How to Use Acupuncture to Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that affect the health of the intestines. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are two commonly diagnosed types of IBD and are characterized by inflammation and ulcers in the rectum, colon and small intestine. IBD is difficult to treat, and alternative therapies like acupuncture are often used in addition to conventional therapies to reduce symptoms. Acupuncture activates points on the body called meridian points thought to help balance energy and increase organ function. Read on to learn how to use acupuncture to treat inflammatory bowel disease.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Watch the informative DVD entitled "Acupuncture." See the Resources section below for a link. See how acupuncture is thought to work and get information on how to use the therapy to treat and cure diseases.

2. Browse "The Acupuncture Handbook: How Acupuncture Works and How It Can Help You" by Angela Hicks to learn more about acupuncture and how it can be used to treat the symptoms of IBD. See the Resources section below for a link.

3. Get results for IBD through acupuncture therapy used to treat liver function. Chinese medicine believes that intestinal difficulties can be solved in part by supporting the kidneys through acupuncture.

4. Consider acupuncture in mild to moderate cases of active Crohn's disease.

5. Use moxibustion therapy to treat inflammatory bowel disease symptoms. During moxibustion treatment, mugwort herb is burned over meridian points to increase the flow of energy through the body. Moxibustion is though to be especially effective in Crohn's disease patients.

6. Learn about all of the acupuncture points and where they are located in "The Pictorial Atlas of Acupuncture." See the Resources section below for a link. Find basic and rarely used meridian points with easy to understand pictures and diagrams.

Tips & Warnings

• Find an acupuncturist who is familiar with how to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Ask about the availability of moxibustion and other acupuncture therapies.
• Consider acupressure therapy to treat IBD if you have distaste for needles. Acupressure stimulates the meridian points on the body through pressure often applied by the fingers.

Resources

• Additional Insight in Acupuncture DVD
• Information in The Acupuncture Handbook
• The Pictorial Atlas of Acupuncture

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