GI Disorders
Few things decrease ones quality of life like dealing with bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, cramping, and abdominal pain. Whether the cause is chronic stress, improper diet, autoimmunity and inflammation, Acupuncture has been shown to improve the day to day experience of those dealing with GI problems.
Acupuncture helps stimulate the “rest and digest” response, also known as your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). In this relaxed state, blood flow to your digestive tract increases, stimulated salivary glands produce digestive enzymes, intestinal activity increases, and sphincters in the digestive tract relax. In studies Acupuncture improved disease activity index scores including weight loss, stool consistency, and bleeding, decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules (cytokines), and improved the normal function and the integrity of the intestinal lining. Investigators also found that treatment with electro-acupuncture improves symptoms and reduces inflammation in both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis while making the intestinal microbial composition changes closer to normal.
“Acupuncture is a safe, cost-effective, noninvasive, and widely available nonpharmacological therapy option for managing various GI disorders. ”
Acupuncture has been shown to:
Reduce symptoms from IBS including bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
Promote healthier gut microbiome
Decrease Anxiety & Depression often accompanying GI disorders
Improve symptoms and reduce inflammation in Chrohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Restore intestinal barrier function in inflammatory intestines
Decrease visceral hypersensitivity and gut motor dysfunctions
Reduce abdominal pain
Start Your Journey
to a Healthier Gut
Research
Gengqing Song, MD, Claudio Fiocchi, MD, Jean-Paul Achkar, MD, Acupuncture in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Volume 25, Issue 7, July 2019, 1129–1139
“a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1333 patients confirmed similar results that acupuncture improved abdominal pain and diarrhea in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS”
“gut microbiota modulation by acupuncture may be one of the beneficial mechanisms of action of this form of therapy.”
“In conclusion, acupuncture could serve as a safe, cost-effective, noninvasive, and widely available nonpharmacological option as adjunctive therapy for managing disease activity and reducing symptoms in IBD.”
World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Aug 21; 20(31): 11000–11011
“the efficacy of acupuncture was significantly superior to placebo acupuncture, indicating that herb-partitioned moxibustion combined with acupuncture has significant therapeutic effects in addition to the placebo effect.”