Thousands of years ago in China, there began a medical practice called acupuncture. This ancient medical treatment involves the placement of thin and hollow sterilized needles at specific areas of the body known as acupuncture points. The needles are then vibrated or twisted to regulate the natural flow of energy throughout the body. Bellmore acupuncture is used to lessen pain and remedy illnesses and various ailments.
In the 1970s, Chinese acupuncture was brought to the United States. More than 8 million Americans a year are now using this drug-free Chinese treatment as a stand-alone procedure or complementary therapy to alleviate various health concerns, including infertility.
In the US, acupuncture is currently one of the most popular alternative solutions to infertility. Medical practitioners in China believe that 20 distinct energy pathways exist in the human body. Blockage of any of these pathways leads to pain, illness or disease.
Acupuncture allows energy to flow properly. When needles are placed at acupuncture points, the chances of blockage are lessened and good health is restored. The body has more than 2,000 energy points.Many Western medical practitioners today recognize the positive effects of acupuncture. Recent investigations reveal that acupuncture triggers the release of hormones like endorphins, which enable the body to rest, relax and heal. These hormones improve blood flow, allowing antibodies to combat viruses and infections.
Acupuncture offers the best results when infertility is caused by functional problems, especially when the inability to conceive is due to hormonal imbalances, ovulation problems or endometriosis. This all-natural treatment is not as effective when used to fix structural problems, like an obstructed fallopian tube or an incorrectly formed epididymis.
Acupuncture is used it as a stand-alone procedure to overcome infertility or along with assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods like in vitro fertilization (IVF).
In 2004, the Colorado Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Center conducted a study which showed that 51% of females who simultaneously underwent acupuncture and IVF became pregnant. Only 36% of females who used just IVF were able to conceive, and those that did conceive had a 20% rate of miscarriage. Women who conceived using acupuncture with IVF had an 8% rate of miscarriage.
Acupuncture is also beneficial to men. This treatment can help solve male fertility problems, such as sperm health issues and erectile dysfunction.
Shanghai University in China conducted a study in 2005 which found that acupuncture was also effective in treating male infertility. Acupuncture was shown to increased male sperm count. Also, the morphology and structure of their sperm was healthier than those who did not receive acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture is relatively inexpensive compared to other infertility treatments. Acupuncture treatments are also covered by some insurance plans.
A patient must receive acupuncture treatment once or twice a week for a span of several months to experience the benefits of this drug-free, non-surgical approach to getting pregnant. Normally, an acupuncture patient undergoes around 12 sessions of treatment. Every session takes about an hour and must also cover an evaluation of the patient’s existing health condition and lifestyle habits, and a discussion of what he or she can do at home to strengthen the effects of the treatment.