TREATING HIVES WITH ACUPUNCTURE
September 18th, 2008
Urticaria, commonly known as hives, is a skin disorder characterized by intense itching accompanied by raised smooth red or pale patches on the skin. These patches, or welts on the skin, one of the primary symptoms of the condition, develop quickly and can occur anywhere on the body. The swollen, red bumps, or hives, may also result in a burning or stinging sensation.
Hives may be triggered by an allergy to specific foods, such as milk, chocolate, strawberries, eggs, shellfish, and tomatoes. Additionally, hives may be caused by a reaction to animal skin or hair, bacteria, medications, molds, food dyes, sun exposure, or vigorous exercise.
Nearly 20 percent of individuals experience hives. In the majority of outbreaks, the cause of hives cannot be determined. Acute cases of hives often recover in a few days. Chronic cases of hives may last months or years, with a continuous cycle of occurrence or remission stages.
The skin patches appear and fade rapidly, on small areas or all over the body. The onset is usually itchy skin, followed by the development of lesions of varying shapes and sizes, which may be red, pink or white in color.
In addition to the primary symptoms of itching, burning and stinging of the skin, symptoms may include fever, vomiting, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, stomachache, difficulty breathing, and pain sensations in the throat.
Allopathic therapies for the treatment of hives address symptom management. Conventional therapies may include corticosteroid medications or antihistamines. While these medical therapies can suppress symptoms they do not address the root cause of the condition and may result in adverse side effects.
For those unable or unwilling to take medication for the treatment of hives, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can treat both the symptoms and underlying root cause of the condition. Acupuncture can effectively cure acute and chronic cases of hives and prevent cyclic reoccurrence.
Acupuncture treatment for chronic hives may take between three and six months; acute cases may be cured in as few as ten treatments. Chinese herbal medicine may be recommended in conjunction with therapy to reduce inflammation and itching.
Acupoints stimulated during therapy are determined based on individual symptom pattern manifestation. Lifestyle and dietary modifications may be suggested to aid in treating and curing the condition. Acupuncture can quickly eliminate the unpleasant itching and swelling of the skin while treating the underlying imbalances that are the root cause of the condition.
For more information about acupuncture for the treatment of hives call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500.
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