IBS and Traditional Chinese Medicine
What is IBS?
IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is very common disorder that affects your colon causing symptoms of constipation, diarrhea, or both, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and cramping. It is a diagnosis that can be made after ruling out more serious digestive disease. IBS can affect your daily functioning, interrupting your work and personal life. There can also be secondary symptoms of depression and anxiety that are rooted in daily or weekly pain and discomfort.
Alternative Therapies for IBS
IBS is not only difficult to diagnosis, but difficult to treat. Western medicine dictates dietary changes and often the use of pharmaceuticals including anti-depressants, laxatives, anti-diarrheal, and pain medications. While these drugs have a time and place for their use, they are not indicated for every person and have serious side effects to consider before starting therapy. Please note: it is not advisable to discontinue a medication without talking with your prescribing doctor.
There are other options out there. Naturopathic medicine treatment modalities such as herbs, supplements and diet/lifestyle changes can be highly effective at helping mange IBS symptoms. Besides natural treatments, which you may have already tried. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can treat and improve the symptoms of IBS. In a Meta-Analysis comparing acupuncture versus western medicine found that acupuncture statistically significantly improved symptoms of IBS1.
IBS and Chinese Medicine
In TCM, IBS is often diagnosed as Liver overacting Spleen. The Liver in TCM maintains the free flow of qi. The Liver is related to emotions, when the Liver qi flows freely the mind is at ease. When there is stress, emotional upset, over-work, or over-worrying the Liver qi stagnates and ceases to move freely. When this occurs, the Spleen qi starts to be suppressed by the stagnant Liver qi. The Spleen is the center of digestion. It is responsible for breaking down and absorption of foods. When the Liver overacts Spleen we see all the symptoms of IBS mentioned above. TCM also takes into account each person’s constitution and stage in life to make a full diagnosis and treatment plan.
Acupuncture can be used as an effective stand-alone or adjunctive treatment for IBS. Acupuncture makes you take time for yourself. Each treatment typically lasts between 30-60 minutes. Each appointment will consist of a history or update of your current symptoms, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and then treatment. The typical course of acupuncture is usually 6-12 treatments.
So take the step and schedule an appointment today. Call for more information and we are glad to answer any questions you may have!
- Zheng H, Chen R, Zhao X, et al. Comparison between the Effects of Acupuncture Relative to Other Controls on Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis. Pain Res Manag. 2019;2019:2871505. Published 2019 Nov 11. doi:10.1155/2019/2871505
