How does Acupuncture treat infertility
The benefits of acupuncture and TCM for conception problems can be found in early Chinese medicine literature dating back to 11 AD. Not only does TCM improve the probability of becoming pregnant and having a healthier baby, it also serves to enhance the function of the whole body. This holistic approach provides the key to unlocking unlimited potential in healing. This is especially important for people who are over age 40, as it stimulates overall health, which in turn, affects their reproductive system.
The condition of poor blood flow and energetic congestion manifests as amenorrhea, painful menstrual cycle, pain during intercourse, premenstrual symptoms, mid-cycle bleeding and pain, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, tuble blockage, uterine fibroids, menstrual clotting, migraine headaches coinciding with the menstrual cycle, elevated follicle stimulating hormone and poor quality of sperm analysis.
While the above signs and symptoms in and of themselves may or may not be the primary cause of infertility, they do reveal internal blockage of energy and blood which may be contributing factors.
How long will it take to get pregnant with acupuncture infertility treatments
In most cases, men and women need a minimum of 3 months of consistent regular treatment. Most couples conceive anywhere between 3 to 12 months. The consistency of receiving acupuncture treatments and taking herbal formulas is crucial because specific hormonal adjustments are made during each week of the cycle. Missing a week of treatment may be detrimental, in that an important opportunity to balance a particular segment of the four-phase menstrual cycle (follicular phase, ovulation, luteal phase, and menstruation) is lost.
A minimum of 3 menstrual cycles (12 consecutive treatments) usually begins to regulate a woman’s hormonal system regardless of biological age. However, if you use acupuncture with assisted reproductive technology (ART), the treatment period varies, depending on the success of the procedure. Because of the cumulative healing affect of acupuncture and herbal formulas, and their ability to increase one’s fertility quotient, most patients continue receiving acupuncture for the duration of conception. Acupuncture treatments can also detoxify the body from chemical medications or other toxic substances, hence enhancing the body’s likelihood of conception.
Trying to get pregnant is a numbers game. The longer you try, naturally or with ART, the better your chances are. This applies to acupuncture and herbs as well. The longer you allow your body to reach homeostasis through the use of Chinese medicine, the better your chances are. If you have gone through multiple ART procedures without success, receiving long-term regular acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments will significantly improve your chances of conception. Therefore, the couple must expect to devote 6 to 9 months of consistent treatment before evaluating results. There is no quick-fix-path when it comes to conception, full-term pregnancy, and the health of a baby, but it’s well worth the long wait!
What else can help to improve acupuncture treatment results
Besides regular acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine, eating healthily (a variety of food that includes more fresh green vegetables, high quality lean protein, whole grains, plenty of water and fruits, limited consumption of coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, sugar, juice, and greasy food, eating in smaller portions, and thoroughly chewing your food), daily exercise, good sleep, and less stress can help improve treatment results.
Improving your overall diet will at best improve your state of fertility and at worst reduce your risk of life-threatening disease. You have nothing to lose.
Your goal in using diet as a therapy for fertility is to feed your body only food that will increase and support optimum health.
Even household cleaning agents, such as oven cleaners, mold treatment products, and ammonia-based products, have been shown to have negative affects on the health of sperm and ova. It is best to use cleaning agents that are eco-friendly and contain more natural substances.
Caffeine is suspected of having several affects on the reproductive process, including a possible impairment of or delay in conception. This effect was noticed in a large European study on infertility risk factors.
There is no doubt that long-term alcohol use can lead to impotence, poor sperm quality, and further fertility complications due to liver damage. Many believe that drinking alcohol, even moderately, can alter the fertility of both women and men. In women, alcohol affects the liver’s ability to clear hormonal debris, disrupting hormonal levels and interfering with egg production. While the amount of alcohol required to alter brain chemistry and hormonal levels varies from woman to woman, evidence suggests that even moderate drinking can contribute to infertility.
Being significantly under or over your ideal weight can affect the level of fertility in both male and female.
Regular, quality sleep – having regular, quality sleep is extremely important for fertility. Studies indicate low fertility rates and early pregnancy losses among shift workers. Regular, quality sleep is particularly important if a woman is suffering from an irregular menstrual cycle, anovulation, amenorrhea, or PCOS. All of these issues are considered to be part of a biological rhythm disorder.
Stress relief and relaxation – stress has an extremely detrimental impact on our brain because of the hormonal imbalance it causes. Many studies have confirmed the incredible impact which stress has on fertility. Too much stress will drain the adrenal glands and thus inhibit the proper production of hormones.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
How We Breathe
The nature of our breathing is dependant on a number of factors including our stress levels, emotional state, posture, degree of muscular tension and diet. The diaphragm is the core breathing muscle and is strongly affected by all of these conditions.
Observing a baby or animal we notice that their whole abdomen inflates like a balloon as they breathe. This is because they naturally engage their diaphragm to draw air into their lungs.
As we grow older, our breathing tends to become shallower and more constricted as our diaphragm tightens and our breathing moves into our chest. We begin to use our intercostal muscles and other accessory muscles to help us breathe, rather than our diaphragm.
The diaphragm has strong connections with many of the internal organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, spleen and kidneys. When it moves during diaphragmatic breathing, the internal organs are exercised and more blood and oxygen is circulated within them.
Diaphragmatic breathing habits can have a wide range of beneficial effects such as:
Learning to Breathe Diaphragmatically
During qigong we’ll be exploring different techniques to help us return to natural diaphragmatic breathing.
We will begin with exercises to become more aware of the breath:
Quote from College of Integrated Chinese Medicine
