Acupuncture is effective for Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition in digestive system. It has great impact on the quality of life. The symptoms include stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea and constipation etc. Stress makes the symptoms worse.

Acupuncture is used to treat IBS effectively. Recently a research compared the efficacy of abdominal acupuncture and western medication on IBS. In this research sixty-one patients with IBS were randomly assigned into an acupuncture group (30 cases after 1 dropping) and a western medication group (28 cases after 2 dropping). Acupuncture was used at Yinqiguiyuan points [Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4)], Fusiguan points [bilateral Huaroumen (ST 24), Wailing (ST 26)], Tiaopiqi point [bilateral Daheng (SP 15)], once every other day, 3 times a week. Pinaverium bromide tablet was used orally in the western medication group, 50 mg a time, 3 times a day. All the treatment was given for 4 weeks in the two groups. IBS symptom severity score and clinical symptom scores for abdominal pain and distension, diarrhea, poor stool output, defecation urgency and stool abnormality were observed before and after the treatment as well as 3 months after treatment. Adverse reactions were recorded and the effects were evaluated. The result has shown that the symptoms improved in both groups, but the improvement in acupuncture group is greater. After treatment and at follow-up, the IBS-SSS scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment. Compared with the western medication group, the scores and the improvements between the two time points and before treatment were better in the acupuncture group. The symptom scores in the two groups after treatment were lower than those before treatment including abdominal pain, abdominal distension, diarrhea, poor stool output, defecation urgency and stool abnormality, and the scores of abdominal pain, abdominal distension, diarrhea, poor stool output and stool abnormality in the acupuncture group were lower than those in the western medication group. The total effective rate and the cured and remarkable effective rate of the acupuncture group were higher than those of the western medication group and the therapeutic efficacy of the acupuncture group was better than that of the western medication group. There was no side effect in acupuncture group.


References
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2017 Dec 12;37(12):1265-8. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.12.003.