Acupuncture for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a much used term now for a whole variety of digestive disorders. It is the most common gastrointestinal problem that causes a variety of symptoms which may include cramping, abdominal pain, gas, bloating and irregular bowels. Some people with IBS have diarrhea with frequent loose stools, while others have constipation causing infrequent bowel movements that are difficult to pass. Still other IBS patients will suffer from alternating diarrhea and constipation. Symptoms are frequently triggered by stress, emotional factors, or the ingestion of food. Women are affected three times more than men, with the average age of onset being between 20 and 40.

It seems that it is often given as a diagnosis when nothing else can be found. Acupuncture is more refined in this case and distinguishes these clearly as differing problems. For this reason acupuncture medicine can get good results in treating IBS. Due to lack of effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome many people look for alternative treatment and one of these is Acupuncture, which has been proven effective for IBS.  Acupuncture is receiving increasing acceptance in Western world for treating certain gastrointestinal disorders like IBS. The World Health Organisation does list Acupuncture as appropriate for treating some types of digestive disorders including irritable bowel syndrome.

Acupuncture is a Traditional healing art that is administered by a qualified acupuncturist. It involves inserting acupuncture needles into Acupoints to remove blocked energy and increase the flow of energy along the meridian lines. It is based on the philosophy that energy or the life force (chi) flows through these meridian lines and any blockage or disharmony in the flow of energy throughout the body can lead to disease.  By removing these causes, energy can be restored and the body can heal itself.  The improved energy and / or biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body's natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being.

IBS is described as a 'functional' illness -- the small and large intestines aren't functioning appropriately although there is no structural damage found through diagnostic testing. No anatomic defect can be found in IBS patients, and the cause of the illness is not known. What is known is that there is a link between the onset of symptoms and emotional triggers.

IBS is considered a disharmony between the liver and the spleen in traditional medicine. The liver is responsible for the smooth flow of substances throughout the body. This flow can be upset by emotions or stress, causing stagnation of Qi (energy). Traditional medicine views the spleen as being associated with the function of digestion and transforming food into energy (Qi). The spleen can be weakened by a number of factors, including overeating unhealthy foods, overwork, too much worry, fatigue, and lack of exercise. When the spleen is weak and the liver is not moving smoothly, the liver overacts on the spleen and can manifest as symptoms of IBS.

An increasing number of studies have been conducted on treating IBS, with promising results. These studies have documented that acupuncture can effectively treat IBS in a safe and drug-free way. In some of cases, from the first session of treatment patients started to realize that Acupuncture works.  It was recently reported that electro-acupuncture, in which a small electrical shock is delivered via the acupuncture needle is able to affect the function of the bowel and suggests that acupuncture can be useful in treating irritable bowel.  A study in which 149 patients with IBS, which had not responded to standard medical care, were treated with two different acupuncture protocols. Found an overall 80% improvement in both acupuncture groups. Research has shown that acupuncture treatment may benefit IBS by:
1) Providing pain relief. 2) Regulating the motility of the digestive tract. 3) Raising the sensory threshold of the gut. A lowered threshold to bowel pain and distention are hallmarks of IBS. 4) Increasing parasympathetic tone. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, which can stimulate colon spasms, resulting in abdominal discomfort. In people with IBS, the colon can be oversensitive to the smallest amount of conflict or stress. Acupuncture activates the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the relaxation or ‘rest and digest' response. 5) Reducing anxiety and depression. The distress provoked by IBS symptoms can lead to a vicious cycle of anxiety-pain-anxiety, while the embarrassing nature of the condition can lead to feelings of depression. Acupuncture can alter the brain's mood chemistry, increases production of serotonin and endorphins, helping to combat these negative affective states.

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