Acupuncture Treatment of Acute Urticaria

A clinical Observation of 42 Cases : 

New Delhi, May 15, 2017 : Since 1992 the author had used acupuncture therapy to treat 42 cases of acute urticarial (Red and itchy skin ) and obtained satisfactory results.

1. CLINICAL MATERIALS

Of the 42 patients, 22 were male and 20 were female; their age ranged from 15 to 65 years old.  5 cases were sensitive to certain drugs, 26 had no drug allergies, 11 cases had unknown causes.

2. METHOD OF TREATMENT

Specific acupuncture points were used.  After routine disinfection with 75% alcohol on the local points, use filiform needles by inserting 1 cun on these points and giving a twisting-twirling and lifting-thrusting method to obtain Qi sensation, then retain the needles for 15-20 minutes.  In this period manipulate the needles once every 2-3 minutes.  One treatment is given daily and 7 sessions constitute a therapeutic course.

3. THERAPEUTIC EFFECT AND RESULTS

• Criteria

Cured: The symptoms completely  disappeared and  no other discomfort existed.

Effective: The symptoms were lessened but no completely and sometimes relapses occurred.

Failed: No dramatic changes occurred.

• DISEASED CONDITION

Of the 42 cases,  40 cases obtained satisfactory result. 31 patients felt immediate improvement after needling, and 23 patients found their rashes had faded after needling, i.e., became flat and gradually turned into a red patch which finally vanished.  The removal of symptoms needed a time, the quickest was 15 minutes and the slowest was 30 mnutes.

•  RESULTS

35 cases were cured, 5 cases were effective, and 2 failed , giving a total effective rate of 95.2%

TYPICAL CASE

Mrs. Namita, a 33-year old female, complained that 3 hours before visiting us, a few pimples accompanied with extreme itching appeared unexpectedly on her limbs.  When she scratched the area, the pimples  gradually increased and became more prominent, and the itching area also spread.  These affected her work.  Examination: the patient’s general condition was normal.  Her extremities, chest and back regions were scattered with rash in different sizes and shapes which protruded higher over the skin surface and were red in color and some clustered into masses.  Diagnosis: urticarial.  Treatment: Acupuncture was given bilaterally on specific  acupuncture points .  After needling the patient immediately felt a reduction in the itching.  Ten minutes later the urticarial masses started to fade and then became white and flat, beginning from the centre outward until the red patch disappeared completely.  Twenty minutes later the patient no longer felt any discomfort.  There was no relapse within half A YEAR OF FOLLOW-UP.

COMMENTS

In This treatment, acupuncture points of the Large Intestine Meridian was selected, because this point is exteriorly-interiorly related with the Lungs with the function that the Lungs govern hair and skin.  Spleen Meridian point was selected because its function of governing and regulating blood, theoretically on basis of “calming wind needs first to regulate blood, and if blood flows freely, the pathogenic wind may naturally be eliminated.”  Thus the aim of puncturing these acupuncture points is to use both points to dispel exopathogenic wind and dissipate blood stasis.

 The author is the head of the department of Acupuncture at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.  You can write your queries to Dr. Raman Kapur at kapuracu@kapuracu.com