TREATMENTS

Acid Reflux

The study indicates that stimulation of certain acupuncture points inhibits the esophageal sphincter relaxation by as much as 40%. Modern science is getting closer to explaining how acupuncture works, but what no one can deny in the present is that it does work and very well.

Colitis and Crohn’s Disease

Because there is no known cause for ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s, western medical treatment fo-cuses on relief of symptoms. Within the paradigm of Traditional Chinese Medicine we can view in-flammatory bowel disease in a different light. The causes can be constitutional deficiencies, an in-fection or invasion by an outside pathogen, or dietary. An accurate diagnosis relies upon the various symptoms related to digestion as well as the whole body system. The compilation of concerns will show a pattern of disharmony. Treatment is then applied accordingly, usually with great success.

An article written by John K. Chen for Medical Acupuncture, “A Journal Written For Physicians, By Physicians,” in Volume 13 Number 3 illustrates the difference between the western and eastern ap-proach to Colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. He concludes that Oriental medicine offers an effective treatment for mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. This article examined the effects of both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, finding them both safe and beneficial for resolving pain, diarrhea and dysentery symptoms.

Constipation and Diarrhea

Certain acupuncture points have an effect on GI motility. The treatment will either be used to relax a more spastic colon or to stimulate peristalsis. Within the concepts and theories of Chinese medi-cine, there is a more complete method of interpreting digestive disorders. When someone has very dry and difficult to pass stool, treatment will be given to moisten the intestines and long-term treat-ment will focus on re-establishing a less dry digestive environment. When someone has chronic, explosive diarrhea that burns and causes pain, acupuncture will help calm the large intestine and remove toxins such as bacteria or virus and to clear heat from the digestive system. Likewise, when someone experiences chronic watery painless diarrhea, acupuncture will be used to tonify the digestive system and to warm the digestion so that food is transformed into usable energy more efficiently.

Diabetes

TCM provides good results for diabetes because it has a diagnostic framework based on specific symptom pictures, which lead to individualized treatment regimens.The three main signs of diabe-tes (excess eating, drinking and urination) all correspond to one of three body areas in TCM. An example of this differentiation would be severe thirst shows upper body involvement (everything above the diaphragm), big appetite or weight loss shows middle body involvement (peritoneal cavi-ty) and an increase in urination shows lower body involvement (everything below the navel).

Acupuncture can: 

-  Reduce the symptoms of diabetes
- Relieve the side effects of the medication
- Decrease the blood sugar then increase the life quality
- Prevent complications of the disease; strengthen the immune systeem which can reduce the risk factors and reduce the risk of mortality.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Most commonly, a Chinese medicine doctor will find an imbalance between the nervous system and the strength of the digestive system. It is not so simple to say that stress causes IBS, but the nervous system exerts powerful control over the motility of the GI tract and often chronic stress can lead to more permanent conditions such as IBS. Your acupuncturist may call this, Liver attack-ing the Spleen, because those are the names of the two meridians involved with a stressed nervous system and digestion. Also the practitioner will examine the role of phlegm, lack of or overly vigor-ous exercise, sleep patterns, and of course diet.

Certain acupuncture points stimulate GI motility and then certain points can relax muscle contrac-tions helping with everything from constipation to gas, bloating, pain and diarrhea. Tools for stress reduction and suggestions for diet modification are also an important part of complete IBS treat-ment.