two-week intervals. The obligatory ACU points large intestine channels 4 and 11 (bilaterally) and spleen channels 6 and 10 (uni- or bilaterally) were supplemented by optional points, including ear acupuncture."
Osteopathic medicine patients received five 45-minute semistandardized sessions (at approximately two-week intervals), with obligatory treatment locations including the cervical and thoracic columns, ribs, diaphragm, lungs, intestines, cranial bones and cranial fasciae.
Patients in all three comparison groups were able to supplement their care as necessary with topical corticosteroids and emollients.
Acupuncture achieved a clinically relevant improvement in itching severity at 12 weeks compared to both osteopathic intervention and no intervention: VAS 27.9 mm vs. 35.0 mm vs. 42.3 mm, respectively; as well as topical corticosteroid use compared to controls (2.3 vs. 4.3; 1.9 in the osteopathic medicine group).
As modern medical standardization continues, the field of traditional Chinese medicine has the advantage of comprehensive personalization. For rare or complex cases, deeper consideration of constitution is invaluable. Proper constitutional assessment, especially with first-time clients, can guide desirable and predictable outcomes. This leads to a higher rate of return, and greater trust between you and your patient.
Though the creation of a financially sustainable, health-promoting model feels far away today, we are casting a vision for a full return on health, believing that this compels us to keep one foot firmly rooted in caring for the sick and the other foot firmly founded in maintaining health. Shifting from a fee-for-service model to value-based care using a phased approach is paramount.
Laser therapy has emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This new modality fits beautifully into the toolbox of the modern acupuncturist, as it can be used as a hybrid form of stimulation to acupuncture points, meridians, organs, nerves, and symptomatic areas in a new way that blends both moxa and energetic needle-like responses.
