Acupuncture treatment for gastric ulcers

In addition to its application in treating musculoskeletal disorders and restoring nerve damage, thread embedding is also indicated in the treatment of other functional disorders, including peptic ulcers.

A doctor uses acupuncture to treat a patient with peptic ulcers - Photo: T. DUONG

Recently, a 60-year-old female patient (residing in Tay Ninh ) came to the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital seeking treatment for gastritis. The patient recounted that many years prior, she had been diagnosed with chronic gastritis but was not infected with Helicobacter pylori (HP).

4 times of thread implantation to treat stomach disease

The patient had been receiving continuous Western medical treatment, taking many different medications. These medications were mainly acid-controlling and stomach-protecting drugs. The patient was also advised to avoid many foods, even seasonings like MSG and salt.

However, after years of treatment, she still experienced "dull epigastric pain, a feeling of fullness and bloating after eating, and a burning sensation behind her sternum while sleeping at night." These symptoms prevented her from sleeping well. Along with having to restrict so many foods, this made her feel discouraged because she couldn't eat her favorite dishes.

At the Traditional Medicine Hospital, after examination, the doctor decided to reduce some of the Western medications she was using, keeping only one essential Western medicine, prescribing two types of traditional Eastern medicine produced by the hospital, and performing acupuncture thread embedding.

After the first implantation, the symptoms of frequent bloating after meals improved, and the burning sensation behind the sternum at night decreased.

After the second thread embedding session, symptoms such as bloating and nighttime heartburn continued to improve. Patients felt they had a better appetite and slept better, thus feeling more relaxed.

The patient underwent two more thread implantation procedures.

After her fourth acupuncture treatment, the patient tried attending a wedding reception – something she hadn't dared to do before because of the strict dietary restrictions on food and spices.

This time, although she still felt a little bloated after the meal, she could tolerate it, and her condition gradually stabilized after a few days, not as uncomfortable as before.

Combining thread lifting with Western medicine.

Dr. Ly Va Senh, head of the outpatient department at the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital, said that the hospital receives several patients each day who come to undergo the thread embedding method to treat peptic ulcers. All of these treatments have shown very good results.

Gastric and duodenal ulcers are lesions of the muscular and mucosal layers of the stomach and duodenum. The disease results from an imbalance between protective and destructive factors of the gastric and duodenal mucosa, leading to damage to the gastric and duodenal mucosal barrier.

There are many causes of peptic ulcers, among which Helicobacter pylori infection and the use of anti-inflammatory pain relievers are the most common.

Common symptoms of peptic ulcers include epigastric pain (a very varied pain sensation, which may be a gnawing pain when hungry or a burning sensation after meals, causing nighttime awakenings due to pain), bloating, indigestion, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and relief after vomiting…

According to traditional Chinese medicine, these symptoms are often described as epigastric pain. The causes may include emotional factors (stress, sadness, anger, anxiety), prolonged irregular eating habits, or cold pathogens (raw or cold food, or cold weather) affecting the function of the spleen and stomach.

Besides regulating the functions of the spleen and stomach with medicinal herbs, traditional medicine also focuses on treating internal disorders through the acupuncture point system on the body. There are many methods of influencing the acupuncture point system, among which thread embedding is a modern acupuncture method performed by inserting absorbable threads into acupuncture points.

Compared to traditional acupuncture, thread embedding creates continuous and long-lasting stimulation at acupoints, thus not only achieving the same therapeutic effects as acupuncture but also being more convenient and time-saving for patients.

In addition to its application in treating musculoskeletal disorders and restoring nerve damage, thread embedding is also indicated in the treatment of other functional disorders, including peptic ulcers.

Before undergoing thread embedding, patients will be examined by a doctor using both modern and traditional medicine methods.

Traditional Chinese medicine classification is crucial, as it forms the basis for determining the acupuncture point formulas for thread embedding procedures. Besides commonly used acupuncture points such as Zusanli, Neiguan, and Zhongguan, which help relieve pain, reduce bloating, and promote relaxation, doctors will adjust the acupuncture point formulas to suit each individual patient's specific condition (known as individualized treatment).

The difference between implanting thread and taking medicine

"Currently, many people suffering from stomach pain often use Western medicine treatments. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of acupuncture thread embedding compared to Western medicine?" In response to this question, Dr. Ly Va Senh stated that it's impossible to compare acupuncture thread embedding with Western medicine, as the choice of medication, method, or whether to use Eastern or Western medicine depends on the patient's condition.

For example, if peptic ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, eradicating Helicobacter pylori according to Western medical protocols is absolutely essential. However, in many patients with peptic ulcers, despite using various groups of gastric mucosal protective drugs, antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and intensive treatment, symptoms are still not well controlled and persist, affecting sleep and quality of life.

Recent clinical studies have shown that combining acupuncture – a non-drug treatment method of traditional medicine – with Western medicine has been proven to improve symptoms in patients better than using Western medicine alone.

For patients with peptic ulcers, Dr. Sềnh advises them to choose reputable medical facilities for examination and treatment. Treatment should follow the principle of addressing the underlying cause of the disease, such as Helicobacter pylori infection, prolonged use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, etc., and eliminating factors that increase the risk of peptic ulcers.

Commenting on the method of implanting thread to treat gastric ulcers, Master, Doctor Tran Ngoc Luu Phuong - Head of the Department of Digestive Endoscopy, Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital - said that gastric ulcers have a mechanism of the 10th nerve. Implanting thread is a variation of acupuncture, the method of implanting thread has an effect on the nervous system, so it will support Western medicine in treating gastric ulcers.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cay-chi-tri-benh-viem-loet-da-day-20250219075853388.htm