Acupuncture For Fertility: Does It Work?
If you’re ready to have a baby, many people probably suggested acupuncture for fertility. But does it work? Click here and find out.
Did you know that only 20% of couples diagnosed with infertility will become pregnant without any treatment?
That number is too small to risk your chance of having children.
If you are here it means that you might be a couple who has this diagnosis and is considering other options. Or know someone diagnosed with infertility (available fertility tests for males) who is considering alternative treatments.
Currently, there are many treatments available from medication to surgery. But, have you considered acupuncture for fertility?
Want to learn if acupuncture does increase fertility?
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a practice where fine needles are inserted into the skin to stimulate certain points in the body. It comes from Chinese medicine.
This practice is based on the belief that energy called “chi” flows through the body. If this energy is blocked illnesses or pain are present.
Chinese medicine frees the body of these blockages by using this practice. Currently, many clinics and professionals provide acupuncture treatment. Now the question is will acupuncture treatment increase fertility?
Acupuncture For Fertility: Right Call or Bust?
You might be hesitant to consider acupuncture. Scientists have been on opposite ends about acupuncture for fertility. Some studies have focused on the role of acupuncture in women fertility.
The study by The Institute of East-West Medicine found that acupuncture therapy improved blood flow. A study using Doppler ultrasounds and thermal imaging confirmed this theory. Also, there have been studies that have shown increased pregnancy rates when using acupuncture as part of fertility treatments.
In 2002, German scientists researched the effect of this practice on patients undergoing in vitro fertilization. This study found that 42.5% of women that were treated with acupuncture became pregnant.
Another study conducted at the University of Maryland confirmed this theory. The results of this study concluded that acupuncture for fertility increases the odds of a pregnancy to 65%.
But, there have been studies that denied the effect of acupuncture on pregnancy rates. That’s the reason why no one can claim that acupuncture for fertility is the right call. Even though studies have gotten mixed results more and more doctors have started to incorporate acupuncture as part of their women fertility treatments.
When to Start Treatment?
Before deciding when to start your acupuncture treatment, are you currently seeing a fertility specialist or an obstetrician? If you answered yes to this question you’re on the right track.
Before getting acupuncture therapy, you should consult a specialist. You may be thinking but my doctor might not believe in the effect of this treatment. But, you’ve to make sure that the therapy won’t interfere with your fertility treatment.
Also, some acupuncture professionals might recommend Chinese herbs that can interfere with your treatment. Before you decide to take these herbs consult your doctor to make sure they won’t interfere with your treatment.
What to Expect?
Undergoing a fertility treatment can cause stress and anxiety.
Studies have shown that acupuncture during the treatment can lower the patient’s stress and anxiety levels. On your first visit to your acupuncture practitioner, you should expect a detailed explanation of the treatment. This should include what type of acupuncture
During your acupuncture sessions, the acupuncturist should explain what acupuncture points they will be treating. These points might be in the lower abdomen, back or even your legs. It will depend on what symptoms you present.
This is one of the main reasons why it should be best if your fertility specialist and acupuncturist work together. So they both treat your conditions promoting complete wellness.
Techniques of Acupuncture
Your acupuncture sessions may not be the usual fine needle treatment. Today there are many techniques of acupuncture. These styles can range from moxibustion to auricular acupuncture. The most popular techniques are:
Electro-Acupuncture
In this acupuncture technique, a low-frequency electrical current is connected to the needles to relax the muscles and increase blood flow. The device is adjusted to generate the electric impulses at the needed frequency and intensity.
Here your practitioner will start by inserting the needles into the points of the body. Then they will attach small clips the electrical current device. This technique is preferred by medically trained practitioners such as physicians.
Moxibustion
This popular acupuncture technique is a form of fire heat treatment. Here the practitioner will use heat to stimulate specific points of the body. There are several moxibustion techniques, these are:
- Direct Moxibustion: In this technique, a small moxa is placed on the acupuncture point and burned on the skin. Direct moxibustion isn’t widely practiced outside of Japan.
- Indirect Moxibustion:This is the most popular technique of moxibustion. Here a lighted moxa stick is held by the practitioner an inch or 2 away from the skin and around the needles. The acupuncturist will do this to warm the area and create vasodilatation.
- Needle Moxa Technique:This technique is popular in Japan. In this method, it’s harder to control the heat because a piece of lighted moxa is inserted on the needle.
Cupping
This technique is used to stimulate large areas of the body or acupuncture points. Here the practitioner creates a vacuum inside round bamboo or glass cups. The acupuncturist by warms the cups and places them quickly on the area to be treated. The cups are left on the area for up to 20 minutes.
This therapy isn’t painful but it can leave red patches on the skin. These mean that there has been circulation of blood in the area under and around the cups.
Can Acupuncture Help You?
It will come down to your health conditions but acupuncture can help you. According to Ka-Kit Hui, MD acupuncture is an alternative technique that activates your body’s self-healing process.
Also, this treatment may help you deal with the stress and take a new outlook on the fertility process. In some cases, this therapy has helped patients unplug from keeping up with the cycles and get pregnant sooner than you think possible.
Wrapping It Up
It has been proven that acupuncture can increase your fertility and help in your journey towards pregnancy. But, always keep in mind that a complete wellness is the best approach keeping your fertility specialist or obstetrician in the loop.
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Check our Health & Wellness blog posts.
