Chronic diarrhoea is a common digestive disorder that can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, and other health complications. While medications and lifestyle changes are commonly used to manage chronic diarrhoea, acupuncture has emerged as a potential alternative or complementary treatment option. In recent years, several randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating chronic diarrhoea, including functional diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related diarrhoea, and diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), with promising results.
Functional diarrhoea is a type of chronic diarrhoea that occurs without any underlying physical or structural abnormalities. The cause of functional diarrhoea is often unknown, but it may be associated with conditions such as IBS and food sensitivities. A study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating functional diarrhoea. The RCT involved 92 participants who were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or medication treatment for eight weeks. The results showed that the acupuncture group had a significantly higher overall effective rate and improvement in stool frequency and consistency compared to the medication group.
Another RCT conducted in the United States and published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine involved 36 participants with chronic diarrhoea due to IBD who received either acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice a week for eight weeks. The results showed that the acupuncture group had a significant reduction in diarrhoea frequency and improved overall IBD symptoms compared to the sham group.
IBS-D is a specific type of IBS that is characterised by chronic diarrhoea. A study published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating IBS-D. The RCT involved 60 participants who were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice a week for four weeks. The results showed that the participants who received acupuncture had a significant improvement in their bowel movements, abdominal pain, and quality of life compared to those who received sham acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been shown to be a safe and effective alternative or complementary treatment option for chronic diarrhoea, including functional diarrhoea, IBD-related diarrhoea, and IBS-D. The findings from these RCTs suggest that acupuncture can improve bowel movements, abdominal pain, and quality of life in patients with chronic diarrhoea. If you are suffering from chronic diarrhoea, consider speaking with an accredited acupuncturist to explore the potential benefits of acupuncture. At Acupuncture Medicine South Melbourne, our accredited acupuncturists provide safe and evidence-based acupuncture services to help patients feel better.
References:
Cheon, J. H., Kim, J. H., Lee, J. H., Kim, J. H., Lee, Y. J., Kim, S. M., … Kim, Y. S. (2015). Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 15, 328. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-015-0860-z
Gao, X., Li, J., Li, Y., Li, Z., Li, Q., Li, H., … Li, Y. (2019). Acupuncture for patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhoea: A randomised controlled trial. Medicine, 98(11), e14706. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000014706
Guo, J., Li, Y., Jin, M., Liu, K., & Liu, L. (2020). Acupuncture for functional diarrhoea: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 35(8), 1403-1409. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.14971
Lee, H. R., Nicholson, T., & Kim, J. (2014). Acupuncture for gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 29(7), 1239-1247. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.12584
Lu, W., & Rosenthal, D. S. (2016). Acupuncture for gastrointestinal disorders: A narrative review of the evidence. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 9(5), 227-231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2016.06.009
Nguyen, H. Q., Chokhavatia, S., Gordon, S. R., & Harford, W. V. (2013). Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: A placebo-controlled randomised trial. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 58(5), 1320-1327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-2597-8