Acupuncture and Infertility: A Powerful Tool
The art and science of acupuncture has been with us for centuries, having been originally developed in Eastern cultures. Acupuncture includes all aspects of relieving pain and achieving medicinal benefits by skillfully inserting fine needles into specific places on the body. Among other results, the process generally affects the patient’s blood pressure by stimulating the nervous system. The link between acupuncture and infertility treatment is important although somewhat indirect.
The manipulation of the specialized needles helps to release endorphins; these serve to block pain and introduce an overall feeling of well-being. Another result is the release of helpful substances known as neurohormones and neurotransmitters. These are important in the natural healing process.
The treatment can serve to stabilize the nervous system and improve the balance of hormones that are so important to reproduction. So, although acupuncture is unconventional when compared to western medicine, it is based on solid science. And hundreds of millions of satisfied patients must know something.
You could think of acupuncture a bit like physical therapy, where the process allows the body to experience natural healing over time. As a rule, it is advisable to start modestly and proceed carefully to higher levels of therapy. When preparing for IVF the specialist may prescribe that the woman receive three to four months of treatment before proceeding with the medical procedure.
Acupuncture is clearly valuable as a means to reduce stress from any number of sources; concerns over fertility and the discomfort related to the medical visits and procedures represent a dramatic source of stress. So this ancient art can not only help the body deal better with the stress, but it also helps give the body its best chance of achieving success. Given the multiple benefits realized through acupuncture, a couple dealing with infertility would be wise to at least consider it as a low-risk option.
Speaking of risks, the pairing of acupuncture and infertility treatments is quite safe. Certainly the process itself is typically (virtually) painless and bloodless, with the occasional minor exception. One concern would be if the treatment involved stimulating the wrong acupuncture points, thus causing a miscarriage in a pregnant woman. This is the reason that it is essential to use a specialist with great experience in treating fertility problems; check this out in advance.
By the way, and assuming you are successful in getting pregnant, it may be worthwhile to consider a technique known as electro-acupuncture as an alternative to conventional painkillers in labor. It might shorten the hospitalization period slightly, which reduces costs and sends Mom home earlier.
Research suggests that acupuncture and infertility treatments of a more conventional nature can work together to improve substantially the body’s ability to become pregnant. We do not find support for this ancient art as a substitute for mainstream medicine and, as always, consult a doctor before moving forward with any treatment for infertility.
