Acupuncture helps eyelash pulling in children (Trichotillomania)

Trichotillomania is classified as an impulse controldisorder. Trichotillomania may be present in infants, but the peak age of onsetis 9 to 13. It may be triggered by depression or stress. Common areas for hairto be pulled out are the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, arms, hands, and pubichairs. Hair pulling can reduce stress because the action of pulling hair andthe painful sensation it creates distractions from other possible emotionaltraumas. The pain give the sense of control of stress. The stress may be theresult of feeling uncomfortable from worry, anxiety or depression.
Case Study:
10 year old healthy boy who has no physical or health problems. Mother noticed the behavior of pulling eye lashes since two years ago. They have tried therapy many times with different method but with no improvement. In worst case, therapy made both of them become very tense, anxious and depressed.
History:
Patient is quiet and slightly nervous but understands why he is here to be treated with acupuncture. In the beginning, Mother noticed he would pull the eyelashes and line them up. After pointed out it was not a normal behavior, he started to hide. But noticeable that eyelash is half missing from one of the child’s eye. After history with both, I understand that child pulling his eyelash most of the time when he is doing his math home work. I recommended to him to use stress ball in order to keep his hand off the eyelashes. I also notice child coughing loudly with phlegm accumulation.
Treatment plan:  Relieve the stress, open the channel, clearheat and expel the phlegm.
After 10 minutes of acupuncture, child started crying and became very emotional. He started to tell mother his grief of his pet recently die. I put ear seed in liver, heart and Shen men area and instructed him to massage them when he felt anxious. Patient also needs to make a chart to record his achievement if he did well.
Result:
After the first treatment, patient came back reported with no eyelashes pulling behavior. After two months 5 body and auricular acupuncture treatments, patient has not pulliing eyelashes and is able to handle anger and grief emotion well. He got his long beautiful eyelashes back.