Treatments in Conventional Medicine and Their Limitations
Conventional medicine performs symptomatic treatment for skin along with treating the underlying disease. Under the diagnosis of a Korean Medicine doctor, BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic prioritizes treating the internal medical cause and utilizes conventional treatments in parallel if necessary.
- Treating Underlying Disease: Managing diabetes, treating cancer, administering antibiotics for infection.
- Immune Suppression: Using steroids or immunosuppressants for vasculitis or autoimmune diseases.
- Symptom Relief: Using antihistamines, topical ointments, etc.
[Limitations]
If internal organ problems are not resolved, skin symptoms often recur endlessly after temporary improvement.
Especially for chronic vasculitis, unexplained pruritus, or erythroderma, long-term use of immunosuppressants carries a high risk of side effects (infection, metabolic abnormalities), and control via medication alone is often difficult.
BM's Integrative Solution: Treating Both Internal and External (內外兼治), Purifying Blood (淸血)
BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic soothes inflammation on the skin surface while detoxifying internally and purifying the blood to induce fundamental healing.
- Cooling Blood & Stopping Bleeding (Vasculitis): We use formulas like Seogakjihwang-tang to cool excessive inflammatory responses in the blood (Clearing Heat) and restore damaged vascular endothelial cells to stop bleeding.
- Removing Dampness & Phlegm (Metabolic Disease): For skin diseases caused by obesity, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia, we use Dodam-tang to remove metabolic waste (Damp-Phlegm) from the body, lowering blood viscosity and aiding circulation.
- Tonifying Kidney & Boosting Qi (Chronic/Geriatric): For chronic pruritus or skin atrophy, we use Yukmijihwang-tang to boost the kidney's regenerative energy, improving microcirculation and strengthening the skin barrier.
Evidence-Based Korean Medicine (Scientific Evidence)
Studies prove that Korean Medicine treatments are effective in preventing renal complications in purpura (HSP), relieving uremic pruritus, and regulating systemic inflammation in psoriasis.
- Prevention of Renal Damage in Pediatric HSP: A meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed that combining herbal medicine with standard care significantly reduced the risk of renal damage by 53% (RR=0.47) compared to the control group. It also shortened the duration of purpura, abdominal pain, and arthralgia, and reduced recurrence rates, proving to be an effective adjuvant therapy for kidney protection.
- Li B, Yang M, He GL, Gao XG, Li L, Zhai WS. Efficacy and safety of Chinese herbs for the prevention of the risk of renal damage in Henoch-Schonlein Purpura in Children: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and GRADE Evaluation. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;2019:1-16. doi:10.1155/2019/4089184
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- Improvement of Uremic Pruritus and Sleep Quality by Acupuncture: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 RCTs confirmed that acupuncture significantly reduces pruritus intensity (VAS, Duo score) and improves sleep quality in end-stage renal disease patients. It is a safe non-pharmacological therapy that complements drug treatment without serious adverse events.
- Zhang L, Li Y, Xiao X, et al. Acupuncture for Uremic Pruritus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2022;65(1):e51-e62. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.08.017
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- Regulation of IL-22 and Psoriasis Improvement by Oral Curcumin (Meriva): Administering highly absorbable Curcumin (Meriva) to psoriasis patients resulted in a significant reduction in serum IL-22 levels, a core cytokine inducing keratinocyte proliferation, and improved PASI scores. This demonstrates that natural compounds can improve skin symptoms by regulating systemic immune-inflammatory responses.
- Antiga E, Bonciolini V, Volpi W, Del Bianco E, Caproni M. Oral Curcumin (Meriva) Is Effective as an Adjuvant Treatment and Is Able to Reduce IL-22 Serum Levels in Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris. BioMed Research International. 2015;2015:1-7. doi:10.1155/2015/283634
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