Moxibustion for alleviating abdominal pain and distension in IBS-D patients: a randomized, controlled trial

INTERVENTION: Experimental Other moxibustion therapy Patients in the treatment group were treated by moxibustion therapy once every other day, 3 times a week for 6 weeks in total. Moxa rolls provided by Nanyang Chinese Medicine Airong Co. LTD (Henan, China) were used in the trial. Points of Shenque (CV 8), Tianshu (ST25), and Zusanli (ST36) were selected for moxibustion in the supine position. CONDITION: Diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS‐D) was the most common subtype in China, and currently there was no effective cure. Moxibustion plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China, and it has been promoted for a wide variety of conditions, such as urinary retention, pain, cancer, stroke, constipation, and hypertension. However, most researches of moxibustion on IBS were generally of low quality and the application of moxibustion still lack of high quality evidence. We conducted a randomized, controlled, prospective study to observe whether moxibustion could effectively improve the symptoms of abdominal pain, abdominal distension in IBS‐D patients. ; Moxibustion, IBS‐D, RCT, IBS‐SSS, abdominal pain Moxibustion, IBS‐D, RCT, IBS‐SSS, abdominal pain PRIMARY OUTCOME: IBS‐SSS from week 0 to week 6 6 weeks changes in total IBS‐SSS from week 0 to week 6 SECONDARY OUTCOME: IBS‐SSS from week 6 to week 18 18 weeks changes in total IBS‐SSS from week 6 to week 18 INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1)met the Rome III diagnostic criteria and Bristol Form Scale for IBS‐C; 2)were 18‐65 years old; 3) had IBS‐D for more than 6 months; 4) had a baseline IBS‐Symptom Severity Score (IBS‐SSS) of 75 or higher; 5)were with signed informed consent.