Acne, commonly known as pimples, is a chronic inflammation of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands that is common in adolescents. The course of this disease is persistent and is generally difficult to control with medication.
There are many causes of acne. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that most cases are due to irregular diet, which damages the spleen and stomach, leading to accumulation of heat in the lungs and stomach. This heat rises to the face and causes acne. The majority of cases are considered as excess patterns in traditional Chinese medicine. Additionally, the condition is related to the patient's emotions. If the patient experiences prolonged mental discomfort, the pathogenic heat toxin can invade when the body is weak, lodging in the skin, or spreading through the meridians. This leads to obstruction of the flow of qi, blood, and meridians, resulting in chronic stagnation and the formation of pus. Acupuncture therapy using bleeding at Dazhui (GV14) is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of acne due to its simplicity and rapid efficacy.
Treatment Method:
The patient sits upright with the head and neck slightly forward, exposing the Dazhui acupoint. The Dazhui acupoint is disinfected with iodine, and a disposable syringe needle is quickly inserted into the Dazhui acupoint for acupuncture. Generally, 3-5 punctures are performed with a moderate depth. Then, a fire cup is quickly placed on the Dazhui acupoint and blood is released, with approximately 3-5 milliliters of blood being drawn each time. The treatment is performed twice a week, with 8 treatments constituting one course of treatment.
Based on the principle of eliminating excess, the three-edged needle bleeding therapy is adopted. The Governor Vessel is considered the sea of the yang meridians and governs all the yang meridians in the body. The yang meridians are often where pathogenic heat toxins accumulate. Dazhui and the Governor Vessel acupoints are the intersection of the hand three yang meridians and the Governor Vessel, known as the gathering point of all yang meridians. Bleeding at Dazhui can eliminate heat in the lungs and stomach, regulate the flow of qi, relieve heat, disperse stagnation, activate blood circulation, and resolve stasis.
