In Chinese medicine, psoriasis is seen as a Blood Heat disorder. Conventional Western medicine considers this as a metaphor signifying that an inflammatory process is occurring in the bloodstream, exhibiting symptoms such as scaly, red, and itchy patches on the skin. The acupuncture points that are needled to treat psoriasis possess cooling qualities. Your acupuncturist knows exactly where these acupoints that help clear and cool blood are located. They can also be helpful if your psoriasis condition is exacerbated by spicy food, or hot weather.

Acupuncture Removes and Clears Toxins

The idea of toxins can also be applied to the metaphor of blood heat. Suggesting anything from allergic dermatitis to food allergies, from an unhealthy lifestyle and diet to plain toxicity, a blood heat diagnosis will entail the treatment of acupoints known for its detoxifying qualities that can be helpful in the treatment of psoriasis. People living in polluted environments as well as those with allergies and those living a toxic lifestyle need to discuss the process of detoxification with their acupuncturist.

Fortifying the Lungs

Traditional Chinese medicine sees the lung as similar to the skin. Both are considered to be external components of the body. This means that the lungs are affected by the outside world through the breathing process. The lungs like the skin have a huge surface area. These similarities make these two body organs closely related to each other. So, when the function of the respiratory system, is strong, it can lead to the healing of the skin from disorders such as psoriasis. From the viewpoint of Western medicine, the lungs have a tight association with the immune system, and so when lung function is strong, the immune system is also healthy and strong. If you have any problems with your lungs or have a family history of asthma, bronchitis, COPD, etc., you need to mention it to your acupuncturist.

The patterns causing psoriasis need to be treated in the right manner using modalities that have been proven to bring about great results. However, in order to get the best short-term treatment outcome, you need to treat the site where the psoriatic lesion itself is located. Through the sticking of needles perpendicularly around the lesion’s edges, from the healthy skin penetrating into the psoriasis, healing energy can be focused by your acupuncturist into the psoriasis itself. Besides that, the lesion can be directly inserted with needles that also directly target the disease. Contrary to popular belief, direct needle insertion in the psoriases is not painful. In fact patients who have undergone this procedure find it cooling and soothing providing immediate itching relief. You can request your acupuncturist for the same kind of procedure. There are areas in China where an acupuncture procedure involving liquefied herbs is injected into the body using hypodermic needles bringing about quick and dramatic results. In some states in the Union, this procedure is not yet legal. You need to ask your acupuncturist if this type of medical procedure can be performed in your state.