• Diarrhea, IBS

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has become synonymous with a digestive problem that Western medicine simply can’t explain.

    IBS is the most common gastrointestinal disease seen by physicians and makes up 30%-50% of all referrals to Gastroenterologists. Women are more affected than men (3:1), with the average age of onset between the ages of 20-40.

  • There are two major clinical types of IBS in Western medicine:

    • Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
      • Diarrhea immediately after waking up
      • Diarrhea immediately after eating
      • Other common symptoms include pain, bloating, urgency, and urinary incontinence.
    • Constipation-Predominant IBS (spastic colon)
      • Pain over area of the colon
      • Periodic constipation
      • Pain may be continuous or in bouts
      • Pain is relieved by bowel movement
      • Constipation alternating with diarrhea

    The World Health Organization & National Institutes of Health Consensus Panel recognized many different conditions as appropriate for acupuncture treatments, including quite a few which directly relate to IBS:

    • Constipation
    • Diarrhea
    • Abdominal pain
    • Muscle cramping

    In addition, acupuncture has also been effective for stress reduction, and at addressing related problems that often trigger IBS symptoms, such as:

    • Anxiety
    • Insomnia
    • Nervousness

    Our goal at Irvine Acupuncture is to assess the physiological constitution, medical history and psychological issues of the patient. Each patient receives a custom tailored treatment based on all the signs and symptoms associated with his or her condition.

    Our Treatment is designed at restoring harmony between the physical and psychological parts of our body, and bringing the body into state of balance.

    The treatment course for IBS is usually between 12-24 visits, once per week.

    Based on the study below you can see how important individualized treatments are for treating IBS.

     

    Links: Research on IBS & Chinese Herbs