A Good Diet & Lifestyle Plus Acupuncture Can Resolve Acne Problems
Both Western medicine and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) agree that a proper lifestyles and diet can help prevent acne. A holistic type of treatment, TCM focuses on the deeper aspects of an ailment in order to prevent the condition from coming back.
What is Acne?
Acne refers to a number of skin conditions often caused by blocked pores. The most severe ones can cause painful and big pustules and cysts that often end up in ugly deep scars.
Moreover, because of their condition, acne sufferers often suffer from poor self-esteem and sometimes even depression. They often have abundant lesions on their face with lesser incidence in the back and chest. The effects of acne is very obvious which make it hard to ignore and avoid.
The Difference Between Western and Eastern Acne Treatments
Western medicine and TCM differ greatly when it comes to the treatment of acne. The former recognizes stress and other factors such as naturally oily skin that contribute to acne although it is interested in merely suppressing the symptoms by applying topical ointments or creams to the affected parts of the face. In several instances, the recommended approach of living a healthy lifestyle and eating a proper may not be good enough to prevent the development of acne.
in contrast to western medicine, TCM perceives acne as being caused by a disharmony inside the body. It sees the condition as due to an accumulation of too much heat. Heat, according to TCM, refers to the degrees of certain types of vital energy or qi and not the actual temperature of the body itself. When the flow of qi is disrupted or blocked, it manifests as a type of physical ailment .
In this regard, acupuncture focuses on the build-up of heat and so can be very effective in permanently curing the condition which means no possible relapse from occurring. Energy pathways known as meridians that convey qi are the areas where the needles are to be inserted.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture addresses the deeper or chronic bodily imbalances as well as the symptoms. This may mean a treatment that may go on for days, weeks or months.
In serious conditions, treatment may initially target the acute or chronic problems. Patients are oftentimes advised to avoid certain foods from their diet and take herbal remedies along with the acupuncture.
In the most serious of situations, needles will not be inserted into the acne pustules directly. The treatment may adopt one of two certain approaches: one, the needles are inserted around the lesion or cyst and the other alternative, which is more akin to Western medicine, is to burst the cyst with a needle to allow the pus to drain out. The second alternative is only needed or effective when done along with the resolution of the underlying problem.
Conclusion
For a lot of acne sufferers, acupuncture is an effective treatment in the fight against acne and is seen as a long-term solution to it. In order to get the best possible treatment, you need to find a licensed and experienced practitioner who can explain to you the treatment and philosophy of acupuncture in a clear and understandable way before the actual treatment begins.
Scott Paglia is a licensed and board certified acupuncturist in Bellingham, WA and provides master level pulse diagnosis, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in Whatcom County, WA.