Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers in your colon and rectum. Symptoms include diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain. Ulcerative colitis can be debilitating and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. The clinical assessment and treatments of Chinese medicine for diarrhea and abdominal pain have been documented in Chinese literature for over 1500 years.

In the last three decades, there have been numerous clinical and experimental studies on the uses of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture for ulcerative colitis 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 Ulcerative colitis feel free to contact us.

The conditions we focus on

We have primary experience on managing the following symptoms or conditions associated to ulcerative colitis:

Mild or moderate diarrhea
Mild or moderate abdominal cramping and pain
Low energy and chronic fatigue
Poor appetite and/or poor absorption of nutrients
Emotional stress as a trigger condition

Our service doesn’t cover severe complications of ulcerative colitis, such as severe bleeding, severe diarrhea, severe dehydration, rapidly swelling colon (toxic megacolon). Patients with these conditions must seek urgent medical attention.

The treatments we provide

Chinese herbal medicine: Chinese herbal medicine can improve the digestive system and reduce chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. We commonly use convenient herbal forms of granules, capsules or pills for our clients. All herbal prescriptions are designed for individuals.

Acupuncture: we use acupuncture in conjunction with Chinese herbal medicine for relieving abdominal cramping or pain, chronic fatigue and emotional stress.

Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture may rectify the abnormal immune function which is one of the possible causes of ulcerative colitis. Therefore, these therapies may be beneficial for maintaining longer remission and preventing recurrence of the disease.

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

Expected outcomes

Relieving of diarrhea and abdominal pain associated to ulcerative colitis depends on the length of history and severity of the condition. For example, mild conditions may be relieved by 2 – 3 months of Chinese herbal medicine and/or acupuncture treatments, while moderate conditions are difficult and may need over 4 – 6 months. For severe ulcerative colitis, 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 stable or remission stage of ulcerative colitis. These cares may be undertaken for 2 – 3 years based on different individuals.

Our advantages

Dr. Henry Liang and Jessica Guo have clinical experience in Chinese hospitals 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’s 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.