Researchers studied three people with functional dyspepsia, a condition that causes ongoing stomach pain and discomfort without a clear medical cause. Each person received a personalized treatment combining special acupuncture needles and a custom diet based on an ancient Korean medicine system called Eight Constitution Medicine. After four weeks, all three patients reported much less stomach pain and better quality of life. The treatment appeared safe with no side effects, though one person’s symptoms came back when they stopped following their special diet.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a personalized acupuncture and diet treatment could help people with chronic stomach problems
  • Who participated: Three people with functional dyspepsia (ongoing stomach pain without clear cause) from Korean medical clinics
  • Key finding: All three people felt significantly better after 4 weeks of personalized acupuncture and diet treatment
  • What it means for you: This approach may help stomach problems, but it’s very early research with only 3 people studied

The Research Details

This was a case report study, which means researchers looked back at the medical records of three patients who had already received treatment. Each patient got acupuncture and followed a special diet based on their ‘constitution type,’ determined by checking their pulse. The researchers measured stomach symptoms and quality of life using questionnaires before treatment started, then again after 2 weeks and 4 weeks.

Case reports help doctors share interesting treatment results, but they can’t prove the treatment works for everyone since there’s no comparison group

This is the weakest type of medical research since it only follows a few people and doesn’t compare the treatment to anything else. The results are interesting but need much larger studies to be meaningful.

What the Results Show

All three patients showed major improvements in their stomach symptoms and quality of life scores after 4 weeks of treatment. The researchers used two different questionnaires to measure these improvements, and both showed positive results. Importantly, none of the patients experienced any harmful side effects during the treatment period. One patient had their symptoms return temporarily when they stopped following their prescribed diet, which suggests the diet portion may be important for maintaining benefits.

The study found that sticking to the prescribed diet seemed crucial for success, as the patient who didn’t follow their diet properly had symptoms return. The pulse diagnosis method was used to determine each person’s constitution type, which then guided their specific treatment plan.

This appears to be one of the first studies to specifically look at Eight Constitution Medicine for functional dyspepsia, so there isn’t much previous research to compare it to

This study only included 3 people, had no control group for comparison, and looked back at past treatments rather than following a planned research design. These major limitations mean the results can’t be generalized to other people.

The Bottom Line

While these results are encouraging, much larger and better-designed studies are needed before this treatment can be recommended. People with ongoing stomach problems should work with their regular doctors first

People with functional dyspepsia who haven’t found relief with standard treatments might be interested, but should discuss this with their healthcare provider first

In this small study, improvements were seen within 2-4 weeks, but we don’t know how long benefits might last

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily stomach pain levels, bloating, and meal satisfaction on a 1-10 scale
  • Log meals and symptoms to identify personal trigger foods and eating patterns
  • Monitor symptom patterns over 4-week periods to identify trends and potential dietary connections

This research involved only 3 people and cannot prove this treatment works for everyone. Always consult with your healthcare provider before trying new treatments for digestive problems. Do not stop or change prescribed medications without medical supervision.