Eczema is a superficial inflammation of the skin with redness, edema, vesicles, crusting, scaling and itching. Common types include atopic, contact, nummular or seborrheic dermatitis, all of which may be acute or chronic in nature. If this condition is located on the hand it can be called hand eczema.
Acupuncture can help with hand eczema. Both local and distal acupuncture points are usually selected based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pattern diagnosis. This means that the acupuncturist will diagnose the hand eczema, based on a complex of signs and symptoms and mainly the appearance of this condition. The acupuncturist may select a specific acupuncture technique such as body acupuncture, electro acupuncture, "plum blossom" needling, moxibustion, ear acupuncture or another modality of acupuncture practice. Symptoms such as itching or swelling may disappear quickly in some cases, since acupuncture can regulate the immune response and control inflammation. In chronic cases, acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine may give better results. Your herbal formula may come in the form of a topical application or an herbal decoction (also available in tablets) that can be taken orally.
