What is psoriasis in TCM?
In Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), psoriasis is referred to as “Bai Bi”(白疕), commonly known as “Niu Pi Xian”(牛皮癣). It is a chronic, stubborn, and easily recurrent inflammatory skin condition characterized by red papules or plaques covered with multiple layers of silvery-white scales, thin membranes, dewdrop-like bleeding points, and severe itching.
TCM believes that psoriasis is caused by the invasion of wind pathogens, leading to skin stagnation, heat transformation, and prolonged damage to the blood. Blood deficiency and dryness result in inadequate nourishment of the skin. Psoriasis is generally classified into three patterns according to differentiation:
- Blood-heat pattern
Characteristics: Red skin lesions, continuous appearance of new rashes, rapid expansion, and often in a dot-like or patchy pattern.
Treatment: It focuses on cooling the blood and detoxification. Commonly used herbs include water buffalo horn, red peony, madder, earth-palm, honeysuckle, skullcap, lithospermum, rehmannia, Isatis indigotica, and Imperata cylindrica.
- Blood-dryness pattern
Characteristics: Skin lesions with a pale red color, fewer new rashes, often in a coin-like or merging pattern, and increased thickness.
Treatment: It emphasizes nourishing the blood and detoxification. Commonly used herbs include Chinese angelica, salvia, rehmannia, chicken blood vine, ophiopogon, dwarf lilyturf, astragalus, and white peony.
- Blood-stasis pattern
Characteristics: Thick and infiltrated skin lesions with a dark red color that persist for a long time.
Treatment: It focuses on promoting blood circulation and detoxification. Commonly used herbs include peach kernel, safflower, curcuma, chicken blood vine, rattan, spatholobus, and common clubmoss.
TCM advantages in the treatment of psoriasis
Compared with modern medicine, TCM has unique advantages in the treatment of psoriasis, including the uniqueness of syndrome classification, abundance and flexibility of treatment ideas. By following the principles of differentiation of syndromes, a combination of internal and external treatment methods based on an understanding of the etiology and pathology were used.
It tailors treatment to the different stages of skin lesions and individual patient constitution, directly alleviating patient symptoms, promoting the regression of skin rashes, and exhibiting a characteristic of “quick and effective treatment.” In TCM, this differentiation of patterns and treatment makes it possible to cure psoriasis in a special way.
Learn more: 6 reasons to consider TCM for skin disorders
8 special TCM external treatments for psoriasis
- Herbal baths: The application of heated herbal medicine to the affected areas promotes blood circulation, softens the skin, relieves itching, and has antimicrobial effects.
- Acupuncture and moxibustion: These therapies regulate the body, enhance local tissue metabolism, and improve the function of various physiological systems and immune function.
- Blood-letting and cupping therapy: The therapies promote local blood circulation, accelerate metabolism, and facilitate the repair of damaged tissues.
- Acupoint injections: The injection of drugs into acupuncture points can provide sustained therapeutic effects.
- Ear acupuncture therapy: It clears heat, cools the blood, activates blood circulation, detoxifies, and adjusts organ functions through bloodletting and stimulating ear acupoints.
- Fire needle therapy: This traditional acupuncture technique has a quick effect on relieving itching and is especially suitable for psoriasis.
- Moving cupping therapy: It stimulates blood circulation, clears blood stasis, regulates meridians, and balances the body.
- Poultice therapy: Applying medicinal poultices to affected areas enhances skin hydration, drug absorption, and extends the duration of drug action.
At Shanghai Medical Clinic, a TCM clinics in Dubai, we offer a range of therapies including acupuncture, herbal medicine and cupping that can help address such skin issues as eczema and psoriasis effectively, tailored to different patient constitutions.
- Acupuncture
- Herbal medicine
- Cupping/Hijama
To determine your specific constitution and the appropriate treatment method, please make an appointment, and we will schedule a consultation for you.
