
If you're suffering from constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, and bloating, the answer is YES, acupuncture can help you! Acupuncture is a gentle, safe, side-effect free treatment for your agonizing symptoms. Acupuncture is a long-established method to regulate GI motility, and a new study shows that it is more helpful than pharmaceuticals in treating IBS (Hui et al. 2015).
In a randomized controlled trial completed in 2020 that included 519 participants, divided according to their diagnosis, either IBS-C (constipation type) or IBS-D (diarrhea type), the researchers compared the currently recommended first-line pharmaceuticals in one group versus a 6-week regimen of acupuncture treatments. The study found that
"participants in the acupuncture group were more satisfied with their bowel habits and found that IBS had less interference with daily life after a 6-week treatment period"
"results favored acupuncture over the recommended first-line therapy for short-term IBS-D"
"acupuncture could lower the severity of abdominal pain and distention" (Pei et. al. 2020)
If you are experiencing abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea related to IBS, acupuncture can help you today! During your appointment, we will discuss your IBS symptoms, your diet, and your lifestyle. You will receive a gentle, relaxing treatment, and you can expect to notice a change in your symptoms in about 3 treatments. After 6 treatments, as well as diet and lifestyle modifications, you can expect to notice a great improvement in your symptoms and your quality of life. Wondering if acupuncture can help you manage your IBS? Schedule a free consultation! I look forward to helping you feel your best.
References
Pei L, Geng H, Guo J, Yang G, et al. Effect of Acupuncture in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. August 2020;95(8):1671-1683
Li H, He T, Xu Q, Li Z, Liu Y, Li F, Yang BF, Liu CZ. Acupuncture and regulation of gastrointestinal function. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Jul 21;21(27):8304-13. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i27.8304. PMID: 26217082; PMCID: PMC4507100.
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