acupuncture for constipation

Treatment with Chinese Medicine

You may be considering alternative therapy for any one of a multitude of health problems. Acupuncture and Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) can provide effective treatment for many problems.

This page looks at how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help CONSTIPATION

Find out

how the problem is described in Western terms
how the problem is explained by Traditional Chinese medicine
what clients have said about treatment
what the evidence is that acupuncture is effective for the problem (includes links to World Health Organisation if appropriate)
what links there are to other useful sites

What is constipation in Western terms?

How often is enough? In general, babies pass about four stools a day. That number falls to about two a day by the time a child turns 2. By the age of 4, most children are down to about one bowel movement a day.

Signs and symptoms of constipation include:

No bowel movement for several days, or daily bowel movements that are hard and dry
Cramping abdominal pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Weight loss

How does Chinese medicine explain constipation?

Excessive heat: in the body is the main cause of constipation. Heat in the Large Intestine dries up the fluids and so dries up the stools so that they cannot move properly. This heat can come from many sources such as diet (to much hot, spicy food), heat generated from emotional stress, or a febrile illness.

Constipation can also be caused by a:

Lack of Qi (energy): Literally, there is not enough energy to move the stool properly. In this case if laxatives are used on a frequent basis then the Large Intestine becomes progressively more weakened and the situation becomes more chronic and more difficult to treat.
Internal Cold: Can also cause constipation since cold obstructs the movement of energy. Patients may often feel cold, and their limbs may be unusually cold to touch.
An obstruction in the Large Intestine’s energy: Can result in poor bowel movement. This may be structural, or functional. Acupuncture can help in the latter case.

Acupuncture and appropriate lifestyle and dietary changes will remedy most cases of constipation. Colonoscopies and other internal examinations will rule out any structural cause for constipation.

Have clients been pleased with treatment?

Acupuncture and tuina on the lower abdomen is very effective in helping constipation. I have also treated patients during a course of colonic irrigation with another practitioner, they felt that acupuncture and vigorous massage helped the colonics to achieve maximum effect.

What evidence is there that Chinese medicine works?

See details of a few of the acupuncture research studies in Internet Health library