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March 6, 2010

Infertility: Natural Treatment Options

Filed under: Pregnancy — Tags: , — Jennifer @ 2:29 pm

I can only speak for myself here, but I do anything to avoid going to the doctor. I understand that they are generally skilled at what they do, but copious numbers of doctors seem very keen to prescribe antibiotics for the tiniest tickle. I acknowledge that there’s a time and a place for antibiotics, but I’m generally relatively wary. For me, when it comes to dealing with infertility, natural treatment would be my first stop. Why go and pump yourself full of pills, which give you side effects so you need even more pills, when the natural treatment could work just as well?

Some natural treatments will raise your fertility specifically whilst others help your body to help itself by reducing tension and improvinggeneral health. By now you’re possibly wondering what natural treatments can help for infertility. Well, here goes:

- Acupuncture – The use of acupuncture in fertility treatment is relatively well documented. The practitioner will use super-fine needles to stimulate particular points. Apparently acupuncture sessions prior to and after some IVF procedures raise the pregnancy rate.

- Herbs – People underestimate the power of herbs, so make sure that you consult someone who knows what they’re doing.

- Homeopathy – Homeopathy may help both male and female infertility by stimulating the body to sort itself out.

- Pilates and Yoga – Just confirm that your instructor knows something about yoga and exercise for infertility.

- Aromatherapy – Apparently this can normalize your monthly cycle so that you are able to get your timing for the baby dance just right.

- Naturopathy – Incorporates a large assortment of therapies – encompassing things like acupuncture and dietary changes.

- Sleep – Don’t lose too much sleep! As tempting as it is to stay awake till the early hours of the morning researching infertility, it is really unhelpful as sporadic sleep patterns can ruin your cycle too.

- The list goes on!

Make certain that the guy with the needles knows what he’s doing! A qualified therapist is a necessity. Also, make certain that the person is aware that you are there regarding your infertility as some procedures may be unsuitable or they might have the opposite effect. Your infertility clinic may be able to refer you to someone experienced in the natural treatment of infertility.

You might be the kind of person who is somewhat suspicious about whether these treatments work or not, but despite those reservations I think that there is no hurt in having a little TLC. Anything that brings your stress levels down will be positive for fertility, and you’ll feel more prepared to deal with whatever comes your way.

So if you’re managing infertility, natural treatment options could be just the additional help that you need. Feel free to test any or all of them; enough sleep, a little exercise, healthy eating and a good dose of tender loving care with some pampering on the side never hurt anyone!

Here is more information on Acupuncture and Infertility. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Infertility.

February 18, 2010

The Significance of Acupuncture on Infertility

For centuries now, the art and often considered a health practice of acupuncture has been practiced in different countries mostly in the Asian region. This defines the greatness as well as the grandiosity of pinning fine needles in different vital points of the body for different purposes like pain relief and treatment of some health ailments. The basic effect of acupuncture on infertility is to regulate the person’s blood pressure by proper stimulation of the central nervous system. It greatly encourages the production and release of endorphins that play a vital part of inhibiting the pain and neurohormones and neurotransmitters in making the body heal on its own.

Acupuncture on infertility is also seen as one of the effective remedies on various infertility problems particularly imbalances on the hormones. The hormonal levels are equaled accordingly through the increase of blood flow in vital organs to regulate the body system. Moreover it also helps enhance the vital functions of the ovaries as well as follicles. Endometrium plays a major role in thickening the uterus lining and also benefits from acupuncture through increased blood flow. A particular infertility treatment like IVF or In Vitro Fertilization is also greatly aided in elevating its success rate. As a matter of fact, many specialists now offer acupuncture as part of what is known as IVF treatment. This becomes more noticeable on the improvements made in the process of transferring the embryo that leads to more success in pregnancy. Another specific problem of infertility that can also be treated by acupuncture is spasmed tubes. This is simply done by making these spasmed tubes into de-spasmed ones. Moreover, there are also many other infertility issues that can be effectively cured by acupuncture like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, increased follicle stimulating hormone, repeated miscarriage, idiopathic infertility, luteal phase defect, hyperprolactinemia, and also sperm DNA fragmentation.

The body has the capacity to heal itself naturally and acupuncture also enhances this ability. In this case, the more you have acupuncture the better it is for you. Women who are to undergo IVF treatment or donor egg transfer, they are often subjected to acupuncture about 3 to 4 months before the said process. Acupuncture is strongly advised for women before and after they have the embryo transfer. This is done for the purpose of heightening the therapeutic effect to go along with various infertility treatments. Basically, fertility treatments bring about stress on the person undergoing it. And the best remedy for this is through acupuncture. Because of the fact that acupuncture has many ways to add in the treatment of infertility, it is advisable for couples who suffer from this kind of concern to give every possible option a shot.

Acupuncture also involves some risks but they are minimal. However, miscarriage can occur when acupuncture is done improperly on a pregnant woman. This makes it important to make sure that acupuncture is only done by a certified acupuncturist who is very well capable and specializes in the said therapy. Electro-acupuncture is the advanced form of acupuncture that inhibits pain during labor. The need for hospitalization is also significantly reduced which saves a person from incurring further expenses.

On top of all, recent researches have revealed that the right blend of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and traditional medications serve as the ultimate method in treating infertility. In most cases, acupuncture and herbal medicines are seen to be more effective through the aid of traditional medical interventions.

February 8, 2010

Acupuncture and Infertility – Needle or Needless Therapy?

Acupuncture and Infertility – Tracing Its Roots

Acupuncture, which originated in China, is over a thousand years old.  Many people in the Western medical practice see it as an effective procedure to address a wide range of health problems.  It has the ability to relieve muscle tension, help a person quit smoking, and improve skin quality, among many other benefits.  Reports from latest studies reveal that acupuncture is highly beneficial to couples with infertility issues.

The West’s Point Of View

Although acupuncture is widely popular, there still are some Westerners who doubt it is effective.  Many consumers are reluctant to try acupuncture due to a lack of scientific validation.  The National Institutes of Health in the US says that researches are currently being conducted on the issue.

Hazards To Health

Acupuncture performed by a trained professional is generally painless.  Very few patients experience adverse effects.  Puncturing of organs, spreading of infectious diseases, forgotten or broken needles and minimal bleeding are the usual risks infrequently associated with acupuncture.  You can do away with these if a professional practitioner does the job.  However, acupuncture must not be performed on people who have bleeding disorders and those who use blood thinning agents.

A Solitary or Complementary Process

Acupuncture may be used as an alternative to fertility issues, especially when used as a single treatment.  It is also viewed as greatly complementary to modern fertility procedures.  When used by itself, acupuncture benefits those who have functional problems, like intermittent ovulation, better.  Taken alone, it may not work as well in addressing structural issues, like a blockage in the sperm duct.

Some acupuncture practitioners say that acupuncture treatments are best complemented by the use of Chinese herbs.  Individuals undergoing medical treatments should consult their doctor if they are taking or intend to take herbs.  There are certain herbs that may inhibit the action of fertility procedures and drugs.  

Acupuncture & Fertility – Does It Work?

How acupuncture works as a cure for infertility is still debatable.  Many practicing experts say that this ancient therapeutic procedure can help regulate the body’s system.  It increases blood flow into the vital organs and stabilizes hormonal activity.  The general outcome is enhanced ovarian function in females and a higher sperm count in males.

Acupuncture benefits women positively, particularly those who are undergoing fertility boosting therapies.   Some also say that acupuncture, when incorporated with rather stressful fertility procedures, helps women relax.  Studies show that acupuncture helps raise a woman’s chance of conception when acupuncture is applied with in vitro fertilization.

Choosing the Right Practitioner

In order to practice acupuncture, doctors are required to complete more or less 300 hours of special training before they are awarded a certification.  Anybody who would like to enter the field of acupuncture professionally must first go through 2000 to 3000 hours of training and pass the board examination.

More and more people are seeing the benefits and are now practicing acupuncture.  To make sure patients land in good hands, here are some things that must be taken into account.  A background check on the selected acupuncture expert must be done prior to agreeing to any procedure.  Any practitioner must be licensed in the state or town where he or she is providing services.  Good friends and relatives are excellent recommendation and feedback sources regarding potential acupuncturists.

Would-be patients should first inquire about ballpark total expenses just to be prepared with the costs early on.  It’s great to know that some insurance providers will pay for acupuncture treatments.

Know What to Expect

More than one acupuncture treatment is needed to get desired results.  To get the most out of acupuncture, patients usually go through a series of visits that can run from several weeks to a few months.  Expect every visit to the acupuncturist to last about an hour, as the practitioner will be discussing your current health status in detail and entertain whatever queries you might have on the process.

 

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