Fertility & Acupuncture

Acupuncture, often combined with herbal medicine, has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of issues in women’s health, including problems with the monthly cycle, menopausal issues, and some causes of infertility.

Chinese medicine is a system of health care more than 4000 years old. Acupuncture is founded on a paradigm of the basis of energy or “Qi” flow. Pain or illness results from blockage or imbalance of Qi. Acupuncture treatments correct or balance the flow of Qi. The practitioner determines areas of deficient or excess areas of energy. Acupuncture moves the energy, allowing for the free flow of Qi (life force). The free flow of energy encourages the body to promote its natural healing ability. Sterile needles approximately the size of human hair is inserted at particular points in the body, specific to the needs of the patient.

Many issues in women’s health such as amenorrhea, endometriosis, and hormonal problems can often be helped with the oriental medicine modalities of acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can assist in regulating the menstrual cycle, and related issues such as PMS and cycle related migraines. Additionally this holistic health approach can enhance the function of the whole body and overall health.

Chinese medicine can sometimes be used alone to enhance fertility when there are functional issues such as irregular cycles, or problems with ovulation. If there is a structural problem such as blocked fallopian tubes, acupuncture may not be the answer. In addition, along with the whole body benefits of this modality, acupuncture can help reduce the stress associated with infertility.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can often improve the odds for those who may have had recurrent miscarriage to carry to full term.

It has become more recognized that the success rates of the high tech and expensive methods used in Western medicine for IVF, IUI and other assisted reproductive technologies are improved by complimentary acupuncture and herbs.

Currently Chinese medicine is being used in China, Europe and America in conjunction with Western medical techniques and testing to design an effective course of treatment for the couple wishing to achieve not only pregnancy, but a healthy baby delivered at full term.

This holistic health approach provides a stand-alone alternative to help balance out many women’s health issues. Additionally Chinese medicine works very well as a complementary modality to enhance Western medicine or high tech reproductive technologies to gain the best from both worlds.