Objective: Conventional therapeutic methods for psoriasis include topical and systemic drugs, phototherapy, and biologic agents. Despite the fact that these treatment methods, and especially biologic agents, are met with a considerable reduction in disease activity, they can sometimes be costly and are nonetheless accompanied by high risks of adverse events, ranging from mild to debilitating. Therefore, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), especially mind-and-body interventions, such as acupuncture, psychotherapy, climatotherapy, and cupping may provide a cheaper and potentially beneficial outcome for these patients.
Methods: We performed a systematic review of articles pertaining to acupuncture, cupping, psychotherapy and meditation, as well climatotherapy and balneotherapy in the management of psoriasis, by using the PubMED, Medline and Google Academic research databases and reference cross-checking.
Results: 12 articles on acupuncture, 9 on dry or wet cupping, 27 concerning meditation, hypnosis or psychotherapy, and 34 regarding climate therapy or balneotherapy were found.
Discussion and conclusions: Currently, there is a lack of evidence in the English literature to support acupuncture as an effective alternative therapy for psoriasis, whereas cupping has been described in the majority of instances to result in Koebner phenomenon and clinical worsening. Stress management therapies such as psychotherapy, hypnosis, and meditation have shown promising results as complementary treatment methods. Climatotherapy and balneotherapy have already been proven as effective means of achieving clinical improvement in psoriasis. Further research is still needed to verify the usefulness of the lesser studied treatment methods.
Keywords: acupuncture; balneotherapy; climatotherapy; complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); cupping therapy; psoriasis; psychotherapy.