Digestive issues aren’t just physical.

You’re bloated, crampy, irregular — and no matter what you eat, it never seems to help for long. You’ve tried probiotics, cut gluten, added fiber, followed the latest gut protocols… but your digestion is still off.

What if your gut isn’t the problem? What if the root lies deeper — in your nervous system?

OUR ALL-NATURAL APPROACH TO HEALING DIGESTION

Digestive Relief, Rooted in Whole-Body Balance

We help our patients restore healthy digestion by supporting the body’s natural ability to heal — gently, effectively, and without a one-size-fits-all approach.

Our care is personalized. We work with you, your story, and your symptoms to create a comprehensive, individualized plan that addresses the root causes of your digestive issues — not just the surface symptoms.

This is not a quick fix. It’s a holistic path to help bring your body, nervous system, and gut back into balance.

We help people with digestive problems due to:

Nervous System Dysregulation & Trauma

  • Chronic or acute stress

  • Childhood trauma or emotional neglect

  • PTSD or complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

  • Anxiety and panic disorders

  • Depression and emotional suppression

  • Dissociation or freeze states

  • Hypervigilance and overactive stress responses

  • Grief, heartbreak, or unresolved emotional pain

  • Sexual trauma or boundary violations

  • Medical trauma (e.g., surgeries, chronic illness, invasive diagnostics)

  • Burnout, caregiver fatigue, or compassion fatigue

Western Medical Diagnoses

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

  • Functional Dyspepsia

  • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis

  • Gastritis or peptic ulcers

  • Chronic constipation or diarrhea

  • Leaky Gut Syndrome (intestinal permeability)

  • Food intolerances or sensitivities (e.g., gluten, dairy, FODMAPs)

  • Eating disorders or disordered eating patterns

  • Autoimmune conditions with digestive symptoms (e.g., Hashimoto’s, Celiac Disease)

  • Post-infectious digestive issues (e.g., after food poisoning or parasite infections)

And We Help With Symptoms Associated With Digestive Issues

  • Bloating (after meals or throughout the day)

  • Gas (excessive or foul-smelling)

  • Abdominal cramping or pain

  • Nausea or queasiness

  • Reflux or heartburn (GERD)

  • Fullness or heaviness after eating (even small meals)

  • Irregular bowel movements

  • Chronic constipation

  • Loose stools or diarrhea

  • Alternating constipation and diarrhea

  • Mucus in stool

  • Undigested food in stool

  • Urgency to have a bowel movement

  • Incomplete evacuation

  • Loss of appetite or fluctuating hunger

  • Emotional eating or food avoidance

  • Burping or hiccuping frequently

  • Sensation of food “sitting” in the stomach

  • Sensitivity to many foods (including “healthy” ones)

  • Pain or discomfort during or after eating

  • Weight fluctuations (unexplained loss or gain)

  • Fatigue after meals

  • Brain fog or mood changes related to digestion

  • Skin issues linked to digestion (e.g., rashes, acne, eczema)

Your initial consultation is free!

Speak with us to learn more, or give us a call at 773.629.9508 and we will answer your questions.

Individual results may vary. There is no guarantee of specific results and, warranted or implied, and individual results depend on several factors. Full disclaimer here.

Why Our Natural Approach to Healing Digestion Works So Well

WE KEEP IT SIMPLE

  • Healing your digestion doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most effective solutions are often the most straightforward.

    We take time to identify your unique pattern of digestive imbalance — whether it’s bloating, irregularity, food sensitivities, or all of the above — and create a clear, manageable plan.

    Treatments may include acupuncture, herbal support, and small but powerful lifestyle shifts to help calm your system and support digestion from the inside out.

YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM HOLDS THE KEY

  • Healing digestion isn’t just about food or supplements. It’s about feeling safe in your body.

    That’s why we work directly with your nervous system, using gentle, effective tools to help restore calm and connection from within.

    We’ll help you:

    • Regulate your vagus nerve — the communication superhighway between your brain and gut

    • Shift into parasympathetic mode (rest & digest)

    • Unwind stored trauma and chronic tension

    • Support digestion at its true root — safety and regulation

WE USE A PROVEN SYSTEM THAT HAS HEALED DIGESTIVE ISSUES FOR CENTURIES

  • We use time-tested methods rooted in Chinese medicine and trauma-informed care to bring the body back to balance.

    Acupuncture, herbs, somatic practices, and nervous system regulation techniques help:

    • Calm inflammation

    • Restore gut function

    • Reconnect you with your body

    • Create a sustainable path toward digestive ease

    • Your body already knows how to heal — we simply guide it back to its natural rhythm.

    Treatments may include acupuncture, herbal support, and small but powerful lifestyle shifts to help calm your system and support digestion from the inside out.

WE FOCUS ON HOW YOU FEEL, NOT JUST TEST RESULTS AND DIAGNOSES

  • When it comes to digestive issues, it’s easy to get lost in test results, elimination diets, and endless protocols. While lab work and diagnoses can be helpful, they don’t tell the full story.

    We care deeply about how you feel — in your gut, your body, and your day-to-day life.

    You are not a list of symptoms. You’re a whole person with a unique story, and we treat you that way.

    Our work is about more than managing symptoms — it’s about restoring your sense of safety, ease, and connection to your body.

WE GET TO THE ROOT OF WHAT’S CAUSING YOUR DIGESTIVE DISTRESS

  • Is it trauma stored in your body? Chronic stress? IBS? Food intolerances? Autoimmunity? Nervous system dysregulation?

    We look beyond the symptoms to uncover the deeper “why” behind your digestive issues — and support the whole system, not just the gut.

    We are also happy to collaborate with your medical provider or gastroenterologist to offer integrated support.

OUR APPROACH ALWAYS INCLUDES SIMPLE, NERVOUS SYSTEM-SUPPORTIVE LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

  • We meet you exactly where you are. Whether you're overwhelmed, exhausted, or unsure where to start, we offer simple, compassionate guidance to support both your digestion and your nervous system.

    That might look like:

    • A few minutes of breathwork to regulate your vagus nerve

    • A gentle routine to support mealtime calm

    • Trauma-informed mindfulness or movement practices

    • Sleep support and nervous system-friendly dietary adjustments

    Our goal is to help you feel more at home in your body — not to give you another list of rules. Healing is possible when it’s practical, sustainable, and rooted in care.

Just as we are all individuals, digestive issues are unique to each person.

It shows up differently in everyone. Our bodies are working for us even though it may seem they are working against us. Our holistic approach looks at the whole individual and their story. This assists us in getting to the bottom of what is causing the body to feel imbalanced. Our techniques remind the body of its intrinsic healing ability to restore the transformation and transportation of the digestive system so you can feel more confident in mind and body.

Your initial consultation is free!

Speak with us to learn more, or give us a call at 773.629.9508 and we will answer your questions.

Individual results may vary. There is no guarantee of specific results and, warranted or implied, and individual results depend on several factors. Full disclaimer here.

We work with you to find the best combination for your unique condition.

We work with you to find the best combination for your unique condition. Here’s how our specialized combination of four powerful, time-tested, 100% natural therapies work to align your body’s digestive system and get you feeling like yourself again.

CLASSICAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Our specialty is Classical Chinese acupuncture. Acupuncture has been healing bodies for centuries, by awakening and stimulating your own body’s innate healing process. It restores cells and tissues, cleans up what doesn’t belong there, and gets blood flow moving to reduce pain.

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

When your tissues are fully nourished with the specific nutrients they need, they naturally function at a very high level. When tissues are functioning at a high level, digestion is enhanced. We provide specialized (and doable, simple) dietary recommendations for all of our digestive issue patients.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

Herbal supplements can simultaneously nourish, harmonize and clear in order to balance the body. This is an important approach for healing digestion. Sometimes we need to clear, and sometimes we need to support. Often we need to do both. Herbal medicine is particularly well-suited to addressing digestive issues and restoring the body to full functionality.

RELAXATION AND STRESS REDUCTION

When your body is in a state of relaxation, it is able to do repairs at the deepest level. In this state, your tissues, muscles, bones, and nerves become more synchronized and calm — creating the perfect stage for health and healing. This means less inflammation, better circulation, better digestion, a calmer mind, more energy and better mood.

Your initial consultation is free!

Speak with us to learn more, or give us a call at 773.629.9508 and we will answer your questions.

  • Whether you are new to acupuncture or new to us, we recommend scheduling a free 15 minute phone consultation to answer any questions you have about the medicine and your specific condition. During the consultation you have an opportunity to speak with your prospective clinician and determine together if we are the correct fit for your specific goals. Click here to schedule your free phone consultation.

  • Whether you did the phone consultation or decided you were ready to start treatment, the next step is an initial acupuncture treatment. At this appointment your practitioner will take an extensive health history about your reason for seeking treatment with us. A treatment plan will be devised to address your health goals. 

    After the assessment, you will receive your first acupuncture treatment and be given a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Treatment plans will include dietary and lifestyle changes as well as  herbal supplements to address the root of your issue.

  • You’ll return for weekly visits to ensure close support as you begin to feel your body establishing a new pattern. We want to make sure your treatment plan is providing you with:

    • Balanced digestion

    • Plenty of energy

    • Decreased inflammation

    • Excellent Sleep

    • More “good days” — energy, mood, stamina

    • Regulated internal processes–no more irregular bowel movements, no more abdominal discomfort

    You’ll also receive acupuncture at each visit to ensure that your digestive system is rebalancing to return to a pattern of health.

  • Once we see improvements that are maintained over time, we will start spacing visits out further apart. This usually occurs after 8 to 12 visits, with some individual variability. We will go from weekly visits to visits every 10 to 14 days, then once a month, then on an as-needed basis for “tune-ups.” We are here for you in case you have other healthcare issues you want to address. Of course, many of our patients wish to continue with regular maintenance, and we are always happy to work with you on that level, if that is your wish.

  • We are honored and proud that most of our new patients are referred to us by other patients or members of the community who have experienced the profound effects of our work. We love to help people feel better in their bodies and their lives — it’s what we wake up excited to do, every day. We would love to help your family, friends and colleagues on their own path to better health — more joy, more energy, more focus, less pain. 

    We pride ourselves on the fact that many of our new patients are referred to us by other patients or people in the community who have witnessed their friends and loved ones receive life-changing benefits from our work. So, we very much look forward to helping your friends, family, and loved ones on their journey to a more joyful, energetic, purposeful life.

Individual results may vary. You should not begin our program if you have a medical condition that precludes acupuncture or changes to nutritional or exercise habits. Essential Acupuncture Chicago is a wellness clinic of Licensed Acupuncturists that provide guidance and treatment within the legal scope of practice as regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Our advice is not a substitute for medical advice from a physician, and we do not diagnose medical conditions. Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise or diet program. Individual results may vary. Full disclaimer here.