becoming one of the more popular alternative and
complimentary therapies used by IBS sufferers to help alleviate
symptoms. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine that is
designed to restore health by improving and bringing balance to
qi – the body’s natural energy flow. Acupuncture works to
restore the proper function of organs, muscles, glands, nerves
and vessels.
How can acupuncture improve IBS symptoms? Acupuncture is
recognized as being an effective therapy for treating the
following conditions which are often symptoms of IBS:
- Muscle cramps
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
In addition, acupuncture effectively reduces stress and other
negative issues that often cause IBS symptoms to occur. Some of
these include:
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Menstrual cramps
As was previously mentioned, acupuncture is based on improving
and brining balance to qi that flows through all of the 14
unseen channels in the body known as meridians. A person with
IBS usually has a deficiency of qi in the spleen, lung, liver,
kidney and large intestine meridians, so these are the areas
that will likely be targeted during an acupuncture session.
That being said, you need to understand that each person is
treated differently depending on where their discomfort is
located.
In order to help improve the qi flow within the targeted
meridians, tiny, solid, disposable needles are individually
inserted into specific acupoints within the body. How deep the
needles are inserted depends on the thickness of the muscle.
Acupoints (trigger points), are precise points of the body
where the meridians surface has deeply penetrated into the
tissues and organs.
The insertion of the needle is usually painless and is a
sensation often described as a mosquito bite. Most people only
feel a slight achy or numbing feeling in the targeted area.
After the needle has been inserted, they may be twirled or
connected to an electrical current to help stimulate the
targeted meridian. Needles may be left in between 20 – 60
minutes. All sensations that are experienced during an
acupuncture session disappear with the removal of the needles.
Aside from acupuncture needles, another popular technique that
acupuncturists use for IBS is moxibustion. This is a method in
which mugwort herb is burned over precise acupoints.
Moxibustion is used because it is believed to penetrate deeper
into the body than the needles.
Although Chinese medicine believes that acupuncture is
successful at relieving symptoms due to reestablishing balance
to qi, Western medicine believe that acupuncture treatment
causes inflammation in the body, which causes it to release
natural pain killing hormones – endorphins. Despite what the
actual truth may be, it is clear that for many IBS sufferers,
acupuncture has provided them relief from abdominal pain,
cramping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.
Acupuncture is a safe alternative treatment for most people,
but you should discuss acupuncture treatment with your doctor
first before engaging in the therapy. You should also know that
it often takes several acupuncture sessions before a person
begins to feel relief from their symptoms. Finally, make sure
you seek treatment from a qualified and experienced
acupuncturist.
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