Acupuncture is an alternative medical treatment that has been in practice for more than 2000 years. Created in China, the practice of acupuncture is based on the belief that a interference in the energy flow in the body can cause energetic imbalances, which is believed to be the root cause of most of the diseases suffered by people. These obstructions can be removed and the energy flow of the body can be manipulated by the insertion of slender needles into specific acupoints of the body. There are more than 2000 different acupoints on the human body and the problem determines which insertion points should be used. Acupuncture is now used all over the world to treat a variety of conditions, such as insomnia, gastritis, bacillary dysentery, tonsillitis, infertility and myopia.



How Does Acupuncture Treat Infertility?

The use of acupuncture to treat infertility is a relatively new concept for western societies. The idea behind acupuncture for infertility is that acupuncture will increase the volume of blood flow to the reproductive organs and harmonize the hormones present in the body. This practice is recognized to be effective by increasing ovarian potency in women and aiding in sperm production for men.

Using acupuncture for infertility treatment is most regularly used when a couple is having functional issues, such as irregular ovulation or erectile dysfunction. In some cases, acupuncture is used as additional procedure for in vitro fertilization, helping women to relax their uteruses during the embryo transfer process. A study conducted in 2002 by German researchers found that acupuncture increased the success rate of in vitro fertilization by up to 16% and reduced the amount of miscarriages in women receiving in vitro fertilization by 12%.

What's It Like To Go Through an Acupuncture Treatment?

Acupuncture is a reasonably painless procedure and side effects are very rare. The most common negative events reported include minor bleeding at the insertion point, the transmission of infectious agents, and needles broken beneath the skin. These risks will be substantially reduced if the acupuncturist is a licensed and capable professional that has undergone the required 2000 to 3000 hours of training and has passed the required board exam.

Acupuncture for infertility treatment can be a very long process. On average, acupuncture therapy requires 12 individual visits, each about an hour in length and occurring weekly. During this hour long appointment, a physical test will be given and any complications or issues that have arisen since the last appointment will be discussed.

Using acupuncture to treat infertility is rapidly gaining acceptance in the United States. Although whether the procedure is effective is intensely debated among experts, the fact of the matter is that it seems to work and it certainly doesn't hurt to try. For couples who have been trying to conceive a child without success, using acupuncture therapy to aid in infertility treatment may give them the boost they need to finally be blessed with a baby.