Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can include symptoms such as chronic abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and altered bowel habits. This disorder of the intestines affects up to 22% of people in the UK(1), with women being 2-3 times more likely to experience IBS.

Occurring mainly in adolescence or early adulthood, factors that may lead to developing IBS may include a low-fibre diet, emotional stress, even the use of laxatives or infectious diarrhoea.

IBS can cause such pain and impairment that it can lead to frequent visits to the GP, workplace absenteeism and can cause depression.

Symptoms are usually caused by stress or eating and research shows that conventional medication can be of limited benefit in IBS(2).

How can Acupuncture help?

Various researches show that acupuncture treatment may benefit IBS symptoms by:

• Providing pain relief(3)
  

• Regulate the motility of the digestive tract⁽⁴⁾

• Reducing anxiety and depression(5)
  

Acupuncture can be safely combined with conventional western medicine and general practice. It is also effective when coupled with other treatments such as psychotherapy or herbal medicine.

Your acupuncturist may also be able to make suggestions as to lifestyle changes that may be helpful in combating symptoms of IBS.

Other treatments that may help resolve the symptoms of IBS could be Reflexology, Counselling or Mindfulness Meditation.

Woolpit Complementary will be providing a topical seminar at Stonham Barns’ Mid & West Suffolk Show (26-27 April), on ways in which to address anxiety and more specifically IBS. Identifying which complementary treatments and lifestyle changes could help those that live with IBS and/or relative levels of anxiety. 

Please feel free to comment or contact us for more information.

References:

1. Akehurst R, Kaltenthaler E. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a review of randomised controlled trials. Gut. 2001 Feb;48(2):272-82

2. Maxwell PR et al. Irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet. 1997 Dec 6;350(9092):1691-5

3. Pomeranz B. Scientific basis of acupuncture. In: Stux G, Pomeranz B eds. Acupuncture Textbook and Atlas. Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag;1987:1-18

4. Yin J, Chen JD. Gastrointestinal motility disorders and acupuncture. Auton Neurosci. 2010 Apr 2. [Epub ahead of print]

5. Samuels N et al. Acupuncture for psychiatric illness: a literature review. Behav Med. 2008 Summer;34(2):55-64