A small randomised, controlled study to assess the effect of individualised moxibustion and acupuncture for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), has concluded that it shows promise as a treatment. Twenty-nine IBS patients were randomised to receive either real treatment, or sham treatment as a control.
After four weeks of treatment twice-weekly, the acupuncture group experienced significant improvements in average daily abdominal pain, intestinal gas, bloating and stool consistency, whereas the control group showed minimal improvement.
(Symptom Management for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial of Acupuncture/Moxibustion. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2009 July-August.)
Robin’s note: The term “moxibustion” refers to the burning of a Chinese herb called moxa, on or near to specific acupuncture points to warm them.