Abstract
Acupuncture is a traditional treatment from China which consists in pricking with needles in some specific points on the skin, along “meridians”. Acupuncture is a traditional treatment of itch but clinical trials are recent and a meta-analysis has been recently performed. Acupuncture was effective to alleviate itch compared with placebo acupuncture and no treatment group. Further studies are needed for other indications because only uremic pruritus and atopic dermatitis were studied with a high-quality methodology.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Wu J-N. A short history of acupuncture. J Altern Complement Med. 1996;2:19–21.
Yu C, Zhang P, Lv ZT, Li JJ, Li HP, Wu CH, Gao F, Yuan XC, Zhang J, He W, Jing XH, Li M. Efficacy of acupuncture in itch: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical randomized controlled trials. Evid Based Complement Altern Med. 2015;2015:208690.
Rabischong P, Niboyet JE, Terral C, Senelar R, Casez R. Bases expérimentales de l’analgésie acupuncturale. Nouv Presse Med. 1975;4:2021–6.
Li AH, Zhang JM, Xie YK. Human acupuncture points mapped in rats are associated with excitable muscle/skin–nerve complexes with enriched nerve endings. Brain Res. 2004;1012:154–9.
Langevin HM, Yandow JA. Relationship of acupuncture points and meridians to connective tissue planes. Anat Rec. 2002;269:257–65.
Kessler D, Dethlefsen S, Haase I, Plomann M, Hirche F, Krieg T. Fibroblasts in mechanically stressed collagen lattice assume a “synthetic” phenotype. J Biol Chem. 2001;276:36575–85.
Jia-Xu C, Basil OI, Sheng-Xing M. Nitric oxide modulation of norepinephrine production in acupuncture points. Life Sci. 2006;79:2157–64.
Cho Z, Chung S, Jones J, Park J, Lee H, Wong E, et al. New findings of the correlation between acupoints and corresponding brain cortices using functional MRI. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1998;95:2670–3.
Kaptchuk TJ. Acupuncture: theory, efficacy, and practice. Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:374–83.
Wu MT, Hsieh JC, Xion J, Yang CF, Pan HB, Chen YC, et al. Central nervous pathway for acupuncture stimulation: localization of processing with functionnal MRI of the brain-preliminary experience. Radiology. 1999;133:133–41.
Pariente J, White P, Richard S, Frackowiak J, Lewith G. Expectancy and belief modulate the neuronal substrates of pain treated by acupuncture. Neuro Image. 2005;25:1161–7.
Zijlstra FJ, Van den Berg-de Lange I, Huygen FJ, Klein J. Anti-inflammatory actions of acupuncture. Mediators Inflamm. 2003;12:59–69.
Stellon A. Neurogenic pruritus: an unrecognised problem? A retrospective case series of treatment by acupuncture. Acupunct Med. 2002;20:186–90.
Carlsson CP, Sundler F, Wallengren J. Cutaneous innervation before and after one treatment period of acupuncture. Br J Dermatol. 2006;155:970–6.
Lundeberg T, Bondesson L, Thomas M. Effect of acupuncture on experimentally induced itch. Br J Dermatol. 1987;117:771–7.
Kesting MR, Thurmuller P, Holzle F, Wolff KD, Holland-Letz T, Stucker M. Electrical ear acupuncture reduces histamine-induced itch (alloknesis). Acta Derm Venereol. 2006;86:399–403.
Pfab F, Hammes M, Bäcker M, Huss-Marp J, Athanasiadis GI, Tölle TR, et al. Preventive effect of acupuncture on histamine-induced itch: a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;116:1386–8.
Duo LJ. Electrical needle therapy of uremic pruritus. Nephron. 1987;47:179–83.
Chou CY, Cheng YW, Kao MT, Huang CC. Acupuncture in haemodialysis patients at the Quchi (LI11) acupoint for refractory uraemic pruritus. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2005;20:1912–5.
Yang M, Mao J Yu J. Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on senile cutaneous pruritus. Chin Acupunct Moxibustion. 2002;22:220–8.
Pfab F, Huss-Marp J, Gatti A, Fugin J, Athanasiadis GI, Imich D, Raap U, Schober W, Behrendt H, Ring J, Darsow U. Influence of acupuncture on type I hypersensitivity itch and the wheal and flare response in adults with atopic eczema – a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Allergy. 2010;65:903–10.
Pfab F, Athanasiadis GI, Huus-Marp J, Heuser B, Cifuentes L, Brockow K, Schober W, Konstantinow A, Irnich D, Behrendt H, Ring J, Ollert M. Effect of acupuncture on allergen-induced basophil activation in patients with atopic eczema: a pilot trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2011;17:309–14.
Pfab F, Kirchner MT, Huss-Marp J, Schuster T, Schalock PC, Fuqin J, Athanasiadis GI, Behrendt H, Ring J, Darsow U, Napadow V. Acupuncture compared with oral antihistamine for type I hypersensitivity itch and skin response in adult atopic dermatitis: a patient- and examiner-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Allergy. 2012;67:566–73.
Misery L. Atopic dermatitis and the nervous system. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2011;41:259–66.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer-Verlag London
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Misery, L. (2016). Acupuncture. In: Misery, L., Ständer, S. (eds) Pruritus. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33142-3_56
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33142-3_56
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-33140-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-33142-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)