Moxibustion benefits long-term relief of IBS symptoms

Background: Moxibustion is increasingly used for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. This study investigated the long-term effects of moxibustion for IBS with diarrhea.

Methods: Patients with IBS-D were assigned to receive moxibustion or sham moxibustion (52 each, 3× per week, 6 weeks) and were followed up to 24 weeks. The acupoints were bilateral ST 25 and ST 36, body surface temperatures at acupoints were 43°C ± 1°C and 37°C ± 1°C for the moxibustion and sham groups, respectively.

Primary outcome was changes in irritable bowel syndrome Adequate Relief (IBS-AR) from baseline to 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes included the following: irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS), Bristol stool form scale (BSS), irritable bowel syndrome quality of life (IBS-QOL), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Results: Based on an intention-to-treat analysis, the rate of IBS-AR in the moxibustion group was significantly higher than the sham group at 6 weeks (76.9% versus 42.3%; p < 0.001); the mean decrease of total IBS-BSS score in the moxibustion group was lower than that of the sham group (-116.9 versus -61.5; p < 0.001), both of which maintained throughout the follow-up period. Five specific domains of the IBS-SSS were lower in the moxibustion group than the sham, throughout (p < 0.001).

At week 6, the rate of reduction >50 points in IBS-SSS of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the sham (p < 0.001), which persisted throughout the follow-up period. Similar long-lasting improvements were observed in BSS, stool frequency, and stool urgency (p < 0.001). Improvements of IBS-QOL and HADS were comparable between the groups.

Conclusions: Moxibustion treatment benefits the long-term relief of symptoms in IBS with diarrhea patients.

Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35222693/

Acupuncture Times Logo

Hi there!

Sign up to receive the latest research in acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, Chinese herbal medicine and more, once a week.

About Attilio

Doctor of Chinese medicine, acupuncture expert and author of My Fertility Guide and My Pregnancy Guide.

Check Also

Pub Med

Acupuncture and moxibustion points for neurogenic bladder issues

Objectives: To explore the rules of acupoint selection in the treatment of neurogenic bladder (NB) with …