Speaking of urticaria

Here are the questions that patients with chronic urticaria want to ask the most, as well as the knowledge that dermatologists want to tell their patients.

As one of the most common diseases in dermatology, there are quite a few patients suffering from chronic urticaria, and these people often have to deal with various "anti-allergic drugs". After trying various medicines, many patients have found that the common feature of these Western medicines is that they quickly control them as soon as they take them, but the disease relapses as soon as they stop taking the medicine. Why is this?

The "anti-allergic drugs" currently used by most patients with urticaria mainly refer to "antihistamines", which mainly fight against the substance "histamine". Histamine plays a very important role in the itching wheals of urticaria. It is a normal component in the human body. It is usually stored and "sealed" in cells. Once some abnormal situation activates the "valve" on the cell, histamine is released in large quantities. They will cause the expansion of local capillaries in the skin, just like pulling apart an originally dense network. Body fluids will leak into the skin from the loose "mesh", so patients with urticaria will feel like they are Like mosquito bites, there are "bumps" that bulge one by one or even pieces.

The main function of the "antihistamines" we use is similar to blocking the "valves" on the cells and preventing histamine from "escaping", which can control and reduce the onset of urticaria. However, this is only a "temporary treatment" after all, and it fails to completely solve the reason why the "valve" is frequently opened. Therefore, many patients are prone to relapse after stopping western medicine.

When Western medicine fails to find the exact cause and chronic urticaria recurs, Chinese medicine can give full play to its unique advantages. The treatment idea of ??Chinese medicine is to find the root cause of the disease. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the itching wheals that occur during an urticaria attack can be regarded as a manifestation of rheumatism invading the skin. However, the invasion of evil spirits is often just a "result" rather than a "cause". The human body must have its own factors, which cause the muscle surface to be unstable and give evil spirits an "opportunity". Therefore, wheals and itching will recur. This is what is said in the "Huangdi Neijing" that "righteousness exists within, and evil cannot be done".

Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes that "the treatment of disease must be based on the root cause", so it attaches great importance to the adjustment of one's own state. After restoring the balance of yin and yang in the human body, the muscle surface will be solid and evil spirits will not be able to invade internally, and the degree of urticaria outbreak will be reduced. And the frequency will naturally gradually decrease. However, it takes a certain amount of time for the human body to adjust and recover. For example, if anti-allergic drugs directly block the "valve" of histamine release, then Chinese medicine is like slowly tightening the "leaky valve". Therefore, Western medicine works quickly in controlling symptoms and has advantages in acute attacks; while traditional Chinese medicine starts from the patient's own constitution and focuses more on long-term relief and stability.

People often say that "Western medicine treats the symptoms, while Chinese medicine treats the root cause." However, in clinical practice, some patients with chronic urticaria have reduced their sensitivity to drugs after long-term use of anti-allergic drugs. , so that it is not well controlled by taking western medicine alone. At this time, adding traditional Chinese medicine often has better results. Therefore, in the treatment of chronic urticaria, it is recommended to seek treatment methods that combine traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Expert introduction

Lu Chuan Jian

Professor, chief physician, doctoral supervisor. "Qihuang Scholar" of the National Support Program for Leading Traditional Chinese Medicine Talents, a young and middle-aged expert with outstanding contributions to national health and family planning, a disciple of Professor Xuan Guowei, a master of traditional Chinese medicine, the heir to the academic experience of the first batch of famous old traditional Chinese medicine experts in the country, and a national member of Guangdong Province's "Thousands and Hundreds" Project A candidate for talent training, he is the academic leader of the Lingnan Tutu Academic School of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the leader of the psoriasis clinical and basic research innovation team. She has won the honors of Guangdong's "Special Support Program" teaching teacher, "National Outstanding Scientific and Technological Worker", "National First Outstanding Female Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician", "China Women Physicians Association Five Continents Women's Science and Technology Award", "Southern Guangdong Women's Top Ten Innovations", "Guangdong Province" "March 8th Red Flag Bearer and pacesetter" and other titles.

Recruitment Notice

Are you a chronic urticaria patient? The Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine is currently carrying out a clinical project to treat chronic urticaria. This study has passed the medical ethics review of the Ethics Committee of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and will be implemented by the Department of Dermatology of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

We are now recruiting volunteers with chronic urticaria to participate in this project.

Inclusion criteria

① Meet the diagnosis of chronic spontaneous urticaria;

② Aged 18-65 years old;

③ Be able to cooperate with research and signed the informed consent form.

If you are screened and qualified to participate in the study, you will receive the following benefits

① No registration fee during treatment, all medicines are free, and 2 free physical examinations;

② The doctor will follow up your condition for about 4 months.

The number of places is limited. If you or someone around you meets the above conditions and is willing to participate in this project, please contact us as soon as possible.

Contact person: Dr. Zhao, Dr. Guo

Contact number: 15626032514 (please send text message to register: name + age + disease duration + whether you have been diagnosed)

Research unit : Department of Dermatology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Address: Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 111 Dade Road, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province

Contributed by: Guo Jie, Lingnan Tutu School, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine