Huo Zhen (Fire Needle) is one of the most commonly used external treatment methods in dermatology. In addition to its simplicity and convenience, its therapeutic effects are remarkable. It is used to treat various skin diseases, including Acne, Rosacea, Alopecia Areata, Vitiligo, Chloasma, Herpes Zoster, Plantar Warts, Filiform Warts, Eczema, Neurodermatitis, Nodular Prurigo, and Skin Amyloidosis, especially for diseases that do not respond well to drug treatment, such as skin amyloidosis.
Huo Zhen therapy involves heating the tip and lower end of a specific needle until red hot, then quickly inserting it into certain acupuncture points or skin lesions at a specific depth before swiftly withdrawing it, achieving therapeutic effects. Fire needle therapy is an ancient treatment method, recorded as early as in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine), where it was referred to as “Da Zhen (Big Needle)” or “Fan Zhen (Burning Needle)”. The method was called “Chuan Ci Fa (Quenching Needle Method)”, indicating that people had a relatively systematic understanding of fire needle therapy, which has been in use for over two thousand years.
The treatment of diseases with fire needles relies on the “fire effect” to achieve results, combining the stimulation of meridian qi with the warming and dispersing effects of moxibustion. It utilizes heat to assist yang, open doors to expel evil, and employs mechanisms such as heat attracting heat to achieve effects like expelling evil, invigorating blood circulation, warming meridians, promoting tissue regeneration, dispelling cold and dampness, reducing swelling, alleviating pain, and clearing heat and detoxifying. Fire needles improve local microcirculation through thermal effects, and the brief high temperature can kill bacteria while stimulating local neuroimmune regulation, facilitating the absorption of inflammatory and metabolic substances, preventing infection, and thus achieving anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipruritic effects.
Skin Diseases Treated by Fire Needles
Herpes Zoster
Herpes zoster is a painful acute herpetic skin disease. The disease is characterized by clusters of red spots and blisters appearing on one side of the body in a band-like distribution, often accompanied by pain. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that the pain in herpes zoster is mainly due to stagnation of qi and blood in the affected area, leading to obstruction of the meridians. Fire needle therapy for herpes zoster not only promotes the circulation of qi and blood, unblocks the meridians, and alleviates pain, but modern medical research also shows that fire needle therapy has analgesic effects, promotes the discharge of local blood stasis and inflammatory substances, and enhances the body’s immunity.
Flat Warts
Flat warts are commonly found on the back of the hands and face, characterized by flat, light brown papules. They often occur in young people and are also known as juvenile flat warts. TCM believes that flat warts are mainly caused by the invasion of wind-heat toxins, which combine with qi and blood to form warts. Fire needle therapy treats flat warts primarily by using the warming effect of fire to expel the heat toxins from the skin through the opened pores.
Eczema
Eczema is a skin inflammatory response with a significant tendency to exudate, caused by various internal and external factors. The disease is characterized by polymorphic rashes, often symmetrically distributed, with a tendency to exudate during the acute phase, causing severe itching in patients, and is prone to recurrence, leading to chronic conditions. TCM believes that eczema is mainly due to the body’s innate deficiency combined with the invasion of wind, dampness, heat, and toxins, which accumulate in the body and obstruct the skin. Fire needle therapy for eczema stimulates local skin lesions through the warming effect of fire, promoting the flow of qi and blood, thus achieving the effects of invigorating blood circulation and removing stagnant blood.
Neurodermatitis
Neurodermatitis, also known as chronic simple lichen, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. The disease is characterized by lichen-like patches, commonly found in areas prone to friction such as the neck, elbows, and lower back, with patients experiencing severe itching. TCM believes that neurodermatitis is mainly caused by emotional distress leading to liver qi stagnation and fire, or the invasion of wind-damp-heat pathogens, which accumulate in the skin, or blood deficiency leading to dryness and wind. Fire needle therapy for neurodermatitis uses heat stimulation on local lesions to promote qi and blood circulation, ultimately alleviating itching.
Nodular Prurigo
Nodular prurigo is a chronic pruritic skin disease characterized by brown, firm nodules and severe itching. Lesions are often distributed on the extensor surfaces of the limbs, particularly the lower legs, and are more common in women, with a long course of disease. TCM believes that nodular prurigo is mainly caused by the accumulation of wind-damp-heat toxins in the skin. Fire needle therapy for nodular prurigo utilizes the power of heat to promote qi and blood circulation, clear heat and detoxify, thus achieving the goals of resolving nodules and alleviating itching.
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a primary, localized or generalized skin and mucosal pigment loss disorder. The disease is characterized by localized white patches with clear borders, and patients often have no subjective symptoms. TCM believes that vitiligo is mainly caused by the invasion of wind pathogens, leading to disharmony of qi and blood and obstruction of the meridians. Fire needle therapy for vitiligo utilizes the warming effect of fire to promote the smooth flow of qi and blood, thus achieving the effect of expelling evil and curing disease.
Acne
Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The disease is characterized by follicular comedones, inflammatory papules, pustules, etc., which can expel white or light yellow plugs. In severe cases, purple-red nodules, cysts, abscesses, and even ulceration can occur, leading to sinus formation and scarring, often accompanied by seborrhea, and commonly occurs on the face, neck, shoulders, and back. TCM believes that acne is mainly caused by the accumulation of dampness, heat, phlegm, and blood stasis in the skin. Fire needle therapy for acne uses the thermal stimulation of fire needles to expel the tangible pathogens directly through the opened hair follicle openings, leading to the resolution of papules and nodules, thus promoting the smooth flow of qi and blood and nourishing the skin.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is a sudden, localized, non-scarring hair loss condition. The disease is characterized by sudden patchy hair loss, with the scalp in the affected area appearing shiny, and patients generally have no subjective symptoms. TCM believes that alopecia areata is mainly caused by blood heat, blood stasis, blood deficiency, or liver and kidney insufficiency. Fire needle therapy for alopecia areata acts directly on the “affected area”, promoting the smooth flow of qi and blood throughout the body, which can both clear heat and resolve stasis, expel dampness, heat, and stasis, and nourish blood and dispel wind, ultimately stopping hair loss and promoting regrowth.
Skin Amyloidosis
Skin amyloidosis refers to a type of chronic metabolic skin disease where amyloid protein deposits only in the dermis without affecting internal organs. The disease is characterized by thickened skin, dense papules accompanied by severe itching. The pathogenesis is due to wind-heat invading the skin, damp-heat obstructing the skin, and over time leading to blood stasis, blood deficiency, and wind dryness, resulting in malnourished skin. Fire needle therapy for amyloidosis is a method of “opening the ghost gate and cleansing the residence, expelling stagnant toxins” to effectively discharge evil qi through blood or tissue fluid, thus promoting the smooth flow of qi and blood in the meridians, enhancing local metabolism, and achieving anti-itching and skin repair effects.
The Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine at the Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is dedicated to leveraging the holistic regulatory treatment advantages of TCM, combining external treatment methods with TCM syndrome differentiation to provide personalized treatment plans for the health of patients with skin diseases.
Reviewed by: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine
Editor:Lei Chunxiang
Chief Editor: Lu Jing
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