Struggling with chronic digestive issues like stomach pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea or heart burn? You aren’t alone! If you are on a journey to help feel your best despite stomach woes, you should consider acupuncture as an essential part your treatment plan. This ancient Chinese therapy has shown promising results in easing symptoms of various digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Let’s learn more about the benefits of acupuncture for digestion optimization below!
How Acupuncture Supports Digestive Health
Research suggests acupuncture may play a role in the following digestive processes:
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Improve gastric emptying, or how quickly the stomach empties. This is important for those who are dealing with acid reflux issues like heartburn that happens after eating larger meals or certain foods.
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Reduce gut sensitivity, including visceral pain experienced more intensely by those with GERD or IBS versus those who don’t have those conditions. When dealing with chronic pain, its important to be able to provide different treatment options to best manage patient outcomes and feel better ASAP.
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Support better esophageal motility, or helping the smooth muscle of the esophagus work more efficiently with its contractions to move food downwards and prevent acid reflux.
Acupuncture & IBS
In a large clinical trial in China (Pei et al., 2020), acupuncture sessions targeting specific points helped improve IBS symptoms over a 20-week period. Practitioners used techniques to create the “deqi” sensation (tingling, heaviness, or numbness), which may enhance treatment effects. However, this study involved frequent sessions (three times per week), which may not be realistic for everyone.
Final Thoughts
Acupuncture can be a valuable part of managing IBS and other digestive concerns—but it works best alongside other lifestyle changes like:
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Nutrition adjustments
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Stress-reduction tools (e.g., meditation, journaling)
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Regular movement
If you want to learn more about how to support your gut health goals, book an appointment here with me, Dr. Liz Dalglish, ND. I focus my practice on digestive health, IBS, chronic constipation, and heartburn. Thanks for reading all about acupuncture for digestion optimization!
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References
Pei, L., Geng, H., Guo, J., Yang, G., Wang, L., Shen, R., Xia, S., Ding, M., Feng, H., Lu, J., Li, J., Liu, L., Shu, Y., Fang, X., Wu, X., Wang, X., Weng, S., Ju, L., Chen, X., … Sun, J. (2020). Effect of Acupuncture in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 95(8), 1671–1683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.01.042