As a practicing Chinese medicine practitioner, I have noticed seven primary reasons that my female patients come in for acupuncture and Chinese herbs: infertility, pregnancy and post-partum support, premenstrual syndrome, irregular menstrual cycles, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and menopause/perimenopause. For the next seven blog posts, I will focus on each of these issues, beginning with infertility relating to women.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Infertility
Since 2005, I have treated patients for infertility. Acupuncture, with the help of Chinese herbal medicine, improves the success rates for conception by regulating the cycle and promoting the body’s natural process for fertility and a successful pregnancy. For example, patients can benefit because of the potential for acupuncture and herbs to improve ovarian and follicular function. Additionally, acupuncture increases blood flow to the endometrium, helping to facilitate a thick, rich uterine lining. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are also effective in conjunction with western medicine’s assisted reproductive therapies. I have repeatedly observed in my clinic that receiving acupuncture prior to and after in vitro fertilization (IVF) helps to increase the success rate of that procedure.
Reasons for seeking acupuncture to address infertility include an irregular menstrual cycle, infertility related to age, high follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, endometriosis, PCOS, recurrent miscarriages, an under- or over-functioning thyroid, anovulatory cycles, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility, and others.
I have also observed how powerful acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be in regulating the emotions of my patients. Infertility can be stressful and produce significant anxiety for some. Acupuncture can effectively calm the mind and aid restful sleep.
If you are interested in acupuncture and Chinese herbs for the treatment of infertility, please get in touch with me at Alliance Healing Arts via (206) 632-5500.
Inger Johnson, L.Ac., EAMP