Han Yike, He Shiqiao, Keeler Crystal Lynn, Yin Hongwu, Chen Lifang
The Third School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
Innovations to Wellness, Oakland, CA.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Jul 18;104(29):e43407. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000043407.
Covid-19-induced inflammation and edema of the facial skin is a new problem, albeit still somewhat uncommon. To date, there are no published reports on the use of acupuncture for treating facial edema caused by corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The patient, a young female, developed a fever of 38.7 °C, malaise, and headache, followed by facial edema. After 3 months of conventional treatments (i.e., oral hydroxychloroquine and ebastine) failed, she turned to acupuncture.
Facial edema after COVID-19.
Acupuncture points on the face (ST2, ST3, ST4, LI20, and SI18), facial acupuncture with multiple micro-needles in the affected area, and distal acupuncture points on LI11, LI4, LI6, SP9, ST36, ST40, and LR3. The patient was treated with acupuncture in 20 sessions over 2 months (3 times a week for the first month, 2 times a week for the second month) and instructed not to use any medication during and after the treatment of acupuncture.
After 2 months of acupuncture treatment, the facial edema of the patient subsided.
This case suggests that acupuncture may be an effective alternative therapy for superficial skin inflammation and edema caused by viral infections like COVID-19. Further studies are warranted to explore acupuncture's role in managing post-viral inflammatory conditions.
新型冠状病毒肺炎（Covid-19）引起的面部皮肤炎症和水肿是一个新问题，尽管仍不太常见。迄今为止，尚无关于使用针灸治疗2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）引起的面部水肿的报道。
患者为年轻女性，出现38.7℃发热、乏力和头痛，随后出现面部水肿。经过3个月的常规治疗（即口服羟氯喹和依巴斯汀）无效后，她转而求助于针灸。
COVID-19后面部水肿。
面部穴位（ST2、ST3、ST4、LI20和SI18）、在患区用多根微针进行面部针刺以及LI11、LI4、LI6、SP9、ST36、ST40和LR3等远端穴位。患者在2个月内接受了20次针灸治疗（第一个月每周3次，第二个月每周2次），并被告知在针灸治疗期间及之后不要使用任何药物。
经过2个月的针灸治疗，患者的面部水肿消退。
该病例表明，针灸可能是治疗由COVID-19等病毒感染引起的浅表皮肤炎症和水肿的有效替代疗法。有必要进一步研究以探索针灸在管理病毒感染后炎症性疾病中的作用。
