Eastern Medicine Offers Alternative IBS Treatments

There is nothing conventional about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For some patients, this mysterious ailment means diarrhea, while for others constipation.

Additional symptoms include gas, bloating and stomach cramps. Traditional treatments are understandably varied considering the inconsistency of the illness. Behavioral options include high fiber diets, limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption, regular exercise and some form of stress relief (yoga, meditation). Pharmaceutical treatments include the recently approved Zelnorm, for female patients suffering from constipation, and Lotronex, approved (on a special circumstance basis) for women suffering from diarrhea.

However, no pharmaceutical on the market provides relief for all IBS patients. In lieu of a chemical solution, many patients are turning to alternative methods of treatment to find relief from their nagging symptoms.

CHINESE MEDICINE

There are eight branches of Chinese medicine; each emphasize balancing a person's chi, or energy, in relation to their three realms: heaven, human and earth. These branches include: herbal therapy, acupuncture, diet, massage, exercise, mediation, cosmology and feng shui.¹

According to traditional Chinese medicine, IBS is the product of an infection of heat and dampness of the gastrointestinal system. The head and dampness may be caused from external sources (weather) or internal sources (eating improper food).²

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 followed 116 patients who were suffering from IBS. Participants were divided into three treatment groups: individualized Chinese herbal formulations, standard Chinese herbal formulations or a placebo.

The results of the double-blind placebo-controlled trial found patients being actively treated saw significant improvement in their bowel condition. Herbal treatments tailored to the patient were no more effective than the standard treatment.

Researchers concluded Chinese herbal formulations improved the conditions of IBS patients.³

Acupuncture has long been used in Eastern cultures as a method of treating a variety of ailments. There are some 2,000 acupuncture points where needles can reportedly stimulate and regulate the flow of chi. Acupuncture is a method of keeping yin, the soft and feminine qualities, in balance with yang, the dark and masculine qualities.¹

Pam Marsh, an IBS patient in Golden, Colo., turned to acupuncture after suffering for many years.

"My internist referred me to an acupuncturist for treatment," she says. "He had seen good results with other patients with IBS and Crohn's symptoms."

Marsh receives treatment in a healthcare center that offers both Eastern and Western medicine.

"The process takes about an hour," she describes. "The acupuncturist first takes my pulse and other readings. He sometimes checks my tongue, puts pressure on certain points, etc. I lie on my back on a massage table and needles are applied. Usually the needles are left in for 20 to 30 minutes. They are placed in a variety of places: toes, foot, stomach, hands and wrist. It never hurts, but will sometimes create a burning sensation for the first couple of seconds. Breathing deeply and slowly helps reduce the sensation. Afterward, I feel a bit spacey for a half an hour or so. If I have symptoms or discomfort before a session, I most likely leave feeling much better."

Marsh says she is using this alternative treatment, along with behavioral changes, to improve the illness she has been suffering from for 20 years.

"I have used various medicines," she says, "but I have also made changes to my diet and keep to a daily exercise program."

She says while initially hesitant to trust treatment outside of the Western methodology, she recommends the procedure to others.

"I am a believer," she says. "I have been able to go off of the over-the-counter and prescriptive drugs with the acupuncture treatments. I was raised with traditional Western medicine beliefs, with my father being a pharmacist. So it was a stretch for me to trust this Eastern medicine. I believe acupuncture can help with a variety of problems. I recently had damage to the trigeminal nerve and have found relief through acupuncture. Like any other medical practice, however, I think you need to search out acupuncturists who are well-respected and recommended in the community."

OVERLAPPING IDEAS

Although Western and Eastern medical ideologies seem distinctly different, there are several treatment options both trains of thought agree on. Diet, exercise and finding a method of stress relief, possibly meditation, are three behavioral methods of treatment for IBS urged by both ideologies.

Changing a person's diet for IBS is also a conundrum based on symptoms. Flax seed is often recommended as a natural laxative for those suffering from IBS-related constipation. Chinese herbs for treating constipation include: aquilaria root, white atractylodes rhizome, szechuan pepper fruit, melia fruit, codonopsis root, torreya seeds, poria, rubia, licorice root, dried ginger, myrobalan fruit, omphalia gruiting body, nutme seed and more.

Patients suffering from diarrhea related to IBS may be advised to stay away from dairy products.

Additionally, limiting alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are recommended for all patients. Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily can also help alleviate some symptoms.

Exercise and finding a method to relieve stress are also important behavioral changes that should be made by IBS patients. Ideally, patients should try to exercise 60 minutes daily, per the new Institute of Medicine guidelines.

Methods of meditation and stress relief include: yoga, stretching, Pilates, qui gong, tai chi, other martial arts, journaling, daydreaming, walking, hiking, etc. Meditation requires mindful concentration. While a spiritual practice for some, today the practice can be applied to nearly any activity that requires focus.

Herbert Benson, MD, was one of the first Western physicians to write about the health benefits of meditation. The first article published on the topic was written by Benson in 1970 in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. The Harvard researcher wrote mediation could reduce heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption and muscle tension.⁵

FINDING AN ACUPUNCTURIST

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has a list of acupuncturists nationally. They also have certification information for those interested in studying the practice.

NCCAOM: (703) 548-9004 www.acupuncture.com

The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture can recommend an acupuncturist who is also a physician.

AAMA: (323) 937-5514 www.medicalacupuncture.org⁶

With a vague cloud hanging over IBS research and treatment options, it is important to have information about other medical ideologies that may provide relief for your patients.

For a complete list of references, visit: www.endonurse.com