Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal problems. It is characterised by colic abdominal pain and an increased frequency of bowel movement, accompanied by bloated and swollen abdomen, and general fatigue and depression. Women are usually afflicted by this condition about three times as commonly as men. It often flares up during a stressful time. IBS really is not dangerous, but sufferers can experience real discomfort and inconvenience in their daily life. For instance, some sufferers can not drive long distance or even go shopping. Some can not watch a football match or a race because the excitement may cause increased frequent bowel movements.

In terms of Chinese medicine, irritable bowel syndrome mainly results from the dysfunction of the spleen and stomach, whose purpose is to digest food, to transform food into food essence and then to transport the food essence to other parts of the body. When the spleen and stomach fail to function well, the most common result is retention of dampness in the digestive system, which will further affect the normal functioning of the whole digestive system, including the liver. IBS is one possible pathological result.

Here are some common syndromes:

1. Cold-dampness: Cold-dampness is usually a direct result of dysfunction of the spleen and stomach. The condition is manifested by frequent bowel movements with loose or watery or even spray like stools, wind in the stomach, bloated abdomen, poor appetite, white greasy tongue coating and soft and slow pulse.

2. Damp-heat: If the patient has a constitution prone to excessive heat or if they prefer to eat spicy food, cold-dampness may transform to damp-heat. It usually manifests by frequent bowel movements with smelling stools and a burning sensation, abdominal pain, thirst, and red tongue with a yellowish greasy coating.

3. Food retention: When food can not be digested properly due to dysfunction of the spleen and stomach, it stays in the intestines and leads to food retention. Apart from frequent bowel movement, with undigested food in the stool, there are other manifestations such as abdominal pain, which is usually relieved after discharging the bowel, also fullness of the stomach, belching with acid regurgitation, poor appetite, thick and greasy tongue coating and slippery pulse.

4. Stagnation of the liver Qi: The liver will dysfunction if one is depressed or stressed, or when the spleen and stomach can not function well. This condition is often termed as stagnation of the liver Qi. It is characterised by general tightness in the chest and tenderness around rib regions on top of frequent bowel movement. The patient is usually emotional and likes to sigh a lot.

5. Deficiency of the spleen and stomach: Deficiency of the spleen and stomach is a result of chronic dysfunction of the spleen and stomach. This condition could be a bit serious. It is marked by frequent bowel movement with very loose stools, tiredness, nausea, abdominal fullness, pale complexion, or even no appetite, also pale tongue with white coating, and thin and weak pulse. Taking greasy or cold food can easily aggravate the condition.

6. Deficiency of the kidney Yang: When kidney Yang is affected, a further development forms deficiency of the spleen Yang, it means the kidney Yang is one of the congenital foundations of the body. The condition is serious, but not dangerous, and responds well to treatment. It is usually manifested by a loose bowel at midnight or in the early morning with acute abdominal pain, cold limbs, weakness in the lower back and knees, and pale tongue with whitish coating, deep and thin pulse.

Chinese herbal medicine usually treats IBS very effectively. However, each individual patient is treated with a different prescription according to the main treatment principals based on syndrome differentiation.

We can help in the following ways:

1. Acupuncture. This is because acupuncture re-balances the vital energy of the body – the Qi which flows continuously around the meridian system, which is an energetic network of channels that not only connects the acupuncture points to each other but also directly influences the functioning of the internal organs and other controlling systems of the body.

2. TCM practitioners will prescribe different herbs for the purposes of expelling cold and eliminating dampness; clearing away excessive heat and dampness; resolving the retained food and restoring normal digestive function; soothing the liver and harmonising the spleen; tonifying the spleen and regulating the stomach; warming the kidney Yang and strengthening the spleen Qi.

3. TCM practitioners will also prescribe some tablets for the above purposes.

For further information, please contact your local branches.