Loading...Rated Acupoints
Acupuncture Treatment For Rosacea
Rosacea is a long-term skin condition commonly affecting the face. It results in redness, swelling and small superficial dilated blood vessels. Most of the cases the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin are involved. It is also normal to encounter a red enlarged nose when the condition turns severe. The cause of rosacea is not known, but risk factors include family history. Other factors that worsen the condition include heat, exercise, sunlight, cold, spicy food, alcohol, menopause, psychological stress, etc.1
RESEARCH
Since rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition, heat is the most predominant factor involved in this skin disease. Acupuncture and herbs are effective at clearing this pathogenic heat to help reduce the symptoms of the redness, flushing and to prevent or minimize progression of the condition. The initial and most common underlying pattern seen in rosacea based in traditional chinese medicine (TCM) is accumulation of heat in the lungs and stomach. The principal treatment then is clearing heat from the lungs and stomach.2
Acupuncture is very helpful in the earlier stages of rosacea to clear heat from the lung and stomach and to reduce flushing and heat rising to the face. Acupoints to choose from include: LI-11, LI-4, LU-5, LU-10, ST-44, ST-36, SP-4, SP-6 and SP-10 to reduce heat rising to the face and to clear organ heat. Some practitioners will even needle the face directly and useful points include ST-4, LI-20 and GV-25. Usually, points on the face are chosen when there is much stagnation in that region, especially around the nose, but it is recommended to stay away from them.3
You can also stimulate yourself the following points P-6 and ST-36 with pressure to alleviate rosacea symptoms. P-6 is located in the wrist, between the two tendons on the inside of the left forearm. Apply moderate pressure with your thumb, and then hold for 3 minutes approximately. Repeat on the other arm. ST-36 is found on the right leg. Apply pressure with your thumb and hold for 5 minutes, then repeat on the other leg.4
The TCM treatment of rosacea takes into consideration the appropriate diagnosis or pattern. This pattern within the individual is what treatment is based on. The following patterns represent the contributing factors for the development of rosacea: heart blood deficiency and blood stagnation. Heart blood deficiency is characterized by palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, dream disturbed sleep, poor memory, poor concentration, etc. HT-7 acupoint is recommended for heart blood deficiency, whereas the following acupoints are suggested for blood stagnation KD-18, LI-16, SP-8, SP-10, ST-37, ST-38, BL-17.5
Footnotes
- Rosacea and rhinophyma – sciencedirect.com – 2014, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738081X13000916?via%3Dihub
- How to treat rosacea with acupuncture – zizaidermatology.com – 2013, http://www.zizaidermatology.com/blog/treat-rosacea-with-herbs-and-acupuncture/
- How to treat rosacea with acupuncture – zizaidermatology.com – 2013, http://www.zizaidermatology.com/blog/treat-rosacea-with-herbs-and-acupuncture/
- Natural Treatments for Rosacea- natural-treatments-for.com – 2015, http://www.natural-treatments-for.com/natural-treatments-for-rosacea.html
- Chinese Herbal and Acupuncture Treatment Protocols for Rosacea – theory.yinyanghouse.com – 2017, https://theory.yinyanghouse.com/conditions-treated/alternative-natural-options-for-rosacia