
Digestive Health
Are you struggling with bloating, IBS, heartburn, or other digestive problems? At GoldStar Acupuncture in Modesto, CA, we offer 100% drug-free all-natural acupuncture treatment for digestive discomfort.
Learn more about how this traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) procedure can restore gut health, optimize digestion, and improve overall well-being:
Discover How Acupuncture Can Help Transform Your Digestive Health

Common digestive problems and gut-related concerns such as bloating, heartburn, and irregular bowel movements are not normal. They are actually warning signs that your health is in danger and needs immediate attention.
Poor gut health causes system wide problems with circulation, metabolism, immunity and other important functions, and is linked to various chronic health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, allergies, autoimmune disease, arthritis, depression, and many more.
Do you know acupuncture offers a holistic approach to addressing indigestion, acid-reflux, IBS, constipation, gastritis and other common digestive problems?
Acupuncture is a time-tested method to balance the body’s digestion function and improve gut health. It provides natural relief from heartburn, bloating, cramps, constipation, and other common digestive issues associated with poor gut health. Acupuncture also helps to promote the repair and regeneration of digestive tissue, while boosting digestive function and metabolism, and the absorption of essential nutrients.
How Acupuncture Treatment Works for Digestive Health

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that stimulates a person’s own self-healing mechanism. It involves the insertion of ultra-thin therapeutic needles into specific points along the body’s energy meridians. Acupuncture helps promote healing by balancing and restoring the flow of energy, known as Qi, in the meridians.
While acupuncture has been recently popularized for its effectiveness in treating pain conditions, it has been used in the treatment of digestive disorders for thousands of years.

Acupuncture for digestion works by stimulating specific points on the body that can help regulate the digestive system and alleviate symptoms of poor gut health. This includes using points related to the Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Liver, and Gall Bladder organ systems, as well as points related to the endocrine and immune systems. Some key acupuncture points for digestion include:
- Stomach 36 (Zu San Li 足三里): Boosts digestive energy and alleviates constipation.
- Stomach 25 (Tian Shu 天樞): Regulates intestinal function, treating both diarrhea and constipation.
- Liver 3 (Tai Chong 太沖): Relieves abdominal fullness, abdominal pain, and constipation.
- Liver 13 (Zhang Men 章門): Alleviates constipation and focal distention, fullness and pain of the abdomen.
- Large Intestine 4 (He Gu 合谷): Improves digestive motility and relieves abdominal discomfort.
- CV 12 (Zhongwan): Relieves bloating and indigestion by targeting the stomach.

Research shows that acupuncture can help modulate the release of inflammatory markers and promote the production of anti-inflammatory substances in the body. This can help reduce the severity of digestive symptoms such as bloating, heartburn, constipation, and abdominal pain. Additionally, acupuncture has been found to improve gastric motility, enhance and balance the secretion of digestive enzymes, and regulate the absorption of nutrients.
Acupuncture Treatment for Digestive Health Uses Herbal Medicine Formulas

Acupuncture treatment for digestion also includes the use of medicinal Chinese herbs. Chinese herbal medicine is well known for its excellent ability to regulate and optimize digestive function. It is commonly used to help maintain healthy gut flora balance and repair damaged intestinal mucosal barriers to offer relief for various symptoms of poor digestive health, including indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, poor appetite, gas, nausea, bloating, excess weight gain, acid regurgitation, and stomach ulcers. Common Chinese herbs used in acupuncture treatment for digestion include:
- Magnolia Bark (Hou Po / Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis): Relieves abdominal distention, pain and fullness, poor digestion, bloating, constipation, and nausea.
- Hawthorn Berry (Shan Zha / Fructus Crateigi): Dissolves food stagnation, promotes digestion, eases stomach and abdominal fullness and distention.
- Dried Citrus Peel (Chen Pi / Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae): Aids in the digestion of fatty and greasy foods, reduces bloating and nausea, and alleviates abdominal distention, fullness and pain.
- Ginger (Sheng Jiang/ Zingiberis Officinalis): Soothes the stomach, stimulates digestion, and alleviates nausea, indigestion, and abdominal discomfort
- Peppermint (Bo He/ Herba Mentha Haplocalyx): Promotes digestion, and relieves gas, bloating, nausea and stomach cramps.
- Licorice Root (Gan Cao / Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis): Inhibits gastric acid secretion, protects the digestive mucous membranes, and enhances overall digestive function.
Acupuncture Treatment for Digestive Health Uses Nutrition Therapy

Acupuncture for digestion also uses dietary modification and nutrition as part of treatment. Nutrition therapy in acupuncture promotes eating a diet consisting mainly of fresh plant-based foods that are the most vital and free from chemicals, preservatives, and over-processing, in combination with the use of nutritional supplements as needed. Studies have shown that a plant-based diet and the use of nutritional supplements helps maintain optimal function of the digestive system to alleviate indigestion, heartburn, bloating, and constipation, and reverse various states of poor health.
What to Expect During Your First Acupuncture Treatment for Digestive Health



