[Case of stiff skin syndrome treated with acupuncture and cupping therapy]

Stiff skin syndrome is a very rare non-inflammatory reactive skin disease, characterized by skin sclerosis and limited joint mobility. The paper reports one case of child with stiff skin syndrome and treated with combined therapy of acupuncture and cupping. Acupuncture was used at the lateral line 1 of vertex (MS8) on the right side, Jiaji (EX-B2) of L₂ to L₄, Huantiao (GB30), ashi point, Juliao (GB29), Fengshi (GB31), Weizhong (BL40), and etc. on the left side. After deqi, the electrodes of KWD-808Ⅰimpulse electronic therapeutic device were attached to Jiaji (EX-B2) of L₄ and Huantiao (GB30), Fengshi (GB31) and Yanglingquan (GB34) on the left side respectively, at disperse-dense wave, a frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz, and a current of 2 mA. The needles were retained for 20 min. Acupuncture was operated once every 2 days, 3 interventions a week. When acupuncture was completed in each intervention, moving cupping was followed till the skin turned to be red, along the distribution of the governor vessel, foot-shaoyang gallbladder meridian and foot-taiyang bladder meridian on the left side, of the lumbar region and leg. Moving cupping was delivered once every 2 days, 3 times a week. Once a week, after moving cupping, the cups were retained on the areas with skin stiffness for 8 min to 10 min. One course of the combined therapy of acupuncture and cupping was composed of 6 treatments. After 2 courses of treatment, the skin stiffness on the left buttock region and the lateral side of the lower limb was ameliorated, the swelling on the left lower limb relieved and the walking improved; and the patient could walk continuously for 2 000 m. The combined therapy of acupuncture and cupping provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of stiff skin syndrome.