What gastroparesis is
The NHS describes gastroparesis as food passing through the stomach more slowly than it should. It is a long-term condition that can be managed with diet changes, medicines and other treatments [1]. Symptoms start after eating and may include feeling full sooner than usual, feeling or being sick, tummy pain, heartburn and bloating [1]. It can be a complication of long-term conditions such as diabetes [1].
What the research says about acupuncture
Cochrane review (2018). A Cochrane systematic review included 32 studies with 2,601 participants. In 31 of the studies the gastroparesis was caused by diabetes, and in one by surgery [3]. Its main findings:
- Compared with gastrokinetic drugs (domperidone, mosapride or cisapride), there was very low-certainty evidence that more people who had acupuncture reported 'improved' symptoms in the short term (4 to 12 weeks) [3].
- Acupuncture added to other treatments, compared with those treatments alone, also showed very low-certainty evidence of short-term improvement [3].
- One sham-controlled trial gave low-certainty evidence of no difference between real and sham acupuncture in symptom scores, measured with a validated scale [3].
The reviewers wrote that the reported benefits should be interpreted with great caution because of unclear risk of bias, unvalidated symptom measures, publication bias and the lack of long-term data. They found no data to draw conclusions about gastroparesis from causes other than diabetes, and reports of harm were too incomplete to assess safety in this group. Seven studies described adverse events, including minor bleeding and haematoma, dizziness, dry mouth, loose stool, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, skin rash and fatigue [3].
Acupuncture in Malaysia
What acupuncture is. NCCIH, part of the US National Institutes of Health, describes acupuncture as a technique in which practitioners insert fine needles into the skin. The needles may be manipulated by hand or stimulated with small electrical currents (electroacupuncture). Acupuncture originated from traditional Chinese medicine [2].
Registration. Malaysia's Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775) defines traditional and complementary medicine to include traditional Chinese medicine [4]. Under section 25 of the Act, in force since 1 March 2021, a person who is not a registered practitioner shall not practise traditional and complementary medicine services [4][5]. A registered practitioner must hold a valid practising certificate, which is valid for not more than twelve months and must be displayed at the place of practice (section 26) [4].
Referral. Section 30 of the Act requires a registered practitioner to refer a patient to a medical or dental practitioner if the patient has an acute medical emergency, or if the condition is beyond the practitioner's skill, competency or expertise [4]. Under section 30(3) the practitioner must explain this duty to the patient, or the patient's guardian or representative, so that they can make an informed decision about whether to refuse being referred. Section 30(4) says that if the patient, guardian or representative gives written notice consenting not to be referred, the practitioner is not obliged to refer [4].
NCCIH's guidance is not to use acupuncture to postpone seeing a health care provider about a health problem [2].
Safety. According to NCCIH, relatively few complications from acupuncture have been reported, but complications have resulted from nonsterile needles and improper delivery. When not delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, including infections, punctured organs and injury to the central nervous system [2]. The NHS lists two situations in which acupuncture may not be safe: taking blood-thinning medicine or being at increased risk of bleeding, and having a skin condition or skin infection [6].
When the sources say to get medical help
Each source below sets its own level of urgency.
Emergency. Malaysia's emergency line is 999 [7]. The regulator's numbering plan also lists 112 as the code for mobile phones routed to emergency services [8]. The NHS (UK) lists these as reasons to call 999 or go to A&E [1]:
- sudden and severe tummy pain
- vomit with blood in it
- vomit that is dark brown or black and looks like coffee grounds or soil
- vomit that looks and smells like poo
See a GP (NHS, UK) [1], which the NHS says matters because these may be symptoms of gastroparesis or of another condition with similar symptoms:
- often feeling full quickly when eating
- often feeling sick or vomiting after eating
- tummy pain that will not go away or keeps coming back
- heartburn most days for 3 weeks or more
- feeling bloated all the time, or regularly
- a lump in the tummy, or a tummy that looks swollen
In Malaysia (Ministry of Health portals). Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Lumpur, a government health clinic, lists outpatient (Pesakit Luar) services. It lists its service hours as 8.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday, with extended hours on weekday evenings and on weekends and public holidays, and says it is closed on some festival days [9]. Hospital Kuala Lumpur's emergency department says it provides 24-hour emergency medical services to people in Kuala Lumpur [10].
Find a clinic
The clinic directory lists acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine clinics across Malaysia by state and town.
Sources
- NHS. Gastroparesis. Page last reviewed 22 July 2026.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), US National Institutes of Health. Acupuncture: Effectiveness and Safety. Last updated October 2022.
- Kim KH, et al. Acupuncture for symptomatic gastroparesis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018, CD009676. PubMed 30560568.
- Laws of Malaysia. Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775), English text published by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Sections 3, 25, 26 and 30.
- Federal Government Gazette P.U. (B) 118, 23 February 2021. Appointment of date of coming into operation, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016.
- NHS. Herbal medicines and complementary therapies. Page last reviewed 1 May 2026.
- Malaysia.gov.my (MyGovernment portal). Malaysia Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999. Page updated 25 September 2025.
- Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Numbering and Electronic Addressing Plan, issued 26 January 2006. Schedule D.
- Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya State Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia. Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Lumpur.
- Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Ministry of Health Malaysia. Kecemasan & Trauma.