How Does Acupuncture Help Fertility
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Some women have no trouble getting pregnant. But others struggle for months to conceive. Even if you’ve already had children, you can still struggle to get pregnant. Between stress and dietary and lifestyle choices, many things can contribute to infertility, even if you’ve never had a problem in the past. The good news is that acupuncture can help you reclaim your fertility and support your overall health, to boot! But how does acupuncture help fertility, exactly?
Acupuncture reduces stress, balances estrogen and progesterone, and stimulates ovarian function. Men can also benefit from acupuncture because it works to boost sperm concentration, making acupuncture a universal support method for anybody struggling with infertility.
How does acupuncture help women struggling with infertility?
When it comes to getting pregnant, good circulation is crucial. This is one of the primary benefits that acupuncture has to offer when it comes to boosting fertility. Good blood flow to the reproductive organs has several key benefits.
First, it nourishes them. Healthy circulation ensures your reproductive organs have ready access to the oxygen, blood cells, and hormones they need to function properly. The enhanced circulation also stimulates ovarian function, regulating cycles, even in women who struggle with anovulatory cycles and/or PCOS.
Studies show that acupuncture improves ovarian reserve in mothers who were previously considered to be infertile. Not only does acupuncture help you produce more eggs, but those eggs are also of a better quality, which also enhances your chances of getting pregnant.
Acupuncture supports fertility by improving the function of your reproductive organs themselves. But it also helps by regulating stress levels and encouraging healthy sex hormone levels. Acupuncture can be used to normalize estrogen and progesterone levels. Acupuncture is also incredibly helpful for treating pregnancy symptoms, like back pain and morning sickness, and can help women stabilize their hormones postpartum, too.
How can acupuncture help men overcome infertility?
Women aren’t the only ones who benefit from using acupuncture to support fertility. Men can also use acupuncture to improve reproductive health. If you and your partner have been struggling to get pregnant for a while now, a few acupuncture sessions could make all the difference for you.
Better blood flow can work wonders for increasing sperm count and quality. Regular acupuncture sessions have been shown to support testicular function. This, in turn, can drastically ramp up sperm production. If you’ve struggled with low sperm counts, acupuncture is an easy way to support your fertility.
As in women, acupuncture can also help regulate sex hormone levels in men, specifically testosterone. Low levels can cause your sperm count to plummet. Acupuncture has a regulating effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, reducing stress hormones and helping your body regulate testosterone production.
Overall, acupuncture can be used to help men enhance their fertility levels. We’ve seen many couples overcome their infertility struggles with the help of regular acupuncture sessions, along with a few lifestyle adjustments and the help of some fertility superfoods.
How often should women get acupuncture to support fertility?
You can begin acupuncture treatments at any time, no matter where you are in your fertility journey — whether you and your partner have just started trying, or whether you’re in the third trimester of your pregnancy. Acupuncture is safe, non-invasive, and has no adverse side effects, so it’s an awesome supportive therapy for anyone.
If you’re still in the planning stages of your fertility journey, then we recommend beginning acupuncture 6 to 12 months before attempting to conceive. This is especially helpful if you’re a woman who’s struggling with a hormonal condition like PCOS, or who is over the age of 35. Regular acupuncture sessions before attempting to conceive help prepare the body for implantation and increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Many of our clients who struggle with fertility choose to undergo IVF or IUI treatments. Acupuncture can be used in tandem with these treatments. Regular acupuncture sessions before transfer make your body more receptive to implantation. A few strategically timed sessions after transfer can also tip the odds in your favor.
And, if you’re already pregnant, acupuncture can still play a crucial role in your fertility by helping your body support the pregnancy. It does so all while helping to alleviate those annoying pregnancy symptoms. Acupuncture can make it easier for you to cope with the fatigue, muscle pain, and nausea that come with pregnancy.
How often should men get acupuncture to support fertility?
The protocol for treating infertility in men is very similar to the protocol we would recommend to our female clients. We recommend acupuncture sessions well in advance of attempting to conceive to rebalance hormones, reduce stress, and bring that sperm count up. That said, there is no wrong time to start treatment.
Depending on the underlying cause of your infertility, you may respond very quickly to treatment. Some clients see a boost in their sperm count and overall sexual performance within just a few sessions. Acupuncture can be tremendously helpful for restoring sexual health!
But if your body has been out of balance for a long time, it may take weeks to months of treatments to help you recover. Everybody is different, and it’s very difficult to predict definitively how long it will take to see results.
In some cases, we rely on other strategies to help our clients achieve better results. Herbal medicine can be highly effective in many cases, and stress management is also a big help for many individuals. Relying on a variety of holistic therapies yields the best results for some clients. We’ll work with you to figure out the best path forward so you can enhance your reproductive health.
Book your first appointment today
Regardless of the nature of your fertility issues, acupuncture can help you improve your reproductive health so you can finally expand your family.
Because infertility can be caused by so many different things, we’ll work with you to get to the bottom of your reproductive issues, and help you create a plan that improves your overall health.
Contact our office today to learn more about how acupuncture can help you on your fertility journey. At Integrative Healing Arts, we rely on a variety of holistic therapies, from acupuncture to massage to herbal therapy, to help our clients reach their unique health goals.
