Our insurance doesn't cover acupuncture, either. But my wife's naturopathic doctor administers it as part of an office visit.

One of your posts mentions that pain medication is a possible cause of Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria. I wonder if that's the case with my wife, although she has itchy skin ulcers, not hives.

Her pain management doctor suggested a turmeric supplement. And our local grocery stores are offering whole, fresh turmeric, so we've been adding it to soups and stir fry dishes. Turmeric is supposed to be a powerful anti-inflammatory food. Fresh cracked black pepper is supposed to help with absorption. It's hard to tell if it helps, though.