Acupuncture for Digestive Disorders

Feel Better Fast: Acupuncture for Digestive Disorders

It seems that more and more people today report having some kind of digestive or food sensitivity issue. Diagnosed cases of digestive disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis are on the rise. Additionally the number of people—especially children—with severe food allergies has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. While it is unclear what is causing this trend, it is likely due at least in part to a food supply that has fewer nutrients and more toxic additives than ever before, coupled with people leading more and more busy and stressful lives.

Food is one of our sources of energy and nourishment, but it also requires energy to digest it and extract this energy. Under normal conditions, our bodies use somewhere between 30-50% of our energy just to digest and extract nutrients and energy from the food we eat. When we are eating poorly, and our digestion is less than optimal, the body is expending more energy to digest the food than what it’s receiving in return. It’s a net loss. We aren’t getting enough energy from the food we eat, but it still must be processed. In the short term this leads to increased inflammation, and symptoms like low energy, bloating, feelings of heaviness, and poor concentration, just to name a few. Long term this can lead to a more severe breakdown in virtually any system of the body.

Modern medicine’s treatments can be ideal for a one-off case of heartburn, upset stomach, diarrhea, or constipation. Persistent or chronic symptoms are a sign that there is a greater imbalance that needs to be addressed and you might want to ask yourself how you can treat digestive disorders naturally and more holistically. Allopathic treatments typically consist of some type of medication that masks the symptoms temporarily, but doesn’t address the underlying imbalance. And there is seldom any talk of food sensitivity or dietary changes. As such these treatments often don’t work long term, or have unpleasant side-effects.

How to Achieve Greater Digestive Health

Using this approach, I work closely with patients to help them achieve greater digestive health by rediscovering balance in their lives and bodies and using natural remedies for digestive problems. Depending on the particular condition and the severity, treatment can range from a few weeks to several months, or even on an ongoing basis.

Treatment begins with weekly acupuncture for digestion problems, along with a custom herbal formula taken twice-daily. Additionally, I work with patients to help them discover what foods work best for them, and to cultivate an understanding that it’s not only what we eat, but how and when we eat. Any part of our overall relationship to food can affect digestion and as a result, our health and wellbeing. Patients begin to understand how diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors all contribute to digestive health. This type of approach can be applied across the board, so whether it’s the persistent heartburn of a mild case of GERD or the severe abdominal pain of Crohn’s, we can get relief naturally with the help of Chinese medicine and acupuncture for digestive disorders.