Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS) has long been a public health issue with more individuals -
adults and children - affected every day, with more women than men.
Some people say IBS is
a disease of industrialization and urbanization; but is this true? What the
today science has to say about it? Has the western medicine been able to tackle
it so far? How Complementary and Alternative Therapies (CAMs) have been
involved in treating it?
The first challenge
was to define a common way of diagnosing IBS as a wide and complex range of
signs & symptoms seems to be associated directly and indirectly to this disease.
This is how the Rome Diagnostic Criteria came into place allowing the “global
health watch dog” to measure uniformly the evolution of this disease and provide
GPs with an appropriate set of tools to confirm individual diagnosis.
The second challenge
was and still is to understand what causes IBS whether we are talking about “genetics, immune factors, environmental influences, inflammatory and
infective agents, neurological and psychological factors, hypersensitivity to
food and to bile salts and altered intestinal microbiota and permeability; all
of them influencing the brain-gut axis, leading to abnormal Gastrointestinal
function and motility”. Reference http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112881/
The third challenge and
consequence of the first two was and still is the definition of a successful treatment
protocol whether we are talking about pharmacological, psychological, nutritional
and body therapies. None of these therapies individually provides 100% resolution
of this health issue but there may be an opportunity here to investigate a
patient-customised and integrated therapy protocol.
As a Shiatsu Therapist,
the emphasis of this article is about understanding how TCM-based Body Therapy
can help individuals affected by IBS improve their perceived Quality of Life.
In Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), irritable bowel syndrome is understood to be mainly a disorder
of the Liver and Spleen energy or Qi.
In the case of Liver
Qi Stagnation, the physical symptoms include abdominal pain and distention,
constipation, and the emotional symptoms consist of frustration, high stress
level, and irritability.
In the case of Spleen
Qi Deficiency the physical symptoms include abdominal distention and
discomfort, diarrhoea or loose stools, and the emotional symptoms consist of tendency
to worry, fatigue, and poor appetite.
In Zen Shiatsu
Therapy, irritable bowel syndrome energetically involves also Liver and Spleen,
but Stomach, Large and Small intestines imbalances can also occur. We also
believe that the emotional and mental component of IBS often reflects a
lifestyle which does not accommodate the client’s own natural rhythm.
In the case of Stomach
Qi imbalance, signs of no appetite, over eating, eating quickly, craving for
sweets may occur, as well as difficulty to give and receive support from
oneself and others.
Large Intestine Qi
imbalance may be understood by a poor
circulation in the lower abdomen (Hara) resulting from congestion and
stagnation, the difficulty of grieving and letting go of the past, depression or
social isolation.
As for Small Intestine
Qi imbalance, it may relates to low energy, nervousness and anxiety, as well as
difficulty to assimilate new ideas or to accept unpleasant memories.
What intrigues me is
that there are currently scientific studies investigating the “gut-brain axis”
and what they say about it, resonates with my experience so far in seeing
clients diagnosed with IBS.
“The brain-gut axis
links emotional and cognitive centres of the brain with peripheral functioning
of the Gastrointestinal tract. The digestive tract and the brain develop from
closely related parts of the embryo, and as a result they communicate
extensively via nerves such as the Vagus nerve, and share similar nerve endings
and chemicals that relay signals and messages (neurotransmitters). This is how
stress, thought, emotion, and psychological problems can affect gut sensation,
feeling, motility, and secretion. Conversely, sensations arising in the gut can
affect the central brain, leading to pain or to changes in mood and behaviour.”
Reference http://www.gastroparesisclinic.org/causes.php?pageId=1162&moduleId=202
Indeed, what we do
with Shiatsu is working with the parasympathetic mode of the nervous system,
which in return signals the brain to relax and open up the body, hence giving
space for the energy, blood and fluids to flow freely and overcome physiological
and psychological blockages.
By unlocking these blockages
we create an opportunity for the body systems to selfheal and reconnect the
body as a whole with the mind, which consequently changes the perception of pain
and discomfort into a positive awareness of the natural regulating function of
the body.
This body/mind awareness
is key in the healing process as it allows the individual to understand oneself
holistically, to perceive what is physiologically and psychologically healthy for
oneself and eventually make the necessary adjustment in one’s own life for the
benefit of a sustainable change.
The clients with IBS
who I have seen so far, have been benefiting from Shiatsu physically as the
pain lowered, emotionally as they realised they could take an active role in getting
better and mentally as they were shifting the focus of their life towards
something more positive and constructive.
If you are interested
in receiving Shiatsu and you live in West London, England, please visit www.zenshiatsutherapy.com , email info@zenshiatsutherapy.com or call
074 4438 2847.
