Can Acupuncture Effectively Treat Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the world, affecting about 3% of the population. It’s characterized by the chronic skin inflammation that appear as plaques. These formations may appear in localized areas of the body or throughout the entire body, depending on an individual’s condition.

Symptoms

Psoriasis is known to trigger intense bouts of itching. The sensation can be so intense that it causes the individual to scratch infection-prone sores into his or her skin. Regardless of how bad it itches, you should never scratch your psoriasis, as it will only make the condition worse.

In addition, as with most autoimmune diseases and disorders, psoriasis is caused by an overactive immune system. The immune system is responsible for fending off potentially harmful viral and bacterial infections.

Can acupuncture help?

The good news is that acupuncture may offer relief from psoriasis and its related symptoms. Acupuncture can have very positive effects on the immune system as well as reducing pain and inflammation.

One study found acupuncture to be effective at treating psoriasis, particularly when western medicine has been exhausted.

“Our experience indicates that acupuncture is induced an effective therapeutic modality for psoriasis, particularly when the western medical management is unsuccessful. We speculated about the possible involvement of the cutaneous reticuloendothelial system in the clearance of the skin lesions,” wrote the study’s researchers.

At Starting Point Acupuncture, we offer integrated treatments to help address symptoms while working on the root cause. This often includes several modalities such as using food as medicine, nutrition coaching, acupuncture, and other treatments to help address the whole picture for long-term success.

If you or someone you know is suffering with psoriasis, contact our office, (425) 686-4498 to schedule your initial consultation to learn how we can help!

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1357925

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09546634.2016.1224801