Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Ibs) tends to be a catch all for all types of Abdominal pain which do not have an explanation. Ibs is characterised by altered bowel habits, abdominal pain & discomfort e.g Constipation, Diarrhoea, Cramps, Bloating, lack of appetite etc. I will go through each one individually
IBS
According to Chinese Medicine, this has been recognised for thousands of years, and refers to a disharmony between the Liver and Spleen. To briefly explain, IBS is known as the ‘Liver invading the Spleen’, one of the functions of the Liver is to ensure the smooth circulation of energy (qi) around the body, when the Liver is out of balance, it can upset other organs and in this case the Spleen (the digestive system). From an emotional point of view the Liver is affected by stress, anger, bitterness, resentment and frustration. The more intense the emotion, the more imbalance there is. So the objective here to treat IBS, (constipation, Diarrhoea etc) is to soothe the Liver and strengthen the digestive system. Combining Acupuncture, eating certain foods, deep breathing and exercising goes a long way to treating IBS.
Constipation
Bowel habits and perception vary from person to person, some consider every other day Constipation, others weekly, Constipation can come in ‘normal frequency’ but dry and hard and painful to pass. A feeling of fullness and overall sluggishness can also be a factor. Again here, we also look at overall energies, diet, ‘heat’ in your system. Acupuncture can see a return to regularity to your bowels.
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea can be as acute as food poisoning, or a food intolerance. Either way the result is loss of nutrients and water. It can also alternate with Constipation. Again like Constipation, we will go into detail about frequency, timing etc to get a more general understanding of your digestive system and your diet. Acupuncture can reduce the frequency and severity of your bouts of Diarrhoea.
Bloating
Bloating is an uncomfortable condition where the abdomen is swollen and distended. From a Chinese perspective, it can indicate an imbalance of the Liver which we spoke about under IBS, i.e stress, anger, alcohol, lack of free flow of energy. This causes energy and blood to stagnate in the digestive tract resulting in bloating. The Spleen also can be a culprit here, this can be down to irregular eating, eating too much raw, cold foods, too much sugar, dairy as well as excessive worry or overthinking. Puffiness and sluggishness during the menstrual cycle indicate poor function of the digestive system.
Case History/Testimonial
My name is Jeremiah and have suffered with Irritable Bowel for the last 10 years. I suffered with desperate constipation normally followed with bouts of Diarrhoea. The cramps prior to Diarrhoea were so bad, I needed to take time off work and was also effecting my personal life. I also suffered with bad breath which effected my confidence levels as I was always aware of it. I was taking prescription tablets for the 10 years which were containing the Irritable Bowel but were not curing it. I had good and bad weeks. The tablets also gave me acid reflux. A friend told me about how Acupuncture worked for her. David gave me an assessment on Acugraph, he explained the graph in detail and told me where I had to be on the graph to resolve the Ibs. I received 7 Acupuncture treatments and some Herbs. David also spoke to me about my Diet, what to eat and what to stay away from. After 3 sessions, my problems had improved significantly, by the 7th treatment, my bowel movements are back to normal and my bad breath is a thing of the past. That was 6 months ago and I have seen David twice since then as a precaution. I also claimed back the treatments against my Insurance Company so it was a win, win situation.
Jeremiah
This is a typical example of someone coming to me with IBS symptoms, a comprehensive detailed approach is taken at the beginning of each treatment allowing us to fine tune any changes to each session.
