Patient Help Sheet – Acupuncture for IBS Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder in the world. Although gastroenterologists diagnose IBS frequently, many people don’t even recognize the symptoms. Symptoms may include pain in the abdomen, change in bowel habits, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, excessive gas, abdominal cramping and loss of appetite. This is where Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help. TCM t

Digestion is a complex task performed by the body. It begins in the mouth and finishes when the ingested food leaves the body through the rectum. For all we have learned over the years regarding digestion, there is still so much more we don’t know or are still learning. For example, it wasn’t until recently, the last 10 years or so, that modern medicine confirmed our gastrointestinal tract is our second brain. This discovery is drastically changing the way the body and its ma

Digestive disorders can be simple like flatulence or gas, or they can be much more serious, such as Crohn’s disease. But regardless of the severity of the disease, there is no doubt digestive disorders affect far more people than they should, especially in the United States. A recent survey reports nearly 74 percent of all Americans are living with digestive issues. Most people don’t report it to their doctors either, because they assume it is normal to have gas, bloating or

Postoperative nausea and vomiting, often caused by the body’s response to anesthesia, is a very common symptom. Depending on the severity, this can prolong a patient’s recovery time and the length of their hospital stay as well as cause complications to the surgery depending on the type and extent of nutrient-depletion caused by the vomiting. Medications aimed at treating nausea are expensive and can cause side effects of their own, but a growing body of research is showing a

Ginger is a common spice once considered a luxury. Ancient Chinese and Indians used the root of the ginger plant as a tonic to treat various common ailments. Ginger originated in Southeast Asia, but since then it has been widely cultivated all around the world. At its height in popularity during the 14th century, ginger cost about the same as a piece of livestock. Today, ginger can be found in almost every local grocery store and is used worldwide. So what makes ginger suc