0
0
A new study suggests that acupuncture may be a beneficial treatment option for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that does not respond to conventional therapies. The study, published in Frontiers of Medicine, found that acupuncture significantly reduced symptoms in patients with refractory IBS, a chronic condition characterized by abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation.
The randomized controlled trial was conducted across multiple centers in China. Researchers compared the effects of true acupuncture (TA) with sham acupuncture (SA) on 170 participants diagnosed with IBS. Participants were aged 18-70 and had not previously found relief through standard therapies.
Both groups received 12 acupuncture sessions over four weeks. The TA group received targeted needling at specific acupuncture points believed to influence gastrointestinal function, while the SA group received superficial needling at non-acupuncture points.
The results showed that TA significantly reduced IBS symptom severity, as measured by the IBS–Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS). Patients in the TA group also reported improvements in abdominal pain and overall quality of life. Notably, half of the participants in the TA group experienced substantial relief in symptom severity, and the benefits persisted through a four-week follow-up period.
These findings suggest that acupuncture may be a safe and effective treatment for people with IBS who do not respond to conventional therapies. Further research is needed to confirm these results and to explore the long-term effects of acupuncture for IBS.
Source: Acupuncture Trial Shows Significant Relief for IBS Patients
