Acupuncture for Burns
ACUPUNCTURE AND BURNS
Acupuncture can help relieve the pain or burns and promote the healing of burns. Thought the exact mechanism behind this process is unknown, many people have experienced the effects. Acupuncture theory believes that burns are healed by acupuncture in much the same way that acupuncture is known to heal other injuries, by promoting the flow of healing energy (qi) and fluids to the effected area. Others believe that the endorphins stimulated by acupuncture are responsible for its pain relieving effects.
ACUPUNCTURE POINTS FOR BURNS
Acupuncture points are selected according to the location of the burn. Needles are placed around the burned area, but not within the burn. Needles are also placed on influential points of the channels passing through or near the burn. These points can be stimulated strongly by hand or with electricity. Moxabustion (heat treatment) is never used on burns.
Research - Acupuncture Promotes Burn & Wound Healing
In a recent issue of the American Journal of Acupuncture, a pair of researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico conducted a small study on 44 patients (15 male, 29 female) to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating a variety of wound conditions. All 44 had previously received conventional but unsuccessful Western medical care.
Thirty-four subjects had assorted skin lesions; the other 10 had suffered second-degree burns. Patients were classified as either grade I, grade II or grade III depending on the severity of their lesion and their medical status.
In each session, patients received 20 minutes of electric stimulation from a WQ-6F acupuncture stimulator, with electrodes clipped to acupuncture needles inserted subcutaneously along the edges of the lesion to form a near-complete circuit around the affected area. In cases where the burned area was extensive, the lesion was covered with a saline-soaked gauze with alligator clips attached to the bandage. Treatment was administered either daily or every other day, depending on the severity of the lesion.
Upon the conclusion of treatment, each patient and one of the authors independently assessed the outcome of the procedure as follows:
Poor outcome: less than 50% recovery;
Fair outcome: between 60-90% recovery;
Excellent outcome: greater than 90% recovery.
According to the authors, 41 patients (93%) experienced an "excellent" outcome; the remaining three patients (7%) experienced a "fair" outcome. No outcomes were scored as "poor."
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