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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA growing body of research shows that\u00a0complementary and alternative medicine\u00a0(CAM) can help treat certain gastrointestinal disorders. Previously looked down upon by scientists,\u00a0mind-body medicine was once categorized as alternative medicine. But interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based approaches are gaining traction in conventional circles and amassing\u00a0evidence\u00a0of its efficacy.\u00a0
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In acupuncture, there are meridians that govern the GI system,\u201d Shi-Hong Loh, MD, of Dao Sheng Acupuncture, Hoboken and Hackensack, New Jersey, told\u00a0Medscape Medical News. \u201cMeridians are typically not tied to Western concepts of anatomy or neurology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The points we use are often related to the parasympathetic nervous system, with nerve distribution from areas in the thoracic and lumbar spine. That type of nerve innervation is from the spinal area and controls abdominal and intestinal function.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other evidence-based mind-body approaches include gut-directed\u00a0hypnotherapy,\u00a0meditation,\u00a0mindfulness-based therapies,\u00a0guided imagery, and\u00a0yoga. A\u00a0systematic review\u00a0of six randomized controlled trials found evidence that in patients with IBS,\u00a0yoga\u00a0can decrease bowel symptoms, disease severity, and anxiety, as well as improve physical functioning and quality of life.\u00a0
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Like CBT, hypnotherapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction \u201caim to reduce overactivity to stressors and to improve maladaptive coping behaviors,\u201d said Hass, who has been trained in hypnotherapy. \u201cParticularly for anxiety-provoked symptoms due to catastrophizing, CBT would be the modality of choice.\u201d
Hypnotherapy and mindfulness meditation have been found effective in several GI cancers, as well as Crohn\u2019s disease and\u00a0ulcerative colitis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Health & Medicine Date : May, 2025 Source : MedScape A growing body of research shows that\u00a0complementary and alternative medicine\u00a0(CAM) can help treat certain gastrointestinal disorders. Previously looked down upon by scientists,\u00a0mind-body medicine was once categorized as alternative medicine. But interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based approaches are gaining traction in conventional circles and … <\/p>\n