IBS

Acupuncture can be effective in helping to ease the effects of IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

During treatment the practitioner will gently palpate and massage the abdominal area in order to refine the diagnosis and give the appropriate treatment. Lifestyle and dietary advice may also be given.

Research has shown that acupuncture treatment may benefit IBS symptoms by:

- Providing pain relief (Pomeranz, 1987).
- Regulating the motility of the digestive tract (Chen et al, 2008).
- Raising the sensory threshold of the gut (Xing et al, 2004). A lowered threshold to bowel pain and distention are hallmarks of IBS.
- Increasing parasympathetic tone (Schneider et al, 2007).
- Reducing anxiety and depression (Samuels et al, 2008).

You can read more about recent research studies on acupuncture for IBS here and follow the links to the British Acupuncture Council Factsheet by ARRC (Acupuncture Research Resource Centre).