Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the large intestine that causes crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhoea. IBS is a chronic condition that you'll need to manage long term. The clinical assessment and treatments of Chinese medicine for constipation and diarrhoea have been documented in Chinese literature for over 1500 years.

In the last two decades, there have been numerous clinical and experimental studies on the uses of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture for IBS in China and other countries. The studies involved the efficiency and safety of these Chinese medicine approaches and some underlying therapeutic mechanisms were revealed.

If you have any questions regarding how Chinese Medicine can help you manage Irritable bowel syndrome feel free to contact us.

The conditions we focus on

We have primary experience on managing the following symptoms or conditions associated to irritable bowel syndrome:

Mild or moderate diarrhoea
Mild or moderate constipation
Mild or moderate abdominal pain, cramping or bloating
Mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety
Chronic fatigue

The treatments we provide

Chinese herbal medicine: we have mainly used Chinese herbal medicine for relieving digestive symptoms, such as diarrhoea or constipation, or abdominal pain, cramping and bloating. We commonly use convenient herbal forms of granules, capsules or pills for our clients. All herbal prescriptions are designed for individuals.

Acupuncture: in conjunction with Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture is beneficial for mitigating abdominal pain and cramping. It is commonly used for relieving depression, anxiety or chronic fatigue.

Researches revealed that Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture may help to rectify the abnormal muscular contractions in the intestines and to improve coordination between the nerves and the intestines.

Advice on diets and lifestyle: we provide advice on diets and lifestyle for our clients with IBS, especially based on the holistic concept of Chinese medicine.

Expected outcomes

Relieving of diarrhoea, constipation or abdominal pain associated to IBS depends on the length of history and severity of the conditions. For example, mild symptoms may be relieved by 1 – 2 months of Chinese herbal medicine and/or acupuncture treatments; while moderate condition may need over 2 – 4 months. For some severe IBS, conventional medications are necessary in conjunction with Chinese herbal medicine and/or acupuncture.

Please note that maintenance and preventive care with Chinese herbal medicine and/or acupuncture are important during remission or stable stages of IBS. These cares may be undertaken for 6 months – 2 years based on different individuals.

Our advantages

Dr. Henry Liang and Jessica Guo have clinical experience in hospitals in China and in Australian clinics for over 30 years.
Dr. Henry Liang was the key teacher and unit coordinator for Chinese Internal Medicine including disorders of digestive system at Western Sydney University.
As a university academic and researcher, we can update and improve our therapeutic approaches from time to time to meet individual needs.

Costs of the treatments

The initial visit is a longer consultation up to 40 minutes which is basically to make a strategic plan. Subsequent visits up to 20 minutes are to review the conditions and to modify the treatment plan if necessary. Current fees are as follows:

Initial consultation fee: $150
Follow-up consultation fee: $65
The cost of the herbs is generally from $12 to $15 per day
Acupuncture fee: $90

Please note that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are not covered by Medicare. It is covered by many private health funds including Bupa, HCF, Medibank Private, NIB, and many more. Your coverage depends on your insurance policy.