Acupuncture has been shown to promote healing in peptic ulcers, perhaps by reducing stomach acidity. It also often seems to help with hiatus hernia, although the mechanism is not clear.

Colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are often  helped. The problem in IBS may be due to a disturbance of serotonin (a neurotransmitter), and research suggests that acupuncture works to rebalance the serotonin pathway.

Sometimes digestive problems are the result of spinal joint disturbances, and then osteopathy will be helpful.