Respiratory/ Skin/ Immune System Diseases

Urticaria (Hives)

It is a skin condition characterized by: raised, red or skin-colored wheals (swelling) , intense itching (pruritus) , lesions that appear suddenly and fade within hours, often moving from one place to another
Common Causes of urticaria are foods (nuts, shellfish, eggs etc.) , drugs (e.g. antibiotics, pain killers, etc.) , infections , stress and environmental triggers (temperature, pressure)
Acupuncture may help by reducing frequency and severity of episodes of urticaria , improves sleep and quality of life , and by reducing dependence on antihistamines.

Important Note

Acupuncture is supportive, not a replacement for emergency care

Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) require immediate medical treatment

Eczema

It is a chronic inflammatory skin condition with immune and environmental components. It is characterized by Itching ( often severe), redness ,dry, scaly, or thickened skin and sometimes oozing, crusting, or cracking.
Acupuncture helps by reducing inflammation, controlling itching, and regulating immune and stress responses, making it a valuable adjunct therapy rather than a replacement for standard dermatological care.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease characterized by rapid turnover of skin cells, leading to thick, red plaques with silvery-white scales,Itching, burning, or soreness and ,nail changes (pitting, discoloration)
Common sites for psoriasis are elbows ,knees, scalp and lower back.
The trigger factors for psoriasis are stress, infections (e.g., streptococcal throat infection) ,certain drugs (beta-blockers, lithium) , alcohol, smoking and cold weather
Acupuncture does not cure psoriasis, but it can play a supportive and integrative role in symptom control and relapse prevention. It does so by immunomodulation: which reduces inflammation, Stress reduction: which reduces flare triggers, Improved microcirculation, which enhances healing of skin lesions and reduces itching.
Acupuncture is useful for: chronic plaque psoriasis ,stress-triggered flare-ups , patients seeking drug-free adjunct therapy and reducing side effects of long-term medications

The Common Cold

It is a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, mainly affecting the nose, throat, and sinuses.
Symptoms may include , runny or blocked nose , sneezing , sore throat , mild cough , low-grade fever, Headache and body ache , general fatigue
Acupuncture plays a supportive role in managing the common cold.
It Boosts immunity & Enhances body’s defensive function.
It Reduces inflammation & Helps relieve nasal congestion and throat irritation.
It Promotes circulation & Improves airflow and sinus drainage .
It also reduces headache, body ache, and fatigue .
It also Shortens duration of illness , reduces severity of symptoms , minimizes need for medications and prevents recurrence (if immunity is improved) .

Tonsillitis

It is the inflammation of the tonsils. They are part of the immune system and help fight infections, especially in children.
Symptoms include sore throat , difficulty or pain while swallowing , red, swollen tonsils (sometimes with white/yellow patches) ,fever ,bad breath , enlarged neck lymph nodes and voice changes (muffled)
Acupuncture reduces throat pain and swelling ,helps shorten duration of symptoms ,decreases recurrence frequency (in chronic tonsillitis) and supports recovery alongside conventional treatment

Summary

Acupuncture can be a supportive therapy in tonsillitis—helping reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and improve immune function especially useful in recurrent or chronic cases. However, it should be integrated with appropriate medical care depending on the cause.

Pneumonia

It is an infection of the lungs that causes inflammation of the air sacs (alveoli). These air sacs may get filled with fluid or pus, leading to difficulty in breathing and reduced oxygen exchange.
Causes of pneumonia could be bacterial, viral or fungal (in immunocompromised patients).
Pneumonia may present as cough (with or without sputum) ,fever and chills ,shortness of breath ,chest pain (worsens on breathing) ,fatigue and in severe cases: confusion, cyanosis
Acupuncture is considered a supportive (adjunct) therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment—especially in a potentially serious condition like pneumonia.
Acupuncture helps in reduction in cough severity , improved breathing comfort , faster recovery when combined with standard care and also reduces fatigue and overall well-being

Laryngitis

Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx (voice box), which contains the vocal cords responsible for sound production.
Main symptoms are hoarseness or loss of voice (most common) , dry or sore throat, tickling sensation in throat , dry cough and difficulty in speaking
Causes could be infections (viral most common, sometimes bacterial) , voice overuse (shouting, singing) , irritants (smoking, pollution) ,gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and allergies
Acupuncture can help manage laryngitis—especially functional, inflammatory, or chronic cases.
Acupuncture may help reduce recovery time in acute cases ,particularly useful in chronic or recurrent laryngitis and works best as a supportive therapy, not a replacement for medical care when infection is severe

Summary

Laryngitis is inflammation of the voice box leading to hoarseness and throat discomfort. Acupuncture can play a supportive role by reducing inflammation, improving circulation, and restoring voice quality—especially in chronic or functional cases.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is the inflammation or infection of the paranasal sinuses, air-filled cavities in the skull around the nose and eyes. When these sinuses become blocked (due to infection, allergy, or irritation), mucus builds up, leading to symptoms.

Symptoms of sinusitis include

Nasal congestion or blockage
Thick nasal discharge (yellow/green)
Facial pain/pressure (forehead, cheeks, around eyes)
Headache
Reduced sense of smell
Post-nasal drip
Fever (sometimes)

Causes of sinusitis are viral infections (common cold) , bacterial infection, allergies (allergic rhinitis) , deviated nasal septum and environmental irritants (pollution, dust)

Acupuncture, can be used as a supportive therapy in sinusitis management.

Studies suggest acupuncture reduces symptom severity ,improve nasal airflow ,decreases recurrence in chronic sinusitis and works best as adjunct therapy, not a replacement for antibiotics when bacterial infection is severe .

Rhinitis

Rhinitis is inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane, leading to symptoms affecting breathing and nasal comfort.

Common Symptoms are runny nose (rhinorrhea) , nasal congestion/blockage ,sneezing , itching in nose, throat or eyes and Post-nasal drip

Types of Rhinitis are

Allergic Rhinitis
- Triggered by allergens like dust, pollen, animal dander
- Example: hay fever
Non-Allergic Rhinitis
- Caused by irritants (smoke, pollution), infections, weather changes
- Includes vasomotor rhinitis
Infectious Rhinitis
- Usually viral (common cold)

Acupuncture reduces frequency of sneezing ,decreases nasal discharge ,improves nasal airflow , may reduce dependence on antihistamines and is helpful in chronic and recurrent cases

Clinical studies suggest acupuncture can improve quality of life in allergic rhinitis and recognized as a supportive therapy by organizations like the World Health Organization.

COPD

(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a chronic, progressive lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation that is not fully reversible.
Causes of COPD include, smoking (most common) , air pollution / biomass fuel exposure (important in India) , occupational dust & chemicals and genetic factors (e.g., alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency)
Symptoms of COPD are chronic cough with sputum , shortness of breath (especially on exertion) , wheezing , chest tightness and frequent respiratory infections .
Acupuncture does not cure COPD, but it can play a supportive (adjunct) role in improving quality of life.
It causes reduction in dyspnea (breathlessness) , improved exercise tolerance , better quality of life scores. It may reduce frequency of exacerbations (some studies) and helps anxiety associated with breathlessness

Bronchitis

It is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes (airways that carry air to the lungs). This inflammation leads to swelling, mucus production, and narrowing of air passages.
Common Symptoms of bronchitis are persistent cough (with or without sputum) , wheezing ,shortness of breath ,chest tightness , fatigue and low-grade fever (more common in acute cases)
Acupuncture can play a supportive and complementary role in managing bronchitis.
It reduces frequency and severity of cough ,helps in loosening and expectoration of mucus , improves breathing capacity ,reduces dependency on medications (in some chronic cases, under supervision) and enhances overall immune resistance.

Asthma

It is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by reversible airway obstruction and increased airway sensitivity.
Key Features of asthma are airway inflammation (swelling of bronchial lining), bronchospasm (tightening of airway muscles) ,excess mucus production and airway hyperresponsiveness (overreaction to triggers)
Common Symptoms are wheezing (whistling sound while breathing) ,shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough (especially at night or early morning).
Common Triggers are dust, pollen, pollution , cold air , exercise ,stress/emotions and respiratory infections
Acupuncture is used as a complementary therapy (not a replacement for emergency or prescribed medical care).
It Reduces airway inflammation , relaxes bronchial muscles ,improves lung function ,enhances immunity and reduces frequency and severity of attacks

Acne

It is a chronic inflammatory condition of hair follicles and sebaceous gland. It commonly affects the face, chest, shoulders, and back.
Main Causes of Acne are excess sebum (oil) production , clogging of pores (dead skin cells) , bacterial growth (Cutibacterium acnes) , hormonal influence (androgens, puberty, PCOS) Diet, stress, cosmetics and genetics may also contribute
Clinical Benefits of Acupuncture in treatment of Acne include reduction in oil secretion , decrease in inflammatory lesions , prevention of recurrence , improvement in skin texture and scarring and is also helpful in PCOS-related Acne.