| Based on the particular problem you're experiencing, | | | | were being kick-started into action! Psycological |
| different point combinations are stimulated using | | | | probably, but it did start the journey... I was then |
| acupuncture needles. By stimulating these points, | | | | referred to another Chinese doctor that a friend had |
| energy flow is rebalanced and the natural healing | | | | tried. He was much more gentle and I was treated in |
| ability can take place. | | | | a private room, with tranquil Chinese music and he |
| For fertility, the needles are inserted into energy | | | | used fewer needles. He also prescribed some herbs, |
| points associated to the reproductive organs to | | | | which I took in a tablet form to help unblock my liver |
| improve energy flow and balance to those areas. | | | | "chi" - which was apparently also causing some |
| Approximately 6 to 20 needles will be inserted and | | | | interference with my ovaries. |
| retained in a selection of points for anywhere from | | | | After that, I moved to the Netherlands, and I found |
| 15 to 30 minutes. Most patients feel a sense of deep | | | | another Chinese acupuncturist at a huge Chinese |
| relaxation after treatment. Some patients can feel | | | | medical centre in the middle of the red light district in |
| energized, relief of pain and other symptoms | | | | Amsterdam! He also prescribed herbs in a tablet form |
| immediately after the treatment. | | | | and was quite gentle with the needles. It was not |
| It has indicated that it can increase blood flow to the | | | | that relaxing though, as the centre was so busy and |
| endometrium, helping to facilitate a thick, rich lining | | | | there was constant chatter outside my room! He |
| which is essential for a fertilized egg to implant itself | | | | gave me some moxa sticks and showed me where |
| into. | | | | to hold them at various points on my body - my |
| Most women who choose acupuncture are doing it | | | | knees and shins and a few other places. In indirect |
| together with traditional infertility treatments, but | | | | moxibustion, a practitioner (or you can do it yourself) |
| others hope that acupuncture might improve their | | | | lights one end of a moxa stick, roughly the shape |
| chances after everything else has failed. Studies have | | | | and size of a cigar, and holds it close to the area |
| shown that regularly undergoing acupuncture therapy | | | | being treated for several minutes until the area turns |
| from a licensed therapist for a minimum of two to | | | | red. |
| three months, dramatically increased a couple's | | | | I then found a Dutch acupuncturist, who took about |
| chances of successfully achieving a healthy | | | | 4 hours to treat me and did some direct moxibustion |
| pregnancy. Continuing to undergo treatment during | | | | on my back. Moxibustion is often used along with |
| the first trimester of pregnancy can help to prevent | | | | acupuncture and it is used to draw toxins out of the |
| complications developing during gestation and can help | | | | body, mostly at the point of the complaint. |
| to prevent miscarriages. | | | | Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique |
| Acupuncture is used to treat elevated follicle | | | | that involves the burning of mugwort, or "moxa", a |
| stimulating hormone (FSH), repeated miscarriage, | | | | small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing and has been |
| unexplained infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, | | | | used throughout Asia for thousands of years. The |
| endometriosis, as well as numerous other infertility | | | | purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of |
| problems. It is used to promote healing in chronic | | | | traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the |
| urinary bladder infection, uterine fibroids, dysfunctional | | | | blood, stimulate the flow of "qi" or "chi", and maintain |
| uterine bleeding, anovulation, premature menopause, | | | | general health. |
| menopausal symptoms and hormone imbalances. | | | | In direct moxibustion, a small, cone-shaped amount of |
| Currently, there are several hundred herbs used in | | | | moxa is placed on top of an acupuncture point and |
| infertility treatments along with acupuncture, | | | | burned until it burns out completely. The moxa is |
| moxibustion, Qi Gong, diet and other holistic therapies | | | | placed on the point and lit, but is extinguished or |
| as alternative and complementary therapeutic | | | | removed before it burns the skin. The patient will |
| infertility treatments. | | | | experience a pleasant heating sensation that |
| My experience with acupuncture and moxibustion: | | | | penetrates deep into the skin, but should not |
| As soon as I was told I had a problem with my | | | | experience any pain, blistering or scarring unless the |
| fertility, I found an acupuncturist and started going to | | | | moxa is left in place for too long. |
| about 3 sessions a week. I had been for acupuncture | | | | Apparently there is the type that actually burns and |
| before for neck pain after a car accident and had | | | | scars the skin, but luckily none of my acupuncturists |
| found that it really worked, and I was desperate to | | | | practiced it! I did have round bruises on my back for |
| do anything that I could think of that would help me | | | | a few days afterward though! Finally, I found a South |
| to have a baby. In total I tried 6 acupuncturists - | | | | African acupuncturist, living in the Netherlands for |
| both in South Africa and then in the Netherlands and | | | | many years and specializing in fertility and pregnancy |
| my experience was quite different at all of them. | | | | acupuncture. She also did reflexology and moxibustion |
| The first acupuncturist I saw, was a Chinese doctor, | | | | on me and I was required to keep a small needle in |
| who put me in a room with other patients and stuck | | | | my ear for a few days after each session, AND |
| needles all over my body - including in my ovaries. He | | | | after a few months of weekly treatments, I was |
| was not the most gentle person, but I felt that at | | | | pregnant! |
| least something as being done and that my ovaries | | | | |