Can Acupuncture Work for Your Itch?

The urge to scratch and the tingling of the skin is known as itching and is a reaction that acts as a protective response emanating from the brain. In most cases, itching does not cause harm although the uncomfortable sensation may cause skin damage due to too much and intense scratching of the skin. Acupuncture is a very old type of Asian treatment that has been known to treat itching. Before embarking on acupuncture therapy though, talk to your doctor first.

Causes of Itching

The possible causes of itching are varied, and range from dry skin to damaged nerves. There are four kinds of itch according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: psychogenic, pruriceptive, neurogenic and neuropathic.

Psychogenic itching

If you suffer from a psychogenic type of itch, this means your noripeniphrene and serotonin hormones are imbalanced. Prescribed medications for this type of itching include antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs.

Pruriceptive itching

This type of itching is due to damage to the skin caused by inflammation, eczema, drug reactions, hives and other factors.

Neurogenic itching

This type of itching is an effect of kidney and liver disease.

Neropathic itching

This itching may come about due to damage to the nervous system

Acupuncture Treatment for Itching

In order to address the patient’s specific symptoms, the acupuncturist needs to follow certain diagnostic procedures based on TCM practices. Since acupuncture treatments are unique for each patient, a lot of patients can be given different courses of treatment for similar conditions. The several acupuncture points used by practitioners are obviously to treat itching. Some of these points include GB 31 or Gallbladder 31 situated on the thigh. This acupoint is needled to treat itchy red skin. The UB 17 or Urinary bladder 17 is an important acupoint if you’re suffering from eczema, acne, hives and other skin disorders. This point is found near the spine at the back.

Effectiveness

Peer reviewed studies that were posted in the “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology” in 2010 analyzed the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating itch. The studies showed that acupuncture decreased the severity and spread of itching. The studies, were however, single case studies and involved subjects with few episodes of itching. The conclusion was that although acupuncture was a promising treatment for itching, more studies need to be done to validate its effectiveness.

Considerations

Each year, millions of Americans receive acupuncture treatments. One huge reason for this is that this treatment has very little side effects, if any. Acupuncture is seen by many as a very safe procedure although under the hands of an unlicensed and inexperienced practitioner, it may cause complications and negative effects like punctured organs from improperly placed needles or infection due to poor sanitation. Be sure to check the credentials of your acupuncturist to avoid being treated by someone who does not have the proper medical training.

Zuobiao (Roy) Yuan is a licensed acupuncturist and doctor of chinese medicine in Edina, MN.