Acupuncture for eczema

Eczema is a complex skin condition which can be triggered by the external environment as with contact dermatitis or it can appear without any apparent external cause. It can involve both chronic and acute lesions to the skin. The lesions invariably involve dryness and itching of the skin which can be quite intense. Some lesions may begin as vesicles which burst and weep a clear fluid. The condition can be improved or exacerbated by certain weather conditions, and heating stimulants like caffeine and alcohol can worsen the condition. Drug treatment tends to involve local or systemic anti-inflammatories which aid in acute flare-ups but do not prevent recurrence of lesions. The body often becomes less and less responsive to drug treatment of this kind.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine can be very effective in treating eczema. Chinese medicine views eczema as heat drying the body’s normal cooling and soothing mechanisms. Acupuncture and herbal medicines (creams applied externally and herbal medicinals taken internally) work to cool the body and soothe the tissues locally in order to treat acute flare-ups as well as provide long-term improvement in the condition.