The media reports have spread the news of Celine Dion’s recent pregnancy announcement. After a long and difficult quest, she finally got pregnant with twins at age 42 on her sixth in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempt–along with acupuncture fertility treatment. Like Celine, more women are turning to Saratoga Springs acupuncture fertility treatment to improve their chance of pregnancy with IVF. The popularity of acupuncture is soaring as many women seek a more “natural” approach to conception
Acupuncturists would say that, “this ancient Chinese medical practice works by using hair-fine needles that are placed along meridians in the body that correspond to the body’s organs”.
These points stimulate vital energy flow or “qi”. The needle itself acts like a lightning bolt that taps into the body’s bioelectrical energy. This sends a message from the acupuncture point to the brain via the meridian pathway.
In response to the message, the brain releases chemicals such as calming neurotransmitters and pain-relieving endorphins, the body’s natural opioid, to the area of pain or blockage. The acupuncture needle also works locally to open up blood flow and reduce inflammation.
It is thought that the increased blood flow helps boost fertility by stimulating the ovaries to produce healthy eggs as well as enriching the endometrial lining in the uterus. The rich endometrial lining helps to ensure the eggs will be held to term.
Acupuncture also helps to relax the uterus and stop contractions, so blood flow increases and an embryo successfully implants. Huffman explains that acupuncture fertility treatment helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and opens the pathways to the brain that play a key role in “emitting the proper hormones at the right time”.
Furthermore, as it has been experienced in most practice, couples experiencing infertility are under immense stress. Acupuncture helps to reduce stress and promote relaxation. In fact, she says that most people become so relaxed while receiving treatment that they go into an “alpha dreamlike sleep” as the body’s endorphins are released. This relaxation response may continue for up to a week.
For your first acupuncture treatment, you will be asked in-depth questions about your health, diet, and emotional state. The practitioner will ask for a description of your menstrual cycles, even the state of the blood during your period. Next, your pulse will be taken, and you will have a thorough tongue inspection.
Acupuncturists believe that the tongue can tell a lot about someone’s health and that each part of the tongue represents a different part of the body. The practitioner will examine the tongue’s color, coating, texture and creases.
Based on this information, the acupuncturist will establish a “pattern” and use “pattern discrimination” to determine where an imbalance exists in the body.
The actual puncture site depends on your particular pattern. Common acupuncture points on the body include the ear, head, feet, hands, legs and the abdomen. While any organ can be affected, most infertility problems stem from an underlying kidney weakness, Huffman explains.
Some critics believe the effectiveness of acupuncture is more of a placebo effect than anything else. If the brain believes something is going to work, then it will.
However, many experts agree that there is no harm in acupuncture as long as a trained professional performs it.