Umbilicus repositioning alleviates constipation in diabetic patients: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION

Constipation is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal issues faced by diabetic patients. An emerging therapeutic approach for addressing gastrointestinal disorders is visceral manipulation (VM). In this clinical trial, we evaluated the effects of navel repositioning, a specific type of VM based on the principles of Persian Medicine, on constipation in diabetic patients.

METHODS

In this six-week double-blind randomized controlled trial, 103 diabetic patients suffering from constipation were randomly divided into two groups: the intervention group (54 patients receiving lifestyle modifications and navel repositioning), and the control group (49 patients receiving lifestyle modifications and a scheme). The severity of constipation and glycemic indices were assessed before and after the treatment period using the Wexner Constipation Score system (WCSS) and laboratory data.

RESULTS

The mean WCSS score prior to the intervention was 15.65 ± 4.09 in the control group and 16.72 ± 4.01 in the intervention group. After the intervention, the mean WCSS score for the control group decreased to 12.61 ± 3.59, while the intervention group showed a reduction to 9.91 ± 3.18. This indicates a statistically significant difference between the two groups following the intervention (p = 0.0001). Changes in glycemic indices were statistically significant in both groups; however, no significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that navel repositioning may provide potential benefits for treating constipation in diabetic patients. Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to validate these findings.