Acupuncture
Acupuncture for male fertility
How can acupuncture help with male fertility?
Male fertility is relatively simple. Either you have enough healthy sperm to ensure fertilisation or you do not. The key word is ‘healthy’. There are several different ways in which a man’s sperm needs to be healthy.
Volume of semen, the liquid in which the sperm are carried. It helps to protect the sperm, but the sperm only make up between 2 and 5% of this. There should be at least one millilitre (ml) of fluid when you ejaculate.
Quantity of sperm, expressed in millions per ml. At least 20 million per ml at each ejaculation are needed for fertilisation to occur.
Motility of the sperm, the ability of the sperm to swim vigorously and purposefully (in a forward direction). 50% should be motile.
Morphology: the number of normally shaped sperm. More than 14% should be normal forms, i.e. no deformities of head, mid-part or tail.
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.