Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Acupuncture And Crohns Disease

Question:
Just wondering if any of you have tried acupuncture to help with your crohn's or colitis symptoms.   Remicade just isn't working as well as it used to.   A friend of a friend has been getting acupuncture treatments for crohn's and swears that it has put her into remission. I'm always a bit skeptical about trying new things (and I'm not that fond of needles either), so anyone who has their experiences to share, it is much appreciated.

Answer:
There are no studies of acupuncture in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. However, it was recently reported that electro-acupuncture, in which a small electrical shock is delivered via the acupuncture needle, could cause the stomachs of dogs to empty faster. This is the first clear evidence that acupuncture is able to affect the function of the bowel and suggests that acupuncture might be useful in treating irritable bowel. (More clinical trials are needed). 2 Part article.  1st part mostly discusses the disease; the second part gets into the oriental perspective. http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2000/nov/11chen.html http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2001/jan/01chen.html The summary of the acupuncture therapy is this: Oriental medicine approaches treatment of Crohn's disease similar to treatment of abdominal pain and diarrhea. Herbs and acupuncture are effective in controlling the symptoms and signs of Crohn's disease. Optimal treatment, however, requires full cooperation of the patient to adhere strictly to treatment and preventative guidelines. I am sure there are other articles, probably newer ones.  And more than likely there are articles which say it will do wonders and you will never need medicines again.