When it comes to infertility and traditional Chinese medicine, both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are important to boost the positive effects of the herbs. The underlying reason for combining the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is to resolve the disharmony and bring back balance in the body.
These days, traditional Chinese medicine and conventional therapies for infertility is combined to treat male and female infertility. Both these modalities can be utilized when all other means of infertility treatments have been tried without success.
For thousands of years, acupuncture has been practiced in many cultures in East Asia as way to treat several types of conditions. Some of the benefits of acupuncture to health include stimulating the central nervous system to release hormones and neurotransmitters and increase blood circulation to help the body heal itself.
Besides that, acupuncture helps in the production and release of endorphins that aid in the alleviation of pain which help to fight pain; promoting a sense of well-being. Acupuncture is now used in both Eastern and Western cultures to resolve scores of conditions related that contribute or are associated with infertility.
For the treatment of infertility, acupuncture may seem to be an odd choice of treatment but its consistent positive results in the treatment of infertility makes it one of the most popular choices of infertility treatment among American adults. The treatment involves sticking reed-thin needles into specific parts of the body to aid the body in the process of self-healing.
Infertility treatment using acupuncture works because our body possesses energy vessels similar to blood vessels but instead of blood flowing through it, qi or life energy flows traveling throughout the body providing needed energy that is as important as the blood flowing in our veins. Whenever blockages develop in these energy pathways (called meridians), it leads to health issues such as infertility. The needles used in acupuncture help remove the blockage or they re-channel qi to restore its normal flow. Besides clearing blockages, the insertion of the needles helps release certain biochemicals into the spine, brain and muscle to begin the healing process.
Before trying out acupuncture or any form of alternative therapy, you need to talk to your infertility doctor first. If he/she determines that the cause of your infertility it structural in nature, then acupuncture, and Chinese herbs may not work on that type of problem.
It is then important to determine first the cause of one’s infertility to know what type of treatment will help. Acupuncture for the treatment of infertility usually focuses on three internal organ systems: the liver, spleen and kidney. These three systems are direct associated with the reproductive system. When acupuncture is used to treat issues related to these three organ systems, the effect will directly impact the organs of reproduction helping rectify any issues in these organs.
Acupuncture infertility treatment often entails the use of herbal supplements, as well. Any underlying disharmony can be addressed by these herbs. Anxiety and stress is alleviated with acupuncture and the other imbalances can be resolved with herbal supplements.
Acupuncture is effective treatment for infertility when the cause is a hormonal imbalance. Blocked fallopian tubes may require a more radical and invasive type of treatment. Blood circulation to the reproductive organs is boosted and the other organ systems of the body are regulated with acupuncture. This results in the normalization of the hormones leading to the treatment of infertility.
Certain herbal supplements can, however, adversely affect the positive effects of infertility pills. Therefore, before attempting to take any herbal supplements, you need to consult with your doctor first to avoid this particular outcome. If you are undergoing in vitro fertilization therapy, acupuncture can make the therapy much more potent and effective. In vitro fertilization is a rather stressful and invasive procedure and the ability of acupuncture to relieve anxiety and calm the person can help increase the chance of success in IVF treatment.
Some people have responded well to acupuncture and with just a few sessions of treatment have already attained conception. Others may require a longer treatment to attain significant results
To know if acupuncture is the best way to treat your infertility, you need to understand more about the treatment and what kind of infertility you’re suffering from. Be sure to talk to a qualified, licensed and experienced acupuncturist to avoid any unnecessary accidents or infections one might incur if treated by an unlicensed and inexperienced practitioner.
Dominic Sembello is a licensed and board certified acupuncturist and the clinical director of Health Source Acupuncture in Linwood, NJ.