Current drug therapy has been shown to be of limited benefit and to carry potential risks.[9, 10] In addition, a low level of patient satisfaction with care received from primary care physicians has been found among IBS patients.[11] Consequently, almost 50% of IBS patients turn to acupuncture and other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies.[12]
Acupuncture has traditionally been utilized for the treatment of a variety of digestive complaints. Research studies have suggested that acupuncture may be effective for certain cases of nausea, vomiting, gastroesophageal reflux disease, functional dyspepsia, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.[13, 14] Digestive symptoms could improve after acupuncture treatment partly because acupuncture affects the motility and perception of the digestive organs. Laboratory research using rats[15-19] and dogs[20] demonstrated that acupuncture stimulation significantly impacted gastrointestinal motility and visceral perception, both of which are closely associated with the development of IBS symptoms. Laboratory studies on rats also indicated that acupuncture stimulation on lower limbs (e.g., on the ST36 point) elicits gastric motility via vagal efferents, while acupuncture stimulation on the abdomen (e.g., on the ST25 point) inhibits gastric motility via sympathetic efferents.[18, 19, 21]
Clinical trials on IBS patients, however, have shown mixed results. The 2006 Cochrane Collaboration Systematic Review concluded that current evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating IBS is inconclusive.[22] Further rigorous clinical studies using adequate experimental design are certainly needed. However, compromised standardized acupuncture protocols that involve simply inserting needles into preselected points (often employed by previous clinical trials on acupuncture) are less likely to provide measurable benefits for the majority of IBS patients.
IBS is considered by gastroenterologists to be a “difficult” condition with significant psychological components.[23] Carefully designed, individualized, and comprehensive acupuncture programs will likely be needed to provide profound clinical benefits for many IBS patients.
At our Toronto clinic, acupuncture and moxibustion have been used to treat a variety of digestive conditions for over 20 years.
Treatment consists primarily of stimulating acupoints traditionally known to restore digestive functions by using both acupuncture and moxibustion. It also includes acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for emotional health. Our comprehensive acupuncture protocol is typically administered in three different patient positions:
Supine (facing up): Acupuncture is administered in this position primarily to stimulate points located in the legs, arms, and abdomen using our Japanese superficial needling techniques.
Prone (facing down): Acupuncture stimulation is applied on selected points along the spine, with attention to nerve segmentations associated with digestive organs. Moxibustion is applied to warm up selected acupoints.
Seated: At the end of the session, the patient is asked to sit on the treatment table so that a gentle superficial tapping acupuncture treatment can be administered on a point near his/her wrist. Studies have suggested that this particular acupuncture technique enhances autonomic nervous system (ANS) function.[24, 25] Optimal functioning of both branches of the ANS (sympathetic and parasympathetic) is crucial for proper digestion.
In addition, most patients are treated with our innovative approach, the Acupuncture and Sound-Assisted Autonomic Modulation Technique [26, 27], which involves acupuncture and moxibustion in combination with a specific HRV biofeedback breathing exercise. This specialized technique further augments the modulation functioning of the autonomic nervous system. This particular breathing exercise is utilized during acupuncture sessions; in addition, we ask patients to practice it between treatments to maintain the therapeutic benefits. This combined acupuncture and HRV biofeedback approach is currently provided only at our Toronto acupuncture clinic.
In some cases, other forms of traditional East Asian medicine, such as Oriental dietary therapy and Kampo herbal formulas, are also recommended.
Tim H. Tanaka, PhD. is a Japanese licensed acupuncturist, certified herbalist, and board-certified biofeedback therapist. He is available for consultation and treatment at his acupuncture and alternative medicine clinic in Toronto.
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Original article and pictures take www.acupuncturemoxibustion.com site
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