Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners treat diseases that were diagnosed and treated in ancient China. In fact, treating "Western Diseases" is outside of our scope of practice. As you can imagine, in ancient China there was no such thing as "Irritable Bowel Syndrome." People had the same signs and symptoms that were treated (and treated very effectively I might add!), but Chinese doctors were not treating "IBS." They were treating "alternating diarrhea and constipation,"or "abdominal fullness and bloating," and all the other symptoms associated with what is called IBS in Western Medicine.

When I was treating clients in my clinic, when someone would say they have been diagnosed with IBS by a Western Medical Doctor, I would asked several questions to learn more about their symptoms. I wanted to know all about their experience so I could diagnose and then treat the disease from a Chinese Medical perspective.

In TCM, the signs and symptoms associated with IBS indicate an imbalance of the liver and spleen known as Liver-Spleen disharmony. This is a very common imbalance and one of my favorite imbalances to treat because people typically report that they feel better after just a few treatments. I generally use acupuncture and herbs as well as dietary and lifestyle recommendations to support people in harmonizing the liver and spleen. Herbs, diet and lifestyle modifications are often enough to promote positive change.

Here are some of the signs and symptoms associated with a liver-spleen disharmony: abdominal bloating and diarrhea which is painful and worse with stress and emotional upset, alternating diarrhea and constipation, distention and pain in the chest and rib-side, irritability, fatigue, cold hands and feet, dizziness if you stand up too quickly and easy bruising. There may also be headaches, depression and anxiety. Women experiencing a liver-spleen disharmony may have menstrual irregularities.

So there you have it...IBS from a Chinese Medical perspective. If you or someone you love is suffering from some or all of these symptoms, keep in mind that Chinese Medicine may offer some relief.

1. Managing stress is very important when treating a Liver-Spleen disharmony. There are all kinds of relaxation techniques you can try to help with stress relief. Here are a few:

-meditation
-visualization
-biofeedback
-self hypnosis

2. Spending time doing creative activities you love can also be very relaxing. There is just something magical (and healing!) about being in the flow of creativity.
Spend some time:

-painting or drawing
-writing
-playing an instrument
-singing
-cooking
-sculpting
-carving...whatever brings you joy!

3. Gentle exercise helps move the liver qi which helps soothe the symptoms. Moving your body can be relaxing and fun. What activities do you enjoy? If you are not moving your body regularly, I highly recommend that you schedule time to move a little bit every day this week...even if just for 15 minutes. Pay attention and see how you feel before and after moving. Note changes in your energy, sleep, mood and digestion.
Some traditional movement styles for both relaxation and exercise are:

-tai chi
-qi gong
-yoga
-walking "100 steps" after meals to support digestion

Just choose something you enjoy- dancing, hiking, biking, swimming...you name it!

4. I could write an entire book filled with recommendations for eating. For today let me just leave you with this...enjoy more veggies, eat them lightly steamed instead of raw, enjoy your drinks warm or room temperature and give your body a rest from ice and cold, raw foods. This week just pay attention to the temperature of the foods you are putting into your body. Remember...your body is around 98.6 degrees and anything you eat or drink has to be warmed up to this temperature, broken down and assimilated. All of this takes qi (life force). Minimizing the cold foods and drinks saves your body the effort of having to warm everything up first. If you are an ice junkie (like I was!), start going with light ice...just a little shift.