Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the intestines, especially the large intestine (colon), characterized by ulcers or open sores. It consists of periods of exacerbation, in which the symptoms of the disease become severe, and periods of remission, when the symptoms decrease. In order for the disease to go into remission, it often needs to be treated. The most important feature of the active period of the disease is bloody diarrhea. Ulcerative colitis occurs in approximately 100 out of every 100,000 people. Although the exact cause of the disease is not known, it is thought that it may be due to genetic, environmental and psychological factors. The most accepted theory today is that ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease. In other words, the body’s defense system perceives the large intestine mucosa as a foreign cell and attacks these cells. (The balance of the immune system is disturbed.) Thus, ulcers (wounds) form on the surface of the large intestine. The disease can show different clinical pictures from mild to very severe. Mainly immunosuppressive drugs are used in the treatment. Medical treatment according to the severity of the disease can suppress the symptoms of the disease. In severe cases, surgical intervention may be required.
In the treatment of ulcerative colitis, whether the disease is mild or severe, acupuncture treatment should be tried. Because acupuncture can reduce the need for medication in mild cases, and will reduce the severity of the disease in strong cases, making it more manageable. Acupuncture is very successful in the treatment of many autoimmune diseases, not just ulcerative colitis. In this treatment, the body is considered as a whole and the impaired balance in the immune system is restored. Our immune system normally produces various chemicals and attacks bacteria and viruses that it considers harmful (and its own tissues, as in ulcerative colitis, when it malfunctions). In the blood tests of these patients, the mentioned chemicals (interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-4, Superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, ICAM-1) are always found in high amounts. However, in patients with ulcerative colitis receiving acupuncture treatment, it has been shown that these chemicals are reduced in the blood. In addition to regulating the immune system of patients with ulcerative colitis, acupuncture also helps these patients to cope with stress, not to be harmed by the negative effects of stress, and helps them to be more peaceful, calm and relaxed.
Undoubtedly, the initial treatment of ulcerative colitis is medical. Ulcerative colitis is an important disease that should be taken seriously. However, it is inevitable to resort to other treatment methods in cases where complete remission (remission) cannot be achieved with classical medical treatment. Among these methods, acupuncture takes the lead. Today, acupuncture is used in the treatment of many patients with ulcerative colitis around the world. There are many scientific articles proving the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. It will be very beneficial for patients with severe ulcerative colitis to receive 1 or 2 cures of acupuncture treatment consisting of 10 sessions each year (according to the severity of their disease) in order to reduce the severity of their disease, to reduce the dose of medication in mild cases, and to maximize their symptom-free and comfortable time.
