Digestive Health
According to the National Institutes of Health, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 60 million to 70 million Americans suffer from some form of Digestive Disorder. If you are one of these millions, let the skilled practitioners at Gainesville Holistic Healthcare help you get your digestion back on track. Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine are proven
to be effective in the treatment of the following Digestive Disorders:
- Colitis
- Constipation
- Crohn’s Disease
- Diarrhea
- Gallbladder Attacks & Pain
- Gastritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Heartburn
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Reflux
- Ulcers
Resources
Research on Acupuncture for Gastro-Intestinal Disorders and Digestive Complaints
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort, which is associated with disturbed bowel function and feelings of abdominal distention and bloating[1]. It is the most common reason that patients seek medical advice from primary care physicians and gastroenterologists. The prevalence of IBS reaches 7%-10% worldwide depending on the criteria used for diagnosis[2]. It is a common gastrointestinal disorder, affecting 10%-15% of the population in developed countries[3]. IBS is associated with a significant reduction in health-related quality of life[4]. Estimates of annual direct and indirect costs associated with IBS exceed 41 billion dollars in major industrial countries[5]…
Over its 2500 years of development, a wealth of experience has accumulated in the practice of acupuncture, attesting to the wide range of diseases and conditions that can be effectively treated with this approach. Unlike many other traditional methods of treatment, which tend to be specific to their national or cultural context, acupuncture has been used throughout the world, particularly since the 1970s. In recognition of the increasing worldwide interest in the subject, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a symposium on acupuncture in June 1979 in Beijing, China. Physicians practicing acupuncture in different countries were invited to identify the conditions that might benefit from this therapy. The participants drew up a list of 43 suitable diseases. However, this list of indications was not based on formal clinical trials conducted in a rigorous scientific manner, and its credibility has been questioned…
Acupuncture has been used for various gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. Voluminous data support the effect of acupuncture on the physiology of the GI tract, including acid secretion, motility, neurohormonal changes, and changes in sensory thresholds. Much of the neuroanatomic pathway of these effects has been identified in animal models. A large body of clinical evidence supports the effectiveness of acupuncture for suppressing nausea associated with chemotherapy, postoperative state, and pregnancy.
Although acupuncture is being utilized to treat a variety of important health problems, its usefulness in obesity management has not yet been fully evaluated. The aim of this review paper was to survey and critically evaluate the descriptive and controlled trials of acupuncture for enhancing weight loss. The underlying principles of acupoint stimulation are described, with an emphasis on auricular (ear) acupuncture, the method most often chosen for obesity studies. The difficulties of selecting suitable placebo controls are highlighted. To date, most trials have been descriptive in nature, of short duration (12 weeks), and designed using nonstandard treatment protocols. Despite the unique challenges involved, further careful study of acupuncture’s potential usefulness as an adjunct in weight management is recommended. An agenda for future research in this area is provided…
Clinical evaluations indicate whether the therapy works; research on the mechanisms involved indicates how it works and can also provide important information on efficacy. Knowing that acupuncture is effective and why makes the practitioner confident in its use, and also allows the technique to be used in a more appropriate way…
Acupuncture literally means to puncture with a needle. However, the application of needles is often used in combination with moxibustion—the burning on or over the skin of selected herbs—and may also involve the application of other kinds of stimulation to certain points. In this publication the term “acupuncture” is used in its broad sense to include traditional body needling, moxibustion, electric acupuncture (electro-acupuncture), laser acupuncture (photoacupuncture), microsystem acupuncture such as ear (auricular), face, hand and scalp acupuncture, and acupressure (the application of pressure at selected sites)…
BACKGROUND: The current standard of care in proton pump inhibitor failure is to double the proton pump inhibitor dose, despite limited therapeutic gain. Aims To determine the efficacy of adding acupuncture vs. doubling the proton pump inhibitor dose in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients who failed symptomatically on proton pump inhibitors once daily…