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Acupuncture is a popular alternative therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other conditions. It’s proven effective for treating chronic pain and other illnesses, according to researchers at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Let us look at the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for IBS patients.
Constipation, diarrhea (or a combination of the two), stomach pain, cramps, gas, and bloating are all common IBS symptoms. Most people who suffer from IBS struggle with it for years, and they often learn to manage it with diet and fiber supplements, stress management, probiotics, and alternative medicine.
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is also known as spastic colon, irritable colon, mucous colitis, and spastic colitis. It is a digestive system disorder. It causes stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, among other symptoms. These tend to come and go throughout time, lasting for days, weeks, or even months at a time.
It’s frequently a long-term issue. It can be quite aggravating to live with and have a significant impact on your day-to-day life. Diet changes and medicines can often help control the symptoms.
Food traveling through your gut too fast or too slowly, oversensitive nerves in your gut, stress, and a family history of IBS have all been related to this condition. Early life stress, dietary intolerance, antibiotic usage, and intestinal infections also have all been linked to IBS.
Women are more affected than men by this illness. IBS can cause modest symptoms in some people. Others, on the other hand, have severe symptoms that interfere with their daily lives.
Symptoms of IBS in Women
Women may experience symptoms around menstrual time, or they may experience more symptoms around this time. Women who have reached menopause experience less symptoms than those who are still menstruation. Certain symptoms have also been observed to worsen during pregnancy by some women.
IBS affects twice as many women as it does males, and it is more common in persons under the age of 50. If you have a family history of IBS, a history of stressful or traumatic life events, or a history of gastrointestinal infection, your chances of having IBS are higher. IBS is commonly associated with various health issues such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, anxiety, and depression.
Symptoms of IBS in Men
IBS symptoms in men are the same as they are in women. Men, on the other hand, are far less likely to disclose their symptoms and seek therapy.
IBS can be classified into three categories: constipation, diarrhea, and mixed bowel patterns. There is no known cause for IBS, and there is no specific test available to diagnose it. To rule out other conditions, medical experts can use tests such as stool collection, blood testing, x-rays, or colonoscopy.
How Can Acupuncture Relieve Symptoms of IBS?
Acupuncture can help people with IBS in a safe and effective way, without the risks associated with invasive procedures in conventional medicine or pharmaceuticals. By improving the activities of the digestive organs and assisting in the release of hormones and neurotransmitter states, acupuncture has been proven to decrease abdominal pain and distention, regulate bowel motions, and reduce tension and stress. Acupuncture is a technique that involves placing acupuncture needles into certain acupuncture points on the body to help the flow of blood and biological fluids via the meridians and bring one’s health into balance.
Acupuncture targeting serotonergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic pathways has been proven in studies to raise the concentration of endogenous opioids, which lowers visceral and global pain perception in IBS patients.
It’s conceivable that needle points activate the neurological system, releasing feel-good chemicals and hormones, which is why acupuncture works. Pain, stress, and other symptoms may be reduced as a result of this.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve the quality of life of IBS patients in several trials.
Acupuncture’s effectiveness has been shown to benefit anything from overall quality of life to the management of diarrhea, bloating, and stool abnormalities.
How Long Does Acupuncture Take to Work for IBS?
An acupuncturist practitioner will propose a treatment plan based on their diagnosis on your initial visit. The duration of treatment might range from twice weekly to weekly sessions lasting anywhere from 6 weeks to several months. You should be able to feel anything working after 30 minutes of treatment.
The amount of time it takes to work is determined by the medical condition being treated and the type of acupuncture being performed.
Acupuncture is only effective for a brief period of time. It takes about 3-4 days for you to notice its medicinal effects. If your problem isn’t chronic and you only need it once a week, you can have it once a week.
If you are ready and interested to undergo acupuncture for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and you are in the area of San Juan Capistrano, California or in the nearby cities such as San Clemente and Dana Point, you can visit the Acupuncture Halls clinic. You can schedule an appointment here or by calling 949-510-6333. The clinic has a board certified licensed acupuncturist that can surely help you in your health issue.