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Acupuncture can increase the chances of getting pregnant for women undergoing fertility treatment by 65%, a review of the evidence concludes today.

Acupuncture, which involves inserting fine needles under the skin at particular points in the body depending on the condition being treated, has long been used in China to help with a range of diagnoses, including regulating female reproduction.

To establish how effective the treatment is, doctors in the US collated evidence from all relevant, well-conducted studies and published their conclusions in today’s British Medical Journal.

Eric Manheimer, research associate at the centre for integrative medicine at the University of Maryland school of medicine and colleagues looked at seven studies. All had been published in English since 2002 and conducted in four different western countries. The trials involved 1,366 women undergoing in vitro fertility treatment – where eggs and sperm are removed and mixed in the laboratory and one or more resulting embryos returned to the womb.

In the trials some women were given genuine acupuncture, others “sham” acupuncture, such as putting needles in the wrong places, and some no treatment at all. Overall the genuine acupuncture improved a woman’s chances of pregnancy by 65%. All the acupuncture took place within a day or so of embryo transfer. Not all the pregnancies would have resulted in a live birth. In trials where the clinic’s pregnancy rate was already high, there was a smaller, non-significant increase. Manheimer said the results were not necessarily a reason for every infertile woman to seek out acupuncture.

“I think the findings should be regarded as somewhat preliminary,” he said. “Acupuncture can improve the rates of pregnancy and live birth. Some couples might want to choose acupuncture but others might want to wait until further research has been done.”

But Edzard Ernst, professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula medical school, Exeter, urged caution. “IVF may not seem to be ‘placebo-prone’ but it probably is: if women expect it to be helpful they are more relaxed, which in turn would affect pregnancy rates.”

Manheimer argued a placebo response was unlikely, arguing that acupuncture may stimulate the body to produce neurotransmitters which influence the menstrual cycle, ovulation and fertility.

Original Article can be found at The Guardian’s Health Page

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Researchers at the Center for Integrative Medicine, at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine, conducted a meta-analysis of several research studies on the effects of acupuncture on IVF outcomes. (A meta-analysis is a research study that gathers information from several studies and evaluates them together.) The meta-analysis considered seven trials, which all together included 1,366 women.

The researchers found that when acupuncture took place on the day of embryo transfer, statistically significant improvements were found in the rates of clinical pregnancies, ongoing pregnancy, and live births. They also found that 10 woman would need to be treated with IVF and acupuncture to see one additional pregnancy.

In another study, often referred to as the “German study,” a German fertility clinic offered 160 IVF patients who had good-quality embryos an opportunity to participate in a study on acupuncture and IVF outcomes. Half of the patients received acupuncture treatment, 25 minutes before and after embryo transfer. The control group did not receive any supportive therapy.

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If you are  having difficulty getting pregnant, and if you have already tried your GP, fertility specialist, and IVF from NHS but to no avail, trying natural fertility options can be an effective way of improving your chances. One such natural fertility treatment option is acupuncture.

Acupuncture works best when a functional problem is the cause of infertility, specifically when endometriosis, ovulatory problems or hormonal imbalances are the cause for not getting pregnant.

However, it is much more tricky to use acupuncture treatments when structural problems, such as an improperly formed epididymis or a blocked fallopian tube, are the cause of infertility. In the latter case, advice from your GB needs to be sought and acupuncture should be used as an assistance rather than a replacement of western medicine.

Acupuncture and Female Infertility

Acupuncture infertility treatment can be applied either on its own or in conjunction with assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures, such as IVF.
A report published in the journal Fertility and Sterility (2002) found the pregnancy rate in the group receiving acupuncture group was 42.5%, compared to the group which did not receive the therapy, where the rate was 26.3%.

A 2004 study conducted by the Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Center in Colorado found that 51% of women who underwent both IVF and acupuncture treatment at the same time became pregnant, while only 36% of those who only underwent IVF did. The latter group also had higher rates of miscarriage and stillbirth (20%) compared to those women who had received acupuncture (8%).

Acupuncture and Male Infertility

Acupuncture can also be used to treat men’s fertility problems, including erectile dysfunction or sperm health problems, such as low sperm count.

Recently a study was published in journal Fertility and Sterility describing the effectiveness of acupuncture on male fertility. This study suggests once again that acupuncture has positive effects in treating male infertility: it improves a number of normal sperm and reduces sperm defects.

Study was conducted on a study group of 28 men, all diagnosed with idiopathic infertility. Study group received acupuncture twice a week over a period of 5 weeks. Needles were inserted 15 and 25 millimeters, depending on the region treated. Control group did not receive any treatment.

During treatment needles were manipulated for approximately 10 minutes, and then they were left in place for another 25 minutes.

According to the research, semen samples were collected from both study and control group after a 3-day period of sexual abstinence, one sample before the acupuncture treatment began and one sample after the last treatment.

According to the study results, motility levels increased significantly in semen samples in the men receiving acupuncture. In the control group median motility levels increased from 32% to 37% in the control group, while in the study group that received acupuncture, the median motility levels increased from 44.5% to 50%.

Additionally, the number and percentage of healthy sperm also increased. After the 10th acupuncture sessions, the median percentage of healthy sperm had increased more than four-fold.

Moreover, significant changes were noted in sperm structure and quality in the group that received acupuncture treatment: the median percentage of normal acrosome shapes increased for 16%.

In conclusion, acupuncture appeared to improve the overall quality and structural integrity of sperm, which could, according to researchers lead to acupuncture treating male infertility.

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Symptoms:

The symptoms vary and are characterised by various combinations of constipation and/or diarrhea, abdominal pain, sometimes mucus in the stool, flatulence, and vegetative symptoms. Mental stress is very significant in the etiology of this pyschosomatic disorder.

The Chinese Medicine way:

As in other disorders of the digestive organs, the symptoms are differentiated according to traditional diagnostic categories:

  • Excess-type disturbances with damp-heat in the large intestine are apparent in acute cramping pain, acute diarrhea, or spastic constipation. Spleen deficiency often lies at the bottom of this condition. Vigorous needling is indicated in such cases.
  • Deficiency-type disturbances are characterized by chronic constipation or chronic diarrhea with weakness symptoms, such as dull pain, lack of appetite, tiredness, depressive mood or anxiety state. Moxibustion is advisable in such cases.  Moxibustion of Mu and Shu Points of the large intestine, spleen, and sometimes stomach channels is very effective.
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Acupuncture and Skin Disorder

In many skin disorders, such as neurodermatitis, acne, herpes zoster, psoriasis, and eczema, acupuncture treatment is effective. According to traditional ideas, the skin is related to the lung and the large intestine, and skin disorders are therefore treated with points on these channels. Both excess- and deficiency-type conditions should be considered for needle stimulation. Read more »

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Acupuncture for hemiparesis

The treatment of hemiparesis occupies a major place in acupuncture clinics in China. Hemiparesis after a cerebral insult has a better prognosis than post-traumatic hemiparesis.

Paresis after poliomyelitis can also be treated successfully. Personal experience in the treatment of spastic paresis shows a significant reduction of the spasm in 30% of patients. Early treatment of paresis after cerebral palsy has especially good results. Even in long-standing paresis amazing improvements are often achieved.

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  • Comprehensive diagnosis with the methods of Western medicine, with particular emphasis on the exclusion of malignant illnesses.
  • Exact analysis of the symptoms and, especially in chronic and complicated cases, classification of them according to the system of traditional Chinese diagnosis. The differentiation with the most bearing on therapy is that into excess or deficiency conditions. Disturbances caused by excess, Shi in Chinese, are treated with sedative methods, while deficiency disturbances, Xu, are treated with tonifying methods. Moxibustion is an important tonifying method. Points should be selected with careful reference to these diagnostic categories.
  • Examination and allocation of pain and of other symptoms to channels and organs.
  • Knowledge of the 12 main channels, and of Ren Mai and Du Mai, their courses, their relations, and the distribution of specific points. Knowledge of the point categories, their indications and meanings.
  • Exact location of the points, precisely correct technique of insertion, and adequate depth of needle insertion, and appropriate stimulation (sedative or tonifying method).

By G Stux

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com

External Articles does not represent our opinions. (disclaimer)

Acupuncture & Moxibustion Treatment is an ancient Chinese method of treating different diseases by inserting one or more very thin pins at certain points on the body. It has been practiced in China and the orient for more than 5000 years.
Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medical science is practiced based on keeping or restore balance of vital energy in the body and treating accordingly. The imbalance can be caused by physical or emotional difficulties. The acupuncture & moxibustion doctor restores the balance by inserting fine sterilized pins in to the points of the channels of energy, through stimulating the body’s own natural healing mechanisms. So, Acupuncture & moxibustion is the process of encouraging the body to promote natural healing. The general theory of acupuncture is based on the principle that there are patterns of energy flow through the body that are essential for health. Disruptions of this flow are believed to be responsible for disease. Acupuncture & moxibustion corrects imbalances of flow. Throughout its long history, acupuncture treatment has established a solid reputation as an excellent alternative for health care and is very effective to treat some diseases, where other methods of treatment could not achieve good result or failed.
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Having been diagnosed with unexplained infertility I went for treatment with Daian. She made me feel at ease straight away and gave me support and advice alongside the weekly acupuncture sessions. Three months later I discovered I was pregnant (without any other interventions). We welcomed our baby into the world almost 11 months to the day after my first visit to Daian. I really believe it would not have been possible without her!I remain a regular client and I can’t recommend Daian highly enough.
Richard BishopRichard Bishop
11:31 24 Jan 21
Daian is an extremely talented and caring professional and I cannot say enough about how helpful and effective her treatments have been. I highly recommend a visit here if you are thinking about acupuncture. The atmosphere is peaceful and calming and Daian’s highly effective skills and treatment provides welcome relief from chronic pain in a calm in a restful environment.
Emma SchorEmma Schor
19:19 21 Aug 20
It was an incredible experience and I would like to call it “magic”! I had not been able to sleep well for several months, and my whole body felt hard when I lied in bed, especially the neck and shoulders. Daian found a little lump on the back of my neck at the consultation . 30 minutes of acupuncture after, I immediately felt my neck relaxed. I did it again two days later, and the lump just disappeared! I went to sleep easily for the first time in months! Thank you, Daian! Thank you, the wonderful Chinese medical treatment!!
Sally NuttallSally Nuttall
20:37 22 Dec 19
I have been going to Daian for treatment for many years now. She is a kind and compassionate lady who is also very accomplished in Acupuncture. I have suffered with severe Vertigo for many years, having had medication, exercises etc to no avail. Having treatment with Daian has completely changed my life - I very seldom have symptoms now, thanks to acupuncture but, if it flares up, a visit to the clinic soon settles it down again. My husband has also recently started to attend her clinic to have treatment for migraines and this, also, has been very successful. I would recommend Dr Daian Zou highly.
rachel powellrachel powell
21:55 07 Dec 19
Can highly suggest acupuncture especially with this wonderful lady (Daia) she is nothing but kind, compassionate & proffesional. Acupuncture has really helped me with my healthy problem, I'm so thrilled with the results. I really look forward 2 my acupuncture every week its so relaxing & Daia is such a wonderful lady. Don't suffer call Daia (SJ Hill Clinic) up & she can help you out she is amazing....highly reccomend to anyone. Can't thank you enough Daia you deserve 100 stars x x x x

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