Acupuncture-moxibustion in treating irritable bowel syndrome: how does it work?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional intestinal disease characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort and altered bowel habits. It has drawn great attention because of its high prevalence, reoccurring symptoms, and severe influence on patients' lives. Many clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion in treating IBS. Increasing attention has been paid to research regarding the action mechanisms of acupuncture-moxibustion for IBS, and the adoption of modern techniques has achieved some progress. This article reviews the latest advances among action mechanism studies from the perspectives of gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity, the brain-gut axis, the neuroendocrine system, and the immune system. It is shown that acupuncture-moxibustion can effectively regulate the above items, and thus, this treatment should have a high efficacy in the treatment of IBS. This article also identifies existing problems in current mechanism research and raises several ideas for future studies. Further revelations regarding these action mechanisms will promote the application of acupuncture-moxibustion in treating IBS.

[Studies on causes of gynecology postoperative urinary retention and its acupuncture treatment].

Urinary retention is a frequent-encountered complication after gynaecological surgery. It affects the postoperative recovery and decreases the life quality of patients. In recent years, extensive researches on causes and treatments of postoperative urinary retention are carried out in clinic. And it is approved that acupuncture treatment, which includes body needling, moxibustion, combination of acupuncture and moxibustion, acupoint injection and medication plasters, has reliable effects and less side-effects. Acupuncture treatment on postoperative urinary retention keeps developing and innovating. And it is held to have better effect when compare with western medicine.