Heal your gut, settle your mind + spirit

Acupuncture for Digestion + Gastrointestinal Health

We have all encountered times of digestive upset throughout our life. If we are lucky, we may only catch a stomach bug here and there and are better within a few days. However, gastrointestinal issues are becoming a lot more common, and can become very painful and disrupt our normal life routines. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are proven to be effective at treating a wide variety of digestive issues. Not only is it helpful for treating all the symptoms of digestive upset, but also helps treat the root cause. Treating the root cause of symptoms can help reach long lasting results, as well as decreasing potential medication use.

Treating gastrointestinal issues takes time and commitment from both you and your practitioner. At Blue Heron we pride ourselves on not only being you acupuncturist, but also helping support your wellness with dietary and lifestyle recommendations that can make a huge difference in your journey. Just as in western medicine, gastro-intestinal issues can be caused by a variety of things, so our approach to treatment is individualized to the patient, no matter the western diagnosis. Our practitioners will ask extensively about your digestion, stools, eating habits, food and other triggers, and how it affects your everyday life, to best understand what is causing your symptoms. Schedule today to start improving your gut!

Digestion in Chinese Medicine

While what you eat is important in having optimal digestive function, in Chinese medicine there are many factors that contribute to a well maintained gut health. The spleen and stomach are the main organs of digestion in TCM. The stomach intakes the food and begins the process of breaking down and digesting food. The stomach is where our “digestive fire” lives. It is imperative that we keep the stomach warm, as a cold stomach will lead to poor function, bloating, abdominal pain and sluggish stools. Your acupuncturist will likely tell you to balance out your diet and don’t overeat raw foods such as salads, as well as decrease your iced beverage or smoothie intake, while increasing your room temp water and hot tea consumption. On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes a Stomach can become too hot, which is commonly seen as acid reflux, GERD or halitosis, though these may be related to other patterns of disharmony. This is why it is important to be diagnosed by a licensed acupuncturist and understand the true cause of the issue at hand.

The spleen in Chinese medicine terms is the stomach’s partner in the digestive process and is said to encompass the functions of the pancreas. The spleen’s main function is to “separate the clear and turbid”. This means the spleen is continuing to further digest the contents from the stomach, get rid of what is not usable, and send waste to the intestines. The leftover “clear” or good nutrients are then sent to the appropriate locations to be used as fuel for our body and brains. Just as the stomach likes to be warm, so does the spleen. A cold spleen may also lead to digestive upset including loose stools or diarrhea, foggy headedness, fatigue, pain, etc. The spleen is also easily overwhelmed and taxed by our diets and lifestyle. Long-term stress or overwork will tax our digestive system leading to poor function. You can support the spleen by eating warm, cooked foods that are easy to digest.

Your acupuncturist will take you through an in-depth intake concerning your digestive issues and from there will formulate a custom treatment including acupuncture, herbs, qi gong, dietary recommendation and/or lifestyle changes to facilitate your body's natural healing process.

What We Treat

Unexplained Abdominal Pain

Bloating

Nausea

Constipation/Diarrhea/Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s/ Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis symptoms

Acid Reflux/GERD support

Painful or difficult bowel movements

Sluggish digestion

& more!

Benefits of Acupuncture for Digestion

Depending on what you are coming in for, the changes you see after your treatments will vary. Improved digestion will likely occur as well as improved bowel movements, whether it be more frequent, less frequent, more formed, or an easier time going. You may also notice a decrease in bloating, nausea and pain. Remember, acupuncture is cumulative in its effectiveness. You may have immediate results or experience a slow and steady improvement of your symptoms.

Interventions to Treat Digestion

Based on your pattern diagnosis, your practitioner may use a combination of the therapies listed below to bring your body back to homeostasis and help your body self-regulate. Depending on the chronicity and severity of your diagnosis, it can range from a couple months to a year of treatments to help your condition, although most people see at least some degree of improvement within the first few treatments. As with treatment of any disorder, lifestyle changes will typically amplify and help sustain results.

Acupuncture

Moxibustion

Electrical stimulation

Chinese Medical Massage

Herbal Medicine

Qi Gong Exercises

Dietary Therapy

Our Pledge

Blue Heron’s practitioners’ ultimate goal is to improve your quality of life and improve your digestion.. We are able to work in conjunction with your medications and other healthcare teams to assure you the best results possible. Our practitioners want to give you a life free of digestive issues by giving you the tools to maintain balance within your body as well as help recognize and mitigate triggers.

If you are unsatisfied with the results of pharmaceuticals or haven’t found an answer with conventional medicine, traditional chinese medicine has been proven to be effective for a variety of gastrointestinal ailments. We at Blue Heron would be honored to support your goal of achieving a life of improved digestion!

Begin with us today.

Schedule an appointment