There are numerous uncontrolled descriptive accounts for treatment of epigastric pain of mixed origin using acupuncture. In China, even patients with acute abdomen were referred from the emergency room and treated in 245 cases (Gu 1992). Acupuncture has been used successfully for acute volvulus of the stomach (Wan & Yu 1981). Intestinal colic has been helped as well (Jiang 1990). In one descriptive, non-randomized series of 70 patients with stomach-ache attributed to peptic ulcer, gastritis or gastroenteritis, acupuncture at paraspinal points at the level of T9-T12 were successful at pain reduction. This is the approximate level of the sympathetic ganglia that innervate the stomach. (Yuan et al 1986).

Gu Y 1992 Treatment of acute abdomen by electroacupuncture. A report of 245 cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 12:110-113.

Wan Y, Yu L 1981 Volvulus of the stomach successfully treated with acupuncture. Report of 9 cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1:719-42.

Jiang R 1990 Analgesic effect of acupuncture on acute intestinal colic in 190 cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 10:20-21.

Yuan C, Li R, Zhu J, Jin N, Zhang D, Yan C 1986 The curative effect and mechanism of action of the acupoints pishu and weishu. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 6: 249-252.