Eczema
Research
Alternative
& Complementary Therapies
Acupuncture
& Hypnotherapy & Eczema
Both acupuncture and hypnotherapy have been shown to influence allergic
responses which can cause eczema as well as alleviate the typical symptoms
(itching, irritation and general discomfort. A report in the British
Medical Journal as far back as 1963 (1) revealed that hypnosis could
prevent hypersensitive skin reactions to allergens and thereby prevent
inflammation and irritation.
A report of the Royal College of Physicians Committee on Clinical
Immunology and Allergy in 1992 (2) acknowledged that acupuncture and
hypnotherapy have a ‘role to play’ in the treatment of allergy-induced
eczema. This is particularly significant bearing in mind that Studies
conducted at the Department of Paediatrics, St Goran’s Children’s
Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden have demonstrated that
an allergy to a specific yeast (P. orbiculare) plays an important
pathogenic role in many cases of eczema.
(1) Black S. Inhibition of immediate-type hypersensitivity response by
direct suggestion under hypnosis. British Medical Journal (1963)1, 925-9.
(2) Nordvall SL; Lindgren L; Johansson SG; Johansson 5; Fetrini B. IgE
antibodies to Pityrosporum orbiculare and Staphylococcus aureus in
patients with very high serum total IgE. Department of Paediatrics, St
Goran’s Children’s Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Clin Exp Allergy (ENGLAND) Aug 1992, 22 (8) p756-61.
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Traditional
Chinese Medicine
& Eczema
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (T.C.H.M.)
has been shown to be extremely effective in the treatment of eczema. A
report in the British Journal of Dermatology (1) revealed the first
clinical evidence of the value of T.C.H.M. through a controlled study
carried out at the Department of Dermatology, Hospital for Sick Children,
U.K.
The researchers acknowledged that severe and widespread atopic eczema
often fails to respond adequately to conventional treatments and, after
observing substantial benefit in patients receiving daily decoctions of
traditional Chinese medicinal plants, they decided to undertake a
placebo-controlled double-blind trial.
A specific prescription of Chinese herbs was specially formulated for
widespread non-exudative atopic eczema; forty seven children were randomly
selected to receive the Chinese herbal formula or a placebo for 8 weeks,
with an intervening 4-week wash-out period.
Thirty-seven children tolerated the treatment (others found the
decoctions too unpalatable to take) and completed the study. The response
to the T.C.H.M. treatment was significantly greater than the response to
placebo, and was judged by the researchers to be clinically valuable.
There was no evidence of haematological, renal or hepatic toxicity in any
of the children who participated in the study and the researchers
predicted that there would be considerable therapeutic potential for
traditional Chinese medicinal plants, not only in the treatment of eczema,
but also other skin diseases.
The same researchers were so impressed with the results of the 8 week
study that they went on to do a longer term investigation, analysing the
results of 37 children who were suffering from severe atopic eczema. (2)
This study conducted over a one year period found that 49% of the children
experienced at least 90% reduction in the severity of their eczema.
These studies demonstrated that T.C.H.M. is a valid therapeutic option
available in the treatment of childhood eczema. But until earlier this
year, researchers were still unsure how or why the treatment worked.
Scientists at the Department of Immunology, UCL Medical School, London (3)
discovered that selected Chinese herbs have a significant effect on the
production of white blood cells and thereby affect the immune system,
reducing allergic responses and alleviating inflammation.
Important notice: Chinese herbal medicines can, like western medicines,
be toxic. There are reported cases of acute hepatitis caused by Chinese
herbal medicines (4). It is therefore advisable only to take Chinese
herbal medicines only under strict supervision of a trained practitioner
of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
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