Dr. Sara Ryan has specialized in working with fertility patients for 18 years and has found this to be one off the most awarding aspects of her clinic. She works with people who are trying to conceive naturally as well as those who are going through IVF, IUI, frozen embryo transfer cycles (FET) or clomid cycles.
She does an extensive consult with her fertility patients to try to find the missing link. Even when there is nothing that is obviously causing a problem, acupuncture, by itself, increases a woman's and a man's fertility by removing blockages in their body that are preventing them from being able to conceive.
Studies have shown that acupuncture can increase the effectiveness of IUI and IVF treatments:
Please review this article in pubmed https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18258932
Dr. Ryan finds that many people who have been trying to conceive for years respond quite quickly to acupuncture alone. She customizes the treatment to the individual as no two patients are the same. She bases her treatments on several clinically proven treatment protocols and has studied under many experts in the field: Dr. Bradley Horn, Dr. Wendy Yu, Dr. Jane Lyttleton, Dr. Wolfganag Paulus - to name a Few.
"So, how does it work?
As you have probably learned by now, acupuncture itself relies on the gentle insertion of thin, fine, disposable needles at specific points om the body. In Chinese Medicine, we believe that there are 14 major pathways or meridians where blood and what we call qi (otherwise known as energy) moves. Stagnation in any of these meridians can cause many obstacles to fertility in males and females. Acupuncture helps to unblock this stagnation at different points.
One of the ways acupuncture infertility treatment increases fertility is by reducing stress, which is often a key factor in the fertility of both men and women. When people are under stress, the brain’s neurochemical balance is altered, thus changing hormone levels and disrupting the pituitary balance that is key to the reproductive cycle. Acupuncture infertility treatment counters the effects of stress by releasing endorphins in the brain.
Stress is capable of preventing a woman from ovulating entirely. It can also create spasms in the fallopian tubes and the uterus, and this, in turn, can interfere with movement and implantation of a fertilized egg.
In men, stress can alter sperm counts, motility, and cause impotence. In addition, any blockages as we described above can inhibit sperm production, motility / mobility. Acupuncture can help by releasing these blockages acupuncture.
So, to summarize, acupuncture can increase fertility by reducing stress, increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs and balancing the endocrine system, according to several studies and medical research.
In addition, acupuncture for infertility treatment produces few or no side effects while performing similar functions as the drugs used by western medical fertility procedures do. Or, if undergoing an assisted cycle, acupuncture can help to reduce the unwanted side effects of fertility medications and treatments.
On top of helping to achieve pregnancy, a major goal of infertility treatment is helping the patient to stay pregnant, have a healthy and happy pregnancy, and, of course, a healthy baby!
During the pregnancy, acupuncture can help with morning sickness, heartburn, nausea, anxiety and insomnia, and aches and pains caused by pregnancy (low back pain and headaches are examples),
So, overall, acupuncture can help with fertility in so many ways. Dr. Ryan finds working with fertility patients to be among the most rewarding parts of her practice.
There is no better feeling than helping women to bring healthy children into their lives!
Feel free to call the office with any questions about fertility / infertility acupuncture and your own, individual case or concerns. Dr. Ryan is always happy to help!
Call Acupuncture RI, Dr. Sara Ryan, with any questions you may have or if you would like to schedule an appointment! (401)261-6247