Acupuncture

Acupuncture & preparing fertility

How can acupuncture help prepare fertility?

Promoting a balanced energy system in both men and women that will support them in achieving conception.

In Chinese medicine your body is viewed as an integrated energy system. I can detect subtle disruptions and anomalies in this system which may not produce obvious symptoms. You feel normal and well. However, these energetic problems may have an effect on your fertility. I can try to correct these disruptions and anomalies and, in this way, help to promote fertility.

Reducing the effects of stress and helping relaxation.

There is now much evidence that stress and anxiety can adversely affect fertility in both men and women. I can use acupuncture to help to induce relaxation as well as reduce your susceptibility to anxiety and the depleting symptoms that accompany it, such as insomnia and tiredness. 

Targeting specific health problems that might interfere with conception.

You may have specific health problems which acupuncture can address. These may be impacting on your energy system as a whole, and therefore indirectly on your fertility. I will address these with acupuncture and herbal food supplements if this is appropriate or, if these are not suitable, refer you to another practitioner.

Diet and exercise

Diet and exercise are important in Chinese medicine because we can use them to support and enhance the therapeutic effects of treatment. They are significant and important aspects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in their own right. My advice in respect of this will address your specific energetic problems.

Diet

I can suggest foods, and ways of eating them, which I think will enhance your qi energy system. This will include vitamin and mineral supplements. I can also suggest foods that I think will be unhelpful to you so that you can avoid them and your body can begin to return to normal balance. This does not mean that you can never again consume those foods that you are avoiding. You may need to avoid them while you are preparing to conceive. Once your body has returned to balance, these foods might be re-introduced into your diet, although often at a reduced level. 

I may also use herbal food supplements, usually in the form of pills, in conjunction with acupuncture, to enhance the effects of treatment.

Exercise

Exercise has a direct effect on the qi energy in the body. With exercise you can help to circulate sluggish qi or, relieve an over-stressed energy system. However, if you over-exercise, you can weaken your qi. I will advise you on what type of exercise would best benefit your energy pattern. I may also prescribe specific exercises for your condition.

Treatment programme

As part of your initial assessment, I will recommend a preparation period during which I will suggest you avoid pregnancy. This may be as little as one month, but may be as much as six months. During this time, I will suggest you will have weekly or bi-weekly acupuncture treatment. 

If you have not already done so, women patients will be asked to complete a temperature chart (BBT chart) in the first month, as this can be invaluable in helping me to determine the correct acupuncture treatment for you.

 

What can acupuncture do?

Men can benefit from acupuncture just as much as women, if they are shown to be sub-fertile. Evidence shows that acupuncture can be used to improve both the quantity and quality of the sperm you produce. Specifically I can help to:

  • increase the quantity of semen you produce at each ejaculation

  • increase the number of sperm per ml. in your semen

  • increase the motility of your sperm

  • increase your percentage of normally formed sperm

Acupuncture treatment is appropriate where any or all of the above are needed. I can also make a difference if you have lowered fertility due to previous illness (e.g. mumps), trauma, or conditions such as undescended testicle. Acupuncture can be used to improve the quality of the sperm especially where this is borderline.

I target your treatment towards:

  • Regulating the qi system of your whole body; this supports and supplements the energy you use to make sperm.

  • Promoting qi circulation to your lower abdomen and testicles; by doing this we can help to improve the blood circulation to your testicles which in turn helps your sperm production.

  • Strengthening the function of your Kidney qi (the constitutional basis of sperm production).

Treatment programme:

Treatment involves 12 treatments over the course of 12 weeks, i.e. weekly. In the case of couples undertaking IVF/ICSI or IUI, the last treatment should be just before you produce your sperm for the procedure. I will need to conduct an initial consultation with you lasting one hour. Subsequent treatments will be 30mins.

No needles are inserted into your penis or testicles. I will want to needle points on your lower abdomen, i.e. below the navel, in addition to wrists, lower legs and feet. An average of ten needles are used at each treatment.

Advice on diet, exercise and, if necessary, relaxation and stress reduction are all included in the programme. Food supplements in the form of pills may also be prescribed if necessary.