Acupuncture can help restore balance to your overall health and optimize your digestion. Imagine you’ve eaten a clean meal and you didn’t overeat, but you still feel those recurring symptoms of bloating and indigestion, leaving you feeling full and heavy. Why are you experiencing these symptoms? This is the question I get asked all the time in clinical practice. And while the symptoms can be similar, the experience is very different for each person.
Gut health plays a crucial role in overall well-being. A healthy gut microbiome, comprising trillions of beneficial bacteria, helps maintain a balanced immune system, protects against harmful pathogens, and synthesizes essential nutrients. Imbalances in gut flora or dysfunctions in gut function have been linked to a myriad of health issues, including digestive disorders, autoimmune conditions, allergies, mood disorders, and even obesity and cardiovascular disease.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the organs involved in digestion include the Spleen and the Stomach. The spleen assists the stomach’s digestion function by transporting and transforming food essences, absorbing the nourishment from food, and producing qi and blood as a resource for the body. As the Spleen is the origin of qi and blood in the body, it (together with the Stomach) is called, the root of post-heaven qi. This function is to nourish the body after birth.
“By addressing the body’s energy flow and promoting balance, acupuncture aims to treat those underlying imbalances that contribute to the symptoms of digestive disturbance.”
The symptoms associated with digestive concerns that include bloating, indigestion, heaviness in the body, poor energy, and changes in bowel movements can also include acid reflux, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. These are the symptoms of dysfunction in the Spleen and Stomach as noted in TCM theory. But how does this occur?
DIET
Diet is an integral part of TCM. Our eating habits and the temperature and energy of the foods all play a vital role in digestion and the creation of dysfunction and symptoms. The Spleen, a yin organ, is said to prefer warm and dry foods. With the overconsumption of cold, raw, and fried foods, the Spleen’s transformation and transportation function is impaired leading to digestive issues.
The Stomach is a yang organ and provides the mechanism of digestion for the Spleen to function. It prefers foods that are moist and cool. Excessive consumption of hot, spicy foods including red meat and alcohol can lead to dysfunction within the Stomach. The Stomach is positively affected by regular mealtimes, eating enough per meal without over or undereating, not snacking in between meals, and not eating too late or too fast. Inconsistent eating habits tend to affect the natural flow of qi, resulting in symptoms of digestive distress.
STRESS
Overthinking, overworking, and increased stress can also lead to changes in the flow and production of qi and blood, resulting in dysfunction of both the Spleen and the Stomach. This tends to cause digestive symptoms as well as symptoms of fatigue, poor energy, and weight gain. The variations of symptoms depend on the individual’s state of health, and the changes that can occur internally to the balance of yin and yang as a result of the dysfunction.
TCM THERAPY
Acupuncture has gained popularity as a complementary therapy for promoting gut health. It works by stimulating specific points on the body to regulate digestion, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and lower stress levels. By addressing the body’s energy flow and promoting balance, acupuncture aims to treat those underlying imbalances that contribute to the symptoms of digestive disturbance.
How It Works
Acupuncture involves the insertion of filiform needles that can affect the flow of qi and blood through the channels and collaterals. These channels and collaterals flow around the entire body and are representative of the 12 organs in TCM. The organs work in unison to provide function and activity within the body.
DIGESTION “ACU-POINTS”
SP-3: Taibai (Supreme White)—Shu-stream and yuan prime point, meaning it can nourish and tonify the Spleen. It helps strengthen the Spleen, resolves dampness, and regulates the intestines. Ideally, it’s indicated for deficiencies of Spleen and Stomach that can present with tiredness, poor energy, and poor appetite. It can treat digestive issues such as diarrhea or constipation, abdominal and epigastric pain, and abdominal distention.
SP-6: Sanyinjiao (Three Yin Meeting)—A connecting point of the three yin channels of the foot, Liver, Kidney, and Spleen, making this point very useful in therapeutic outcomes. It strengthens the Spleen, promotes the free flow of qi in the Liver, tonifies the Kidneys, and nourishes blood and yin. It’s indicated for Spleen and Stomach deficiencies leading to heaviness, abdominal distention, and fullness, as well as the effects of stress and overwork by the Liver onto the Spleen and Stomach.
ST-36: Zusanli (Three Miles of the Foot)—The He-Sea point, which works to benefit the Spleen and Stomach by:
- tonifying the qi and blood
- regulating the intestines and the nutritive and defensive qi
It is indicated for the Stomach symptoms of pain, nausea, vomiting, belching, poor appetite, and difficult digestion. It can also treat deficiency in qi and blood, leading to fatigue and exhaustion.
REN-12: Zhongwan (Middle of Epigastrium)—The front-mu point that directly connects to the Stomach. It helps regulate Stomach-qi, tonifies Spleen and Stomach, and calms the mind. It’s indicated for tiredness, loose stools, poor appetite, abdominal fullness, poor digestion, and the emotions of overwork and anxiety. It treats all diseases of the Spleen and Stomach.
MORE “ACU-RELIEF”
Inflammatory processes in the gut can contribute to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. Acupuncture has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting the production of anti-inflammatory substances. This can help reduce inflammation in the gut and alleviate symptoms associated with inflammatory digestive disorders.
Crohn’s
In a recent study that looked at those with Crohn’s disease (CD), which is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease, the clinical remission rate and the clinical response rate of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than that of the sham (fake-procedure) group. Acupuncture was effective in inducing and maintaining remission in patients with active mild to moderate CD. Acupuncture was associated with an increased abundance of intestinal anti-inflammatory bacteria, enhanced intestinal barrier, and regulation of the circulating Th1/Th17-related cytokines.1 This was a 48-week study that utilized acupoints REN-12, ST-37, SP-6, SP-4, LR-3, LI-4, KI-3, and LI-11.
Balancing the System
The autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in regulating digestive function. It consists of the parasympathetic branch (rest and digest) promoting digestion, and the sympathetic branch (fight or flight) inhibiting digestion. Acupuncture has been shown to balance the autonomic nervous system by shifting the body into a parasympathetic state and promoting relaxation, which can enhance digestive processes and alleviate stress-related digestive symptoms.
Constipation
In a recent study that looked at those dealing with functional constipation, the treatment using acupuncture showed significant positive outcomes in patients with the complaint compared to placebo. Compared to sham, acupuncture significantly increased the proportion of complete spontaneous bowel movement responders and improved spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs), straining, stool consistency, and quality of life.Acupuncture was found to improve gut bacteria diversity and restored its composition. Specifically, there was an increase in butyrate acid in the gut, which was positively correlated with an increase in bowel movements and a decrease in acupuncture-related pathogens.2 This was a four-week study and utilized treatment points ST-25, SP-14, and ST-37.
THE GUT-BRAIN AXIS
There is a two-way communication pathway between the gut and the brain known as the gut-brain axis. Imbalances in this axis have been implicated in various digestive disorders and mental health conditions. Acupuncture can modulate the gut-brain axis by regulating neurotransmitter levels, such as serotonin and dopamine, which play key roles in gut motility, mood regulation, and stress response.
In a recent study that assessed the use of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for cognitive impairment, electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion treatment on ST-36 and REN-4 could restore the diversity and composition of the intestinal flora by improving their diversity distributions. These results showed possible mechanisms by which these therapies could improve cognitive impairment through the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Ideally the treatment outcomes showed regulation of the gut microbial equilibrium, improving intestinal inflammation, and enhancing intestinal barrier function.3
Acupuncture works to treat digestive issues by addressing underlying imbalances in the body, promoting relaxation, reducing inflammation, and optimizing the function of the digestive system. It offers a holistic approach to gut health that complements conventional treatments and can be tailored to individual needs and preferences.
For references visit ecoparent.ca/EXTRAS/SUM24
