Digestive Disorders Specialist

What Digestive Conditions Can Acupuncture Treat?

Acupuncture helps patients manage a variety of conditions that fall under the classification of a functional gastrointestinal disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome. Using acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, Dr. Zhou also successfully treats  gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), constipation, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and biliary disorders.

How Does it Work?

The needles are inserted at different pressure points throughout the body in order to correct the energy flow. Many of the digestive disorders that acupuncture treats require several medications, but acupuncture has the ability to relieve many of the symptoms the patient is experiencing, especially related to pain. The underlying reason why acupuncture may have the potential to ease a person's suffering is because it helps to relieve stress, which has a tendency to make many digestive disorders worse. When it realigns the flow of qi, it has the ability to revise acid secretion, relieve visceral pain and improve GI motility.

Where Are the Pressure Points for Digestive Disorders?

Inserting the needle into the lower limbs stimulates the occurrence of muscle contractions in the somatoparasympathetic pathway. The inner side of the foot is one of the main areas that helps to aid in digestion because it harmonizes energy flow in the stomach while reducing issues like stomach aches, nausea, and indigestion. When it's applied directly to the upper abdomen, muscle relaxation begins because of its effect on the somatosympathetic pathway. The arms and hands have several pressure points as well such as the webbing located in between the thumb and index finger, which has the potential to relieve diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation.