The ancient roots of acupuncture Bellmore are as old as the Egyptian and Chinese civilizations. However, it is in China that this treatment has found roots as a way of improving and restoring the health of the individual. In China it has been used to promote and enhance fertility for thousands of years.
Entirely different from Western medical science in essence, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) recognizes the existence of life energy in the body. There are also energy points in the body that can be manipulated to promote health. If the energy points are blocked, the person falls to illness and pain.
TCM (which acupuncture is a part of) focuses on five major body organs – kidneys, lungs, heart, spleen and liver. Acupuncture manipulates energy or chi to remove any blockages existing in the energy points especially on these five major organs to allow chi to travel freely through the organs and the rest of the body. The kidneys are very important organs for the Chinese since they believe it is responsible for reproduction. Any energy deficiency in the kidneys will cause problems in the menstrual rhythm, which can cause infertility.
Acupuncture is very useful for women with kidney energy weakness. The treatment itself is about inserting needles into specific areas of the body that brings about stimulation and improvement of the function of the reproductive system. A better working reproductive system then allows more blood to flow to the ovaries, uterus, ovaries and other vital organs of that system hence improving fertility and increasing the chances of conception. The needles are as thin as human hair that when inserted into the body, one hardly feels anything. Acupuncture has been a treatment for women’s menstrual ailments, fibroids and unexplained fertility among others.
Acupuncture therapy is now given prior to IVF treatment because the former greatly increases the success of fertilization of the latter. Because it strengthens and nourishes the kidneys, more estrogen is released, healthier eggs are produced and the lining of the endometrium is thickened more, which all translates to better chances for conception and a healthier pregnancy. However, acupuncture is unable to structurally correct blocked fallopian tubes. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also be treated by acupuncture as well as most male fertility disorders, including erectile dysfunction and low sperm count.
The addition of Chinese herbal medicine during acupuncture treatment makes the treatment all the more potent and effective in detoxifying the body and balancing the body’s energy. Acupuncture is a very safe treatment for infertility if performed by a licensed and well-trained acupuncturist. Less skilled practitioners may cause injuries and side effects to the body and may even cause a miscarriage if the patient is already pregnant. That is why consult only with a licensed, highly trained and experienced acupuncturist.