PRLog (Press Release) -
Aug. 28, 2012 - A study was published this year by the Department of Dermatology and Allergy at the Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. The research focused on itchy skin as a problem associated with the skin condition atopic dermatitis. The study design was a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled crossover trial involving patients with the skin condition, who were experiencing problems with itchy skin. Acupuncture was examined as a potentially useful intervention, plus compared to anti-histamine therapy.
The research looked at acupuncture as a “preventive”
intervention and also as a “concurrent”
method for the problem of itchy skin, which was deemed to be induced by an allergen (within the study group of patients with atopic dermatitis). The researchers concluded that it had “significantly reduced type I hypersensitivity itch”. The effect had been compared with a placebo and it was felt the “concurrent”
acupuncture intervention (at the time of the episodes of itching) had the most remarkable effect. According to Barcelona acupuncturist Ruth Westnidge, the study's focus was consistent with the type of conditions practitioners train to address.
“Its encouraging seeing another study focusing on skin problems, they can obviously be a real problem for people to live with day to day. If people aren’t familiar with acupuncture, they may just have read somewhere that its used in some countries for pain, for example, and not know that people come for a really wide variety of problems. It may be reassuring for them to know that there are some studies that have provided encouraging results in the West, in addition to all the studies from the Chinese healthcare system. The results probably aren’t going to be a surprise for practitioners;
Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long history of application with many different skin problems. Its probably true to say that many practitioners will have seen people who come for skin problems at some point. And because as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine I also practice Cosmetic Acupuncture for the face and neck, it follows I also see people who are coming for personal ‘cosmetic reasons’. To me, its clear skin issues can have a profound effect on quality of life. It might be a ‘small issue’ to someone else, but to the person concerned, it can be very important to their overall wellbeing”
The study was published in the journal ‘Allergy’, entitled ‘Acupuncture compared with oral antihistamine for type I hypersensitivity itch and skin response in adults with atopic dermatitis: a patient- and examiner-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.’
Ruth practices in central Barcelona, Spain; for more information, visit her website at
http://www.tcm-acu-herbs.com
