Acupuncture for Eczema
Oh my goodness I have been so excited to write this post. In short, I absolutely love acupuncture, acupressure, and traditional Chinese medicine herbs (in that order) for treating my severe eczema.
First: Acupuncture for eczema
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) technique wherein really thin needles are inserted (shallowly) into specific points on the body. These points are believed to be connected by pathways called meridians along which “qi” (pronounced “chee”), flows.
Acupuncture’s goal is to restore balance in the body. In China, it’s largely used as preventative medicine. In the Western world, it’s largely used to treat chronic ailments, though it can also be used for relatively acute ailments like headaches. I’ve used acupuncture for eczema pretty successfully.
How did I hear about acupuncture for eczema?
I “discovered” acupuncture after a long march down the “alternative medicine” path, starting first with naturopathy then ayurveda. I didn’t quite see how having needles in my skin could be helpful, but after my initial experiences with naturopathy and ayurveda both largely failed, I figured I would give it a shot.
Conveniently, I was in grad school at the time and I had 5 or so free sessions as a student, so the financial risk was also low.
How was my first experience with acupuncture for eczema?
I booked my first appointment and honestly, was extremely nervous. I’ve gotten allergy shots for years. I literally injected myself with a Dupixent syringe regularly. I’m generally not afraid of needles, so I don’t know why I felt so nervous. I think partially I was picturing some dirty old room with dirty needles and some hippie-type (I’m kind of a hippie-type – no offense meant here!) poking my bare skin all over the place.
This was so far from accurate! The room was within a standard medical building and the table was a typical medical table. Everything was clean. There was a sharps container in the room and I got to watch the acupuncturist take the needles from a clean, new container.
What did it feel like?
My anxiety quickly dissipated, too, by how absolutely good the needles felt. I know this sounds crazy. Sure, some of them hurt a bit going in, particularly in my hands, feet, and randomly some spots on my legs, but this was incredibly momentary, less than a second or so.
The acupuncturist also walked me through what he was doing and made sure I was doing OK the whole time. He didn’t just start rapidly sticking me with the needles. And, I should say, these really aren’t “needles”, they’re extremely thin.
Then, I fell asleep so quickly.
And I am not someone who falls asleep quickly, in any setting.
I’ve gotten acupuncture for eczema over 100 times since that first visit and it truly never fails to put me to sleep, even if it’s just a quick doze. It is as relaxing if not more relaxing than massage for me. When I am lying on the acupuncture table is also virtually the only time, aside from when I’m fast asleep, that I do not scratch.
It’s truly magical and the effects typically last for a few hours after I get home, too. If I could get acupuncture every day, multiple times a day, I would.
I also love the add-ons that come after the acupuncturist wakes you up at most places. For example, some acupuncturists do cupping which can tell them a lot about the state of your body.
Cupping
If you’re not familiar with cupping, google “Michael Phelps Cupping” – it’s legit. Cupping works by placing small cups (they look like little glass half globes most times) on an area of the body, usually the back, and applying suction (common in my experience) or “head” to create a vacuum within the cup and create a suctioning effect that pulls blood to the surface and stimulates circulation.
Surprisingly, my acupuncturists always seem to say “wow, you’re functioning pretty well!” after cupping. To which I reply, “then why the bleep does my skin look like this?!”
But it’s of course good to know I’m healthy on some level, at least.
So how do they know things are working well? The colors of the blobs that result after removing the cup can tell the acupuncturist a lot.
What do the different colored marks mean post-cupping?
- Light pink or red marks denote healthy circulation and are “normal.” This is what mine typically look like (nice). They normally go away after about 2 weeks, with gradual fading on their way out (so I had to ensure my acupuncturist did not do any cupping just before my wedding!).
- Dark purple or red marks mean there may be some “stagnation” or “congestion” in the tissues, which could result in tension/pain/injury.
- Brown marks suggest older “stagnation” and suggest longer-term tension/pain/injury or even blockage. These can take longer to fade than the lighter color marks above.
- Blue/Green marks indicate excess fluid accumulation. This can result in swelling/heaviness and may indicate inflammation.
In addition to or instead of cupping, some acupuncturists also do a bit of tui na, pronounced “tway nah”, at the end of their session. This is a traditional massage technique that involves “pushing” and “grasping”, and it feels a little bit like getting your skin kneaded.
It feels so good after you’ve been super still during the acupuncture portion of the session. If you’ve never experienced tui na, I would highly recommend checking it out or finding a practitioner who offers it in your area – it may not cure your eczema, but it will be relaxing.
Note: I’m not a licensed acupuncturist or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner. Talk to yours about this stuff! It’s fascinating.
Acupressure for eczema
I’ve said that I wish I could get acupuncture very day.
That’s essentially where acupressure comes in! Acupressure works similarly to acupuncture, but involves applying pressure rather than needles to certain points on the body. You can look up certain acupressure points (I rented this book from the library to teach myself some), or buy yourself an acupressure mat. I use my acupressure mat religiously. I’ll be honest, the first few times you use the mat it is a little painful, as it looks like it might be.
You have to ease yourself onto it slowly. Now that I’m used to it though, I often fall asleep within 5 minutes of laying on it. I rarely itch while laying on the mat.
My favorite setup is to use it in my bed. I use it without the pillow in this case and just use my bed pillow and lay on it for as long as I can, typically while reading. There have been nights where I fall asleep so hard I wake up hours later with my light still on and my back on the mat! Peeling off the mat in these cases isn’t the most fun, but man is my sleep deep after using it.
If I use it on the floor before bed, I always set a timer for myself because I fall asleep on the mat without fail. Sometimes I sneak a heating pad under the mat while in my bed, too, which makes the points feel super warm and also feels super good on my back after I roll off of the mat. Highly recommend!
Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbs (TCM) for Eczema
The last element of traditional Chinese medicine I’ve tried is Chinese herbs. I’ve tried capsules, which literally look like any other vitamin you’d take, as well as teas. The capsules are far more friendly as they don’t taste like anything. The teas, honestly, are disgusting, but I have found improvements in my eczema when I’m taking them religiously. They have to be taken religiously, though, in order to work, and they’re definitely not covered by insurance so I sort of cycle through them.
Similar to naturopathy, there’s also a bit of an art in finding a good TCM herbalist to make your tea mixtures. The first two I tried weren’t perfect, but I kept at it and found someone I really like (a professor at my local Oriental Medicine school). I’d say they’re worth a shot.
Have you tried acupuncture for eczema, or any of these other “alternative” techniques? I’d love to hear how they worked for you if so.
Again, I’m not a licensed medical professional or a TCM practitioner. None of this is medical advice.
