The successful treatment of pain associated with scar tissue using acupuncture

In this case report, a 48-year-old female who had suffered severe scar pain for 3 months was treated with acupuncture using the Wei Ci technique (surrounding the dragon). Scar tissue usually forms after deep trauma, such as piercings, burns, and surgery, to the dermis. In Chinese Medicine, scar tissue causes local Qi and blood stagnation which lead to pain. The Wei Ci technique (surrounding the dragon) and distal points Hegu-LI-4, Taichong-LIV-3, Zusanli-ST-36 were used. The patient received a total of eight treatments in 5 weeks. The scar pain decreased from 7 to 1 or 2 on a Likert scale of 0-10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain. Acupuncture may have a good short-term pain-relieving effect on scar pain but its long-term scar-pain-relieving effects are still unclear.