Digestive health
TCM treatment for gastric pain, bloating & IBS in Singapore
Almost every day our physicians treat patients with gastric pain, reflux, stomach wind and IBS — using acupuncture, cupping and herbal medicine to settle the stomach and correct the habits behind the problem.
Gastric pain, bloating, stomach wind, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are among the most common complaints we see — our physicians treat patients with stomach issues almost every day. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these problems often trace back to years of eating habits: irregular meals, spicy and fried food, alcohol, and an excess of cold or “cooling” drinks that weaken the digestive system over time.
Conditions we treat
- Gastric pain & gastritis (胃痛) — including chronic cases of many years
- Acid reflux & heartburn — gas rising to the throat, discomfort after meals
- Bloating, stomach wind & flatulence (胃胀风) — frequent burping and trapped gas
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (肠易激综合症) — urgency after meals, alternating stools
- Indigestion, poor appetite, constipation & diarrhoea
- Piles / haemorrhoids & anal fistula
How we treat digestive problems
- Acupuncture on the abdomen and legs to regulate the stomach and intestines.
- Cupping to expel trapped wind — patients who burp constantly often feel the difference within a session.
- Herbal medicine prescribed to your specific pattern, taken as powder or brewed herbs.
- Dietary guidance — identifying the habits that caused the problem, so it doesn't return.
Patient examples
Two years of gastric pain, resolved over a course of treatment. A 69-year-old lady had suffered gastric pain for two years — acid reflux and heartburn after full dinners, frequent burping and passing of gas, and gas rising to her throat that woke her at night. Western medication had not changed her symptoms. Dr. Ong treated her with acupuncture and herbal medicine; within two weeks she reported less gas and better nights, and after several more sessions her gastric problem subsided and she could eat normally again.
The hawker and the cooling drinks. A beef-noodle hawker cooled himself through long hours at the stove with chilled herbal “cooling water” every day. After six months he developed gastric pain that worsened until gas pains in his chest woke him nightly, forcing him to sit up for hours. Acupuncture on the stomach and legs plus herbal medicine gave relief from the first treatment, and with weekly sessions he was soon sleeping through the night. We advised him to stop the daily chilled cooling drinks while his stomach recovered — the habit that had caused the problem in the first place.
The manager who couldn't speak in meetings. A bank manager in his mid-40s had seen his doctor for four to five years about constant stomach wind — gas rushed up his throat whenever he spoke at length in meetings. After two courses of acupuncture with cupping and herbal medicine, his gastric problem resolved.
Individual results vary. These accounts were previously published on our clinic blog.
Digestive health FAQs
Can TCM help with gastric pain and IBS?
Yes — gastric complaints are among the conditions our physicians treat most often. We use acupuncture, cupping to expel trapped wind, and herbal medicine, together with dietary guidance. Many patients with chronic gastric pain, bloating and IBS have seen lasting improvement over a course of treatment, though results vary by individual.
Can I continue my Western medication during TCM treatment?
Many of our gastric patients come to us while on long-term Western medication. Tell your physician what you are taking so treatment can be planned appropriately, and consult your doctor before changing any prescribed medication.
How long does treatment take?
Some patients feel relief from bloating and wind within the first few sessions. Chronic conditions that have persisted for years typically need one to two courses of acupuncture (10 sessions per course) together with herbal medicine. Your physician will advise at consultation.
What foods should I avoid?
During treatment we usually advise avoiding spicy and oily food, hard nuts, alcohol, cold drinks and excessive “cooling” drinks and teas, which in TCM's view can aggravate a weak stomach. Your physician will give personalised advice.
Settle your stomach for good
Speak to a physician experienced in gastric pain, bloating and IBS. Book at a branch near you.