Acupuncture for Digestion or Intestine

Searching “acupuncture for digestion near me” for your stomach pain?  Meet our acupuncturists and receive the best acupuncture for digestion in Irvine.

When it comes to digestion, having digestion problems can be a pain in the butt, literally. But, it can happen to anyone.

Don’t wait! Get stomach relief by calling now!

stomach ache
stomach ache

During my first visit with Dr. Fu we discussed my health history, as well as my current health issue, my severe stomach pain. I had lost 16 pounds, was unable to sleep or eat, frequent urination, anxiety and depression. After a series of regular treatments, my stomach pain is gone, I am gaining my weight back and feel like normal again.” – F.C. (Mission Viejo, CA)

Table of Contents

Digestion Information

The process of turning the food that you eat into nutrients is a complex process called digestion. Digestion is important because our bodies need nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water from foods and drinks in order to survive and stay healthy. The body uses these nutrients for energy, growth, and cell repair.

Digestion starts in our mouth once food is taken in. The moment we start chewing, the saliva will break down the food and prepare it to be swallowed through the digestive tract. It passes through the pharynx and esophagus, then moves further down into the stomach. Once in the stomach, it releases acids that break down the food, starts to absorb the nutrients, then moves into the small and large intestines. Nutrients are mostly absorbed in the small intestine, then the byproducts are moved into the large intestine for excretion.

It was found by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that an estimated number of visits to physician offices with digestive problems was 22.4 million in the year 2016 [2].

Causes of Digestive Problems

Anyone can have digestive problems, even if you consider yourself as a healthy person. Digestive issues are just way too common, and we sometimes consider it “normal” even though it affects our quality of life, which leads to further discomfort.

Digestive disorders may be caused by various factors. It can be caused by dietary issues like food sensitivity, eating too much high-fat foods, or acidic foods, drinking too much alcohol, lack of exercise, lack of sleep or rest, stress, trauma, and serious injuries can be factors that can cause issues with our digestion.

What Are The Symptoms Of Digestive Problems?

If you are wondering if you have digestive problems, here are some symptoms you might be feeling:

  • Bleeding
  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Heartburn
  • Incontinence
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Pain in the belly
  • Swallowing problems
  • Weight loss or gain

How To Improve Digestion?

Improving digestion can be done easily at home with natural remedies. You can try to include more fiber to your diet or even get better sleep. Exercise is also a good thing to do as well and it can be as simple as taking a walk. There may be times when you have to go to a health professional. They’ll recommend you try things like medications but they may also recommend some complementary treatments. One good complementary treatment they might recommend is acupuncture for digestion.

acupuncture and digestion

What Is Acupuncture For Digestion?

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been practiced for centuries and has been used to treat many health issues like acupuncture for digestion. Acupuncture is the process of inserting needles in the body’s acupuncture points called acupoints. Targeting these acupoints stimulates the body’s qi and promotes the body’s natural healing abilities. In addition to physical well-being, acupuncture also promotes mental and spiritual well-being.

Acupuncture for digestion problems is a safe, effective, and naturally drug-free treatment that helps resolve many issues of our digestive body system. In TCM, acupuncture does not only treat a specific problem, but treats the body as a whole physically, mentally, and emotionally. Every treatment plan is specified for each individual.

Interested in acupuncture for digestion or intestine? Get a complimentary consultation now. Call our number:

Can Acupuncture Help Digestion?

Yes, acupuncture for digestion can help. A study found that acupuncture is effective with digestion problems like gastrointestinal disorders, nausea and vomiting, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and many more [1]. Those who went to see acupuncture for their digestion problems felt relieved and their symptoms alleviated or reduced. Although it may not solve these issues on its own, it is a great complementary treatment with other things. Contact your doctor if acupuncture will work for you.

acupuncture for digestion
acupuncture for digestion

How Can Acupuncture Help with Digestive Issues?

Acupuncture has started to gain traction as it continues to become a successful alternative treatment in dealing with digestive issues. In fact, the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health recognizes acupuncture as an effective treatment for digestive imbalances.

In general, acupuncture for digestion serves to treat imbalances by managing and regulating the endocrine and nervous system by placing needles in different acupuncture points that aids in digestive issues. It stimulates your salivary gland which produces more digestive enzymes in the body, increases blood flow to your digestive system, and relaxes the digestive system. This helps to have a faster metabolism, reduce gastric acid secretion, and regulates the functions of the small and large intestines.

In conjunction with TCM, a hyperactive nervous system will also decrease digestive functions. This can lead to issues of being unable to properly digest food, absorb nutrients, and have a difficult time to excrete waste. With acupuncture, it helps with balancing the nervous system by reducing its hyperactivity and decreases stress in the body, which in turn improves your digestive functions. It also reduces inflammation and pain, and helps regulate acid production and improve peristalsis – a series of wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.

You can also integrate a healthy diet and lifestyle adjustments with acupuncture for digestion to correct and improve digestion.

Benefits Of Acupuncture For Digestion

Acupuncture for digestions has many benefits. Here are some things that our acupuncturist can help you with:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Diverticulitis
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Indigestion
  • Gas
  • Upset stomach
  • Boost your metabolism
  • Regulate the digestive process
  • Increase the gastrointestinal muscle contraction and relaxation
  • Reduce acid secretion
Having digestion problems? We can help. Come see our award-winning acupuncturists and get your acupuncture for digestion now. Call now to book your appointment:

Common Acupuncture Questions

Acupuncture for digestion will be around 50 minutes. Some acupuncture sessions might be longer than others depending on your symptoms. If it’s your first acupuncture session, your session will also take a little longer. It’s because you have to take extra time to fill out some forms. Then your acupuncturist will ask you some other questions about your medical history and any problems you been having recently. The acupuncturist will also run a medical diagnosis and they will also check for any sensitive skin. All of these things help the acupuncturist to determine the optimal treatments for you and where the needles can be inserted.

After your session, your acupuncturist will determine how often you need to come in for the following sessions. Typically, you can be coming in 1-2 times a week. It is so your acupuncturist can see how the treatment is affecting your body. Once your acupuncturist sees a lot of progress, they might shift it to every few weeks or even every few months. During that time, your acupuncturist may give you some recommendations for things you can do during the time you’re not coming in.

Don’t worry, acupuncture needles don’t hurt. The needles are pretty thin and no bigger than a strand of hair.  They won’t hurt more than a small pinch. You don’t have anything to worry about with our certified acupuncturists. There are times you may feel some discomfort depending on how sensitive your skin is but that is why your acupuncturist will run a medical diagnosis beforehand. If your acupuncturist finds any areas that are sensitive, they won’t insert needles there. However, if you feel any pain when your acupuncturist is inserting the needles, don’t be afraid to tell them. They’ll change the location of the needles so you won’t feel any discomfort.

In the end, our acupuncturists’ main goal is for you to feel alleviated from your digestion problems.

YOU NEED TO EAT BEFORE

Before you head off to your acupuncture appointment, it’s important to eat before. It is recommended to eat something light and if you are going to eat something big, eat it a least two hours before your appointment. Eating will give you the fuel to go through your session without any problems. If you don’t eat, you may be distracted by hunger and may feel lightheaded or even faint during the treatment. Remember that your appointment might be around 50 minutes to an hour.

TRY TO WEAR LOOSE CLOTHES

Unlike your regular appointments, you should wear loose and comfortable clothes to your acupuncture appointment. This will help your acupuncturist easily place the acupuncture needles throughout your body. Also, it would be nice for you to have comfortable clothes if you’re going to be there for at least 50 minutes. It’ll help you relax throughout the session.

DON’T DRINK A LOT OF CAFFEINE

I know some people need caffeine some time throughout the day. However, try not to drink a lot of caffeine before your acupuncture session. Why? It is because caffeine is a stimulant and it will affect your flight-or-fight response. You’ll feel restless. This is the opposite of what your acupuncturist wants you to be. They would like you to be relaxed especially if they are going to insert needles on you. If you are going to drink a lot of caffeine, drink it 2 hours before your appointment time.

DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL

Please try not to drink alcohol before your appointment. Although a little amount won’t hurt anyone, it won’t be helpful for your session. You’ll feel relaxed but you might be too relaxed. Alcohol is a depressant and it will numb your body. This means you may not be able to correctly describe the symptoms you are feeling when asked. In addition, you may not be able to feel any discomfort that you may have when the acupuncture needles are inserted. This could lead to bruises or even bleeding after the session because the acupuncturist could not determine if you were feeling discomfort or if you had sensitive skin.

REMEMBER MEDICAL HISTORY

Something that will be helpful to know is your medical history or past health problems. This will help your acupuncturist know more about you and the problems you may be facing. If you know anything that is related to your digestion problems, please tell your acupuncturist. It will help them find the best treatments for you. If you don’t remember everything, one good advice is to bring your medical history for your acupuncturist to read. Also, it would be good to consult your doctor to see if acupuncture for digestion will work for you.

DON’T BE NERVOUS

You’re ready to now to go to your acupuncture for digestion but you might feel nervous. It might be your first acupuncture or you’re scared of needles. It’s okay. You can take your time and ask any questions you have for your acupuncturist. Our acupuncturists want to help you and they will gladly answer any questions you have, By doing this, it is only going to help your treatments.

[1] Sung, J J Y. “Acupuncture for gastrointestinal disorders: myth or magic.” Gut vol. 51,5 (2002): 617-9. doi:10.1136/gut.51.5.617

[2] Rui P, Okeyode T. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2016 National
Summary Tables. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ahcd/namcs_summary/2016_namcs_web_tables.pdf.

Award-Winning Acupuncturist

best acupuncturist in irvine

Dr. Chun-Ming Fu Ph.D.

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