A vast array of chronic disease ranging from auto-immune, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and gynecological can be rooted in the dysfunction of the digestive system.  From  a Traditional Chinese Medicine view, the health of the Spleen & Stomach Qi (the Earth meridian) is vital to overall health.  When treating a patient with digestive system issues, the first thing is to identify the pattern of imbalance and then choose points to correct the imbalance. Additionally, basic dietary considerations are important to address as well. A patient must identify food allergies/sensitivities and should avoid skipping meals, eating while upset, eating too quickly or eating while working, watching TV or driving.

In our practice, we have found many patients have a gluten sensitivity and when gluten is eliminated from their diet they have more energy and less bloating/gas. If you are unaware of any food sensitivities start by eliminating the most common for at least 2 weeks- diary, caffeine, gluten, and soy. After 2-3 weeks of elimination of these foods, start slowly adding one of the items back into your diet.  Only add back one new item each week so you can thoroughly evaluate how you feel. If you notice any new symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, change in stools or abdominal discomfort after adding back in a food item, it is likely you have food sensitivity. Also, it is important to focus on eating at regular times and avoid excessive dairy, raw/cold foods, processed sugars and alcohol. These items create “dampness” in the body which manifest as body heaviness, sluggishness, bloating and gas, unclear thinking, excess weight and chronic sinus infections.

If your digestive systems seems to be off track and you haven’t been able to figure out the cause, TCM can help you heal your body naturally and effectively.

I just came across another article about new research which concludes that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of dyspepsia.  I figured this was the perfect topic to blog about considering we have been treating quite a few patients (with success!!) for bloating, gurgling, acid reflux and fullness after eating.

Dyspepsia is indigestion also known as an upset stomach. It involves symptoms including pain, bloating, full or heavy sensation after eating, nausea, belching and heartburn. Indigestion is often linked to GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), gastritis and gastrointestinal ulcers. In Western medicine, dyspepsia is often treated with PPIs (proton pump inhibitors which essentially cut down on the amount of acid in the stomach). However, long term use of PPIs is linked to gastric cell atrophy, which may lead to cancer!

In my experience, once the right acupuncture treatment plan is created for the patient, their symptoms of bloating, gas and discomfort go away. In addition to regular acupuncture treatments, most of my patients have found that adding fennel tea to their diet helps ease their upset stomach as well. On average, it takes about 4 weekly treatments to see symptoms disappear. Most patients are able to discontinue use of PPIs or at least cut back on the dosage and frequency. After 4 treatments, treatments are spaced out considerably so that patients are on either a monthly or quarterly maintenance plan.