Combat Constipation with Acupuncture

Regulate your digestion, naturally!

If you suffer from chronic digestive concerns, we can help! Give us a call today (425) 686-4498 to schedule your initial consultation.

Combat Constipation with Acupuncture

Do you suffer from chronic constipation?

Do certain foods or even stress and anxiety make digestion worse?

You are not alone, it is estimated that over 14% of the world population suffer from functional constipation. Constipation is defined as a change in bowel habits, stools may be hard to pass, and infrequent. Most report bowel movements less than three times per week. Standard treatments often try and reduce symptoms but most often do not work to address the root cause on how the constipation developed. However, there is hope, you can combat constipation with acupuncture!

How acupuncturists view constipation:

Often our health and tendencies toward certain ailments can get worse with change in seasons. This is especially true of digestive health issues like constipation. Intestinal constipation is also one of the main health concerns of the autumn season. The large intestine is designed for preparing the waste for release and then actually delivering it out of the body. There are many challenges to this system, especially with this change of season. We are shifting gears in Autumn, from the extreme yang outward energy of summer to the first inward turn of yin, beginning to prepare for winter.

During this internal pull, there may be a temptation to hold on to what is not essential while drawing in resources. That pull can actually inhibit peristalsis, the natural rhythmic movement of our intestines that guides the stool out of the body. Autumn is also a time of dryness, as the humidity of summer is drained out of the air, and pulled back into the earth. This ‘drying out’ energy can be overdone in our intestines, leading to a dry constipation.

Try these tips to help Combat Constipation:

The practice of letting go of stuck emotions: requires awareness of emotional energies and time and space to process them. Give it a go!
Abdominal massage: castor oil is a great oil to penetrate the tissues and encourage movement of stagnation. You can use clockwise circular motions on your lower belly. Another great addition is magnesium lotion by Trace Minerals.
Fiber: The fiber binds to toxins in the intestines and gives the intestinal walls something to work with to assist peristalsis. A great fiber and prebiotic is, “SunFiber” it can be found on Amazon. It is a great addition for daily use to help keep up regularity.
Stay hydrated: With Autumn being the season of dryness, keep a healthy fluid balance in the intestines with daily water intake and occasional aloe vera juice for internal hydration. And as you might have guessed, I recommend drinking warm or hot water during the day, avoid cold water! This one little trick can really help your digestion!
Got food allergies? At Starting Point, we look at the whole body and often patients with any digestive concern, especially constipation, also have a food sensitivity or allergy. Test, don’t guess!
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is fantastic at helping to balance patterns associated with constipation.

In a recent study looking at how acupuncture can help functional constipation found that those receiving acupuncture at regular treatments over 8 week plan, showed more effective outcomes than the medication groups and sham acupuncture groups. Participants reported increased stool frequency, stool formation, and improved symptoms. Interesting to note, this study found that those receiving acupuncture reported increase in quality of life and that acupuncture was found to be safer than lactulose and mosapride treatments for constipation.