Tag: alternative medicine

acupuncture

Treating Infertility using Acupuncture

Sara Mastrangelo

Acupuncture is an ancient technique that has been used to treat many conditions and create inner balance for over 2,000 years. However, it wasn’t until recently that women started to explore Traditional Chinese Medicinal therapies as an option for fertility treatment. So today I wanted to write a quick blog on how acupuncture can help benefit infertility and help to increase your likelihood of conception.

What is infertility?

First things first, if you are struggling with infertility know that you are not alone. According to the CDC, about 10% of women (6.1 million) in the United States aged 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. This can be due to many contributing factors in both partners.

What causes it?

In women, the cause of infertility can include endometriosis, uterine fibroids and thyroid disease. In men, it can be due to low sperm count, low testosterone, a pre-existing condition or injury.

Certain lifestyle factors can also increase the risk of infertility in both partners:

  • Age (over age 35 for women and over 40 for men).
  • Excessive alcohol use.
  • Smoking.
  • Stress.
  • Eating disorders including anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
  • Sexually transmitted disease (STDs)
  • Over-exercising.
  • Obesity.

How is infertility treated?

Typically, your healthcare provider will ask you to record signs of ovulation such as basal body temperature, do blood work and perform a pelvic examination to try to narrow down the root cause.

Varying treatment methods may be offered such as medications or even surgery.

The Alternative Approach to Infertility 🌸

Now that we have explored a little bit about what infertility is, let’s talk about how acupuncture can increase the likelihood of conception.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body is viewed as an energy system. Each organ plays a role in the smooth flow of energy (or Qi) and maintaining an inner balance. When our inner balance is disrupted, many related symptoms and conditions can arise such as infertility.

How Acupuncture Can Help

Research suggests that acupuncture in combination with moxibustion can have positive effects when it comes to preparing the body for conception. This is because in most cases, the body or the uterus is too cold (doesn’t have enough energy) to carry and hold a baby.

When moxibustion is used to improve fertility, specific points over the ovaries and uterus are warmed to increase blood circulation. This in turn improves the availability of nutrients to growing follicles, assists with the elimination of toxins and improves the quality of the endometrial lining.

Moxibustion is a Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy which consists of burning dried mugwort on particular points on the body. 

In addition, diet plays a huge role in the success rate of conception. Traditional Chinese Medicine takes factors such as the temperature of foods, current season and nutritional value into mind to create a personalized plan based on the patients constitution.

Conclusion

Acupuncture is amazing treatment approach to many health conditions. Regular acupuncture sessions can help to monitor stress levels as well as promote relaxation which may also increase the likelihood for a successful pregnancy. It’s one of my favourite aspects of alternative medicine because it really does provide incredible effects! To learn more about how acupuncture works, check out my blog All About Acupuncture.

If you are looking for an acupuncturist, feel free to book an appointment with me, I am currently accepting new clients! 🌸

acupuncture

All About Acupuncture

Sara Mastrangelo

Whenever I tell someone that I am a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac), they always have so many questions! So today I wanted to write a blog on what exactly acupuncture is, how it works and some of its origins. The cool thing about this ancient technique is that it originated in China over 2,000 years ago- so as mystifying as acupuncture may seem, it has been around for longer than most people realize!

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture involves the insertion of thin needles in strategic points around the body. These points were first mentioned in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine which dates back to approximately 100 BCE. This information continued to be passed down from generation to generation, until the acupuncture points were refined and it became a standard practice in China.

Today, acupuncture has gained popularity around the world and is a regulated health profession in many countries. Research suggests that acupuncture can be used to help treat a number of conditions and diseases such as pain, insomnia, digestive issues, migraines, anxiety and depression.

How does it work?

In biomedical terms, acupuncture works by stimulating the central nervous system using specialized points to activate your body’s own natural healing capabilities.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine however, our organ systems play a pretty big role. Take the digestive system for example, the main organ responsible for digestion is the stomach or spleen. If a patient presents with no appetite and feels tired all of the time, I would choose acupuncture points on the “Stomach Meridian” to promote healthy digestion and help the overall digestive system function better.

*I did not create this image, credit goes to its rightful creator.

It’s important to differentiate between both Eastern and Western Medicinal systems because both systems look at the human body completely differently. Utilizing all of the knowledge that we have as a modern society, while applying it to ancient concepts can be an amazing integrative approach to any treatment plan.

What does it feel like?

In most cases, patients report feeling a dull sensation after the needle is inserted. But because acupuncture needles are so thin, most people don’t feel a thing! My personal acupuncture style is to make sure that my patient feels comfortable at all times. This can be done by engaging in an open conversation, asking questions and reading body language.

How to prepare for your very first acupuncture treatment!

Booking your first acupuncture treatment can be intimidating but it’s something that you should be thrilled about! Taking your health into your own hands and trying new things is something to celebrate!!

Here’s a list of things that I always remind my clients to do before our session:

  1. Make sure you eat beforehand! Because acupuncture works at a superficial level, it’s hard to predict how you may feel afterwards. Eating a nutritious breakfast will help you to feel fully energized and provide your body with everything it needs.
  2. Wear loose and comfortable clothing. This allows your practitioner to locate and needle acupuncture points precisely.
  3. Don’t drink coffee before your session- aside from coffee preventing relaxation, it also affects the appearance of your tongue. The tongue is a crucial indicator of internal health and can be used to aid in diagnosis.
  4. Try and book your appointment on a day off. Booking on a day off will allow you to fully relax and immerse yourself in the experience.

I hope you enjoyed my blog and learned something new about acupuncture! I am currently accepting new clients for Registered Acupuncturist treatments, so please check out my services page!
Stay healthy and stay glowing ✨