The Relationship Between Acupuncture and Fertility

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture– the insertion of ultra-thin, sterile needles into specific points in the body for an average of 15 to 30 minutes–is known to have very positive medicinal effects, reducing pain and causing improved healing for a number of different maladies. In fact, in a review of about 29 studies, acupuncture was found to relieve pain by about 50%.

It is becoming more and more embraced by the medical community — more than 3,000 U.S. physicians integrate acupuncture into their clinical practices. The 3,000-year-old healing technique has enjoyed a sort of renaissance, and more and more clinical studies have been produced to figure out how exactly it works to improve conditions in the body.

Traditionally, it has been held that acupuncture functions by regulating the energy flow of the body through prime channels, or meridians. Health or mental problems are caused by the blockage of certain channels or intersections, and proper functioning is restored by the insertion of a small needle into a key point.

Many scientists think that acupuncture accesses nerve points, stimulating reactions in the muscles and organs through a complex set of responses which release hormones and chemicals to restore balance to the body.

How Acupuncture Can Help Alleviate Infertility

One of the many things that acupuncture can help address is that of infertility. It can address many of the underlying problems that affect fertility, like an under-functioning thyroid (hyothyroidism), or an over-functioning thyroid (hyerthyroidism). Acupuncture can also increase the blood flow to the endometrium, which facilitates the growth of a thick, rich uterine lining and therefore, there’s a better chance of becoming pregnant.

The use of acupuncture and fertility treatments can also work in tandem to reduce overall stress to the body and its reproductive and endocrine system. A mental and physical balance is needed to become pregnant and nurture a child.

When people are under significant stress, a hormone called cortisol is released by the brain, altering the neurochemical balance, changing hormone levels, and disrupting the pituitary gland.

Traditional fertility drugs commonly produce side effects like abdominal tenderness, bloating, weight gain and nausea, which hinder the natural healing process of the body. You have nothing to lose by exploring the relationship between acupuncture and fertility–it can only make you feel better!