Stomach & digestion

Acupuncture for Bloating

You start the day with a flat stomach and end it with trousers that pinch. After eating, your abdomen feels tight, full and tense, as if there is a balloon inside. Bloating may seem a minor complaint, but it can strongly affect your appetite, your energy and how you feel in your body. Acupuncture, laser acupuncture and acupressure can be used to support the body, so that the abdomen can settle again.

What is bloating?

With bloating, the abdomen feels swollen, tight or tense. Sometimes the abdomen is also visibly larger, often as the day goes on or after a meal. It frequently goes together with wind, rumbling bowels, belching, abdominal pain or a full feeling after eating little.

Bloating occurs when gas remains in the bowel or when the bowel reacts more sensitively to normal amounts of gas. Slow digestion, which keeps food in the stomach and bowel for longer, or increased tension in the abdominal muscles and diaphragm can also contribute.

Various factors may play a role: eating hastily and swallowing a lot of air, fizzy drinks, certain foods such as legumes, cabbage, onions, dairy or sweeteners, a lot of sugar or raw food, alcohol, a disturbed gut flora, constipation and stress. Many women notice that the complaint increases around menstruation or during menopause due to hormonal fluctuations.

Bloating is common with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but can also occur on its own. With persistent or recurring complaints, digestion as a whole is therefore always taken into account.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Bloating from a TCM perspective

Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, bloating is seen as a sign that flow in the abdomen is stalling. The Spleen transforms and transports food, the Liver ensures that Qi can flow smoothly. When either loses its balance, food, fluids or energy linger and the abdomen feels full and tense. We look at which pattern fits your symptoms.

Liver Qi stagnation

Gan Qi Yu Jie

Within TCM, stress, frustration and pent-up tension can obstruct the free flow of Liver Qi. This is associated with bloating that varies with your mood, worsens with tension and around menstruation, and eases after belching or passing wind.

Spleen Qi deficiency

Pi Qi Xu

When the Spleen is weakened within TCM, digestion runs slowly. This is associated with bloating that increases mainly after eating and as the day goes on, feeling full quickly, loose stools and tiredness after meals.

Dampness burdening the Spleen

Shi Kun Pi

When fluids are not properly transformed within TCM, Dampness can accumulate. This is associated with a heavy, full and pressing feeling in the abdomen, little thirst, a sticky taste in the mouth and a sluggish or heavy body.

Food stagnation

Shi Zhi

When, within TCM, food lingers, for example from eating too much, too late or too quickly, this is associated with a hard, distended abdomen, sour regurgitation, bad breath and symptoms that ease after a bowel movement.

How can acupuncture and laser acupuncture help with bloating?

Treatment starts with an intake covering your symptoms, eating habits, stress level and, for women, the menstrual cycle. Based on this, a treatment plan is drawn up that focuses on promoting flow in the abdomen, supporting digestion and reducing tension.

01Targeted acupuncture: very fine, sterile needles are used on points that are applied within TCM to promote the flow of Qi, support digestion and relax the diaphragm and abdomen. With complaints around menstruation, points associated with the cycle within TCM are also chosen.
02Laser acupuncture: the same points can also be treated needle-free with therapeutic laser light. A comfortable alternative if you prefer not to have needles or have a sensitive abdomen.
03Ear acupuncture: the ear has points that within TCM are associated with digestion and the nervous system. At Bai Kang these are always treated with the laser, never with needles.
04Acupressure: you will be shown points you can massage yourself when your abdomen swells or feels tense.
05Diet and lifestyle: attention is given to what and how you eat, such as the balance between raw and cooked food, sugar and dairy, eating pace and moments of relaxation. You will receive practical advice that suits your pattern.

Prefer no needles?

Every treatment can also be carried out completely needle-free with laser acupuncture, in which the same points are treated with therapeutic laser light. Ear acupuncture is always carried out with the laser. Acupressure, which also uses no needles, can be used as well.

Safety and medical alignment:Have persistent bloating assessed by your GP, especially if the complaint is new. Contact your GP immediately with an abdomen that keeps getting larger, unintended weight loss, blood in the stool, persistent abdominal pain, vomiting or fever. For women: bloating that is present almost daily and lasts for weeks, especially after menopause, should always be checked by a doctor. If coeliac disease or bowel disease runs in the family, it is also important that a doctor takes a look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can acupuncture help with bloating?

Acupuncture can be used as support for bloating. Research has been done into acupuncture for functional abdominal complaints and irritable bowel syndrome, in which some participants reported less bloating and less abdominal pain, among other things. At the same time, there are people who notice little or no difference. How you respond only becomes clear in practice.

Why am I mainly bloated at the end of the day?

Throughout the day you eat and drink, swallow air and gas production in the bowel increases. Tension often builds up as well. Within TCM, bloating that increases during the day is often associated with a weakened Spleen.

Why is it worse around my period?

Hormonal fluctuations affect fluid retention and how the bowel works. Within TCM, this is often associated with Liver Qi stagnation, which affects both the cycle and digestion. That is why treatment then also includes points aimed at the cycle.

What is the difference from irritable bowel syndrome?

Bloating is a complaint that can occur on its own. With irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it goes together with abdominal pain and changed bowel habits, such as diarrhoea or constipation. If you recognise that, also read the page about irritable bowel syndrome.

What can I do myself?

Eating calmly and chewing well, fewer fizzy drinks, eating on time and not too much, and a short walk after a meal often help. Within TCM, it is advised to choose more warm, cooked food and less cold and raw food. You will also be shown acupressure points.

I find needles daunting. Can it be done without?

Yes. Laser acupuncture works on the same points, but with therapeutic laser light instead of needles. You feel virtually nothing.

How many treatments are needed?

This varies per person and depends on how long the symptoms have existed and which factors play a role. Treatment is often weekly at the start. After the first treatments, we review together how you respond and what a suitable follow-up would be.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Cramps, a sensitive abdomen, and changing bowel habits that react to food or stress.

Bowel complaints

Constipation, diarrhoea, or irregular bowel movements.

Stomach complaints & reflux

Heartburn, acid regurgitation, or a pressing feeling in the stomach area.

Personal Treatment Plan

An abdomen that keeps swelling up?

During a first appointment, we look at your symptoms, what keeps them going and which form of acupuncture suits you best.

Book an appointment →View rates & coverage