THE EFFECT OF PERSIAN MEDICINE EATING AND DRINKING MODIFICATIONS ON FUNCTIONAL BLOATING: A SINGLE ARM STUDY

Background: Functional bloating is a common gastrointestinal (GI) symptom, for which a variety of treatments have been suggested, including quality of life modifications. Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of quality of life changes on functional bloating, but the effect of Persian medicine modifications on functional bloating is yet to be studied. Methods: This single arm study was performed at the GI clinic of Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital. Thirty-five (35) of the assessed patients satisfied the inclusion criteria and entered the study. Patients' digestive symptoms were measured using the Rome III criteria and the quality of their symptoms was assessed by a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Thereafter, Persian medicine food and drinking modifications were taught to patients and they were followed every week; their symptoms were reassessed at the end of each week. Results: At the end of the treatment period, the assessment of bloating and belching in patients who participated in the study showed that eating and drinking interventions caused a significant difference in the rate of bloating (P < 0.001) and belching (P < 0.001) before and after the study and both recorded a decrease. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that Persian medicine eating and drinking modifications are effective in terms of reducing the severity of functional bloating. Key words: Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Bloating, life style, Iranian Traditional Medicine.