Many people these days are turning to natural or holistic treatments for their various medical conditions. Acupuncture is one form of treatment that many people are turning to for help these days. This can be used alone to help women get pregnant. You can even find acupuncture aiding in the IVF process in many fertility clinics all over, like www.healingwayacupuncture.com in Sonoma, California. In order to understand why, you should first understand what acupuncture does for the body to properly understand how it is used in conjunction with IVF treatments.
Acupuncture: The Theory
Acupuncture operates on the theory that the "qi" or "chi", a life force that is found in every living body, flows in specific channels called 'meridians' that correlate to different organs of the body. This practice uses needles to penetrate different acupuncture points on the body in order to break up a blockage of the "qi". When the 'qi' is able to flow freely, this will help the different systems of the body to perform at their very best. This can be maximized for infertility treatments and IVF. It can help the ovaries to produce eggs and help with ovulation. Acupuncture can help with leveling the hormones that make the lining of the cervix and uterine wall beat the right consistency to facilitate fertilization and implantation of the egg. In this way it is very similar to many different fertility drugs such as Clomid. There are different ways that the treatment can be done, including moxibustion, which is where the end of the needles is lit on fire to give a different way of channeling the 'qi'.
Does Acupuncture Help With IVF Treatments?
Acupuncture aiding with IVF treatments help in many different ways. The most common is the way that this can help aid in ovulation. When going through IVF, a fertility doctor will put a woman on fertility drug, usually by injection. Acupuncture helps level a woman's hormones is also very beneficial with IVF. The relaxation that this brings is another reason that many clinics have gone to using acupuncture rather than fertility drugs. Even though many women have apprehension of the needles at first, once they begin the treatment and find that the needles are quite painless, they will usually lose the tension and find it very relaxing.
Some of the most important things to consider when deciding to use acupuncture with IVF include:
1. Make sure that you choose the right acupuncturist. You need to make sure that the doctor you use is actually a specialist in acupuncture and not just use a doctor that is just practicing acupuncture occasionally. Robert Greenstein, L.Ac. is a specialist in Women's Health Care and Infertilty with offices in San Rafael and Sonoma California.
2. You should make sure that you find an acupuncturist that specializes in infertility treatments. This can make a big difference when it comes to the results of the treatment.
3. Ask your fertility doctor if there is anyone that they recommend. You can even look up different infertility acupuncturists online.
4. It is important to meet with the doctor prior to beginning treatment. You should understand what they will be doing and how it will affect your fertility. You should also make sure that they are in communication with your fertility doctor.
Conclusion
Many couples go through trying times when trying to conceive. Exploring all of your options and the important risk factors involved with any type of infertility treatment is extremely important to consider before making your decision.
Looking to find the best acupuncture clinic in Sonoma and San Rafael, California? Specializing inwomen's health and infertility, visit www.healingwayacupuncture.com to find the best advice on IVF and acupuncture.