Acupuncture & Moxa for Breech Baby: Info & Research

Acupuncture and especially moxa (short for moxibustion) has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine successfully for thousands of years to turn breech babies without negative side effects. Many women successfully try moxa and acupuncture and are able to avoid a cesarean birth. At Downtown Seattle Acupuncture we have seen many babies turn after the mother has received several moxa/acupuncture treatments. For best results, treatment should begin by week 36 or earlier if breech presentation is detected already so there is still enough room for the baby to turn.

Research supporting the treatment of breech baby with moxa and acupuncture:
Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15280133

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2004 Apr;15(4):247-52.

Acupuncture plus moxibustion to resolve breech presentation: a randomized controlled study. Neri I, Airola G, Contu G, Allais G, Facchinetti F, Benedetto C.

Source

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Modena-Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

In many Western countries breech presentation is an indication for elective Cesarean section. In order to correct fetal presentation, the stimulation of the acupoint BL67 by moxibustion, acupuncture or both has been proposed. Since no studies had previously been carried out on Western populations, pregnant Italian women at 33-35 weeks gestational age carrying a fetus in breech presentation were enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial involving an active BL67 point stimulation and an observation group.

METHODS:

A total of 240 women at 33-35 weeks of gestation carrying a fetus in breech presentation were randomized to receive active treatment (acupuncture plus moxibustion) or to be assigned to the observation group. Bilateral acupuncture plus moxibustion was applied at the BL67 acupoint (Zhiyin). The primary outcome of the study was fetal presentation at delivery.

RESULTS:

Fourteen cases dropped out. The final analysis was thus made on 226 cases, 114 randomized to observation and 112 to acupuncture plus moxibustion. At delivery, the proportion of cephalic version was lower in the observation group (36.7%) than in the active-treatment group (53.6 %) (p = 0.01). Hence, the proportion of Cesarean sections indicated for breech presentation was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the observation group (52.3% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS:

Acupuncture plus moxibustion is more effective than observation in revolving fetuses in breech presentation. Such a method appears to be a valid option for women willing to experience a natural birth.

Link: http://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/Research-breech.aspx

Interventions on BL 67 for women with a breech foetus at 33 weeks gestation.

van den Berg I, Kaandorp G, Bosch J, Duvekot J, Arends L, Hununk M. Cost-effectiveness of breech version by acupuncture-type interventions on BL 67, including moxibustion, for women with a breech foetus at 33 weeks gestation: a modelling approach. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2010;18, 67—77.
A modelling approach to evaluate the effectiveness and costs of using acupuncture-type interventions on BL67 (Zhiyin) compared to expectant management for women presenting with a baby in a breech position at 33 weeks gestation.

Summary

A modelling approach was used to predict the number of caesarean sections that could be prevented using moxibustion and or acupuncture on BL 67 at 33 gestational weeks. There were two strategies for women presenting with breech presentation at 33 weeks gestation:

  1. Expectant management – a wait and see approach with external cephalic version (ECV) offered if required
  2. Acupuncture-type interventions on BL67

Ten thousand women were accounted for in this model. Also included were the medical costs of two ultrasounds for every woman, ECV treatment if required and costs for pre- and postnatal care until eight days post delivery.

The acupuncture treatment included extra costings for two visits with an acupuncturist and the moxibustion sticks supplied for home treatment.
Both strategies of this modelling included an option for women to receive an ECV at 36 gestational weeks and for all births to occur in hospital. Women refusing the option of acupuncture-type interventions on BL67 or non compliance with using the moxa treatment at home were also accounted for.

Treatment Methods

The probability that women would accept treatment and that babies would remain in a persistent breech presentation were retrieved from a systematic review and meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting on the effectiveness of acupuncture-type interventions on BL 67 versus expectant management. These trials comprised of three RCT’s using moxibustion. The remaining three used acupuncture, electro- acupuncture and a mixture of moxibustion and acupuncture.

Conclusion

Two data analysis were preformed for the women receiving acupuncture type intervention: one with and one without ECV. Both resulted in a decreased breech presentation at term.

To prevent one caesarean section, seven women with breech presentation at 33 weeks gestation would need to be treated with acupuncture-type interventions on BL 67. Sensitivity analysis showed that if 16% or more of the women offered moxibustion treatment complied, it was more effective and less costly than expectant management. The cost difference per woman with a baby in breech position at 33 weeks gestation using the moxa around 33 weeks versus no additional treatment was € 451 (95% CI € 109, € 775; p = 0.005) eight days post delivery.

The authors concluded that offering acupuncture type interventions at BL 67 to women with a breech foetus at 33 weeks gestation reduced the number of breech presentations at term, the number of caesarean sections required, and was cost effective when compared to expectant management.

Clinical Perspective

The lead researcher of this study has published a previous systematic review on the safety and effectiveness of using acupuncture type interventions on BL 67 for women presenting with breech presentation. This recent research approach is timely, enabling acupuncturists to now engage in discussions with medical, midwifery and hospital clinic management staff about of the cost effectiveness of implementing acupuncture type interventions for breech presentation. Being able to enter into such discussions may well be an important factor for acupuncturists to facilitate the integration of acupuncture services within main stream medical care.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20430289

Moxibustion use for Breech Presentation

Cardini et al in 1998 [7] had the following randomised controlled trial published in the Journal of American Association (JAMA)

Summary

The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of moxibustion on Zhiyin BL-67 to correct breech presentation. 130 women having their first baby (primigravidas) at 33 gestation received moxibustion to Zhiyin Bl 67 while 130 women, also primigravidas, received no intervention.

The moxibustion was administered for 7 days .Women were then assessed and a further 7 days of moxibustion treatment given if the position had not changed.
Outcomes were measured in terms of fetal movements, as counted by the mother for one hour each day for one week and the number of cephalic presentations both at 35 weeks gestation and at delivery.

At 35 weeks gestation 75.4% in the intervention group were cephalic (47.7% in the control).
Women in both groups then had the option of undergoing external cephalic version (ECV). One woman took this option from the intervention group and 24 from the control group

At delivery the presentation of 75.4% of the intervention group were cephalic compared to 62.3% in the control group.
The presentation did not change in any of the groups after 35 weeks except in those undergoing ECV. In terms of fetal movement the moxibustion group experienced a greater number of movements (a mean of 48.45 compared to the control group with a mean of 35.35).

Conclusion

That in prigravidas at 33 weeks gestation with breech presentation moxibustion treatment for 1 to 2 weeks at Zhiyin BL-67 increased fetal activity during the treatment period and cephalic presentation at 35 weeks and at delivery.

Treatment method

The women and their partner (or a person to help with the treatment) were given a treatment and taught how to use the moxibustion in a hospital appointment within 24 hours of the scan confirming the breech position. They then applied the treatment to Zhiyin BL-67 daily at home. Moxa sticks were used with the women sitting or in a semisupine position and the partner delivering the treatment.

Clinical Perspective

As part of this study an attempt was made to assess if there was a difference in delivering moxibustion sessions once or twice a day.
87 women used moxibustion for a total of 30 minutes (15 minutes to each point) while 43 women used moxibustion in the same way but received treatment twice a day.

At the end of the first week 79% of the cephalic versions were obtained in the women using moxibustion twice a day compared to 55.2 % in the daily treatments. But by the end of the second week 15 additional cephalic versions were obtained in the group having moxibustion treatment once a day.
This meant that at 35 weeks the results were termed as a nonsignificant difference (72.4% in the once a day moxibustion group compared to 81% for the women having moxibustion treatment twice a day).

From a safety perspective it was reassuring that no adverse events (such as intrauterine death or placental detachment) were noted in the treatment group. It was also interesting that while the number of premature rupture of membranes was similar in both groups the number of premature births was lower in the intervention group and that the use of oxytocin, before or during labour, was also reduced in the moxibustion group (8.6% compared to 31.3%).

If you have questions about treating breech baby with acupuncture & moxa, acupuncture treatment for pregnancy and post-partum, or Traditional Chinese Medicine, do not hesitate to contact me, Monica Legatt.

Monica Legatt is an acupuncturist in practice at:

Downtown Seattle Acupuncture
509 Olive Way, Suite 1301, Seattle WA 98101
www.seattleacupuncture.com
(206) 625-1374
office@seattleacupuncture.com

Acupuncture Testimonial: Acupuncture Alleviates Pain in Neck, Shoulder, Arms, Legs & Hip

Today we received this wonderful testimonial from our patient to put up on our blog and website.  Thanks Pete!  

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I had been having lots of symptoms and considerable pain and discomfort for almost a year prior to visiting Monica.  The doctors had been generally confused, unhelpful and expensive.  I despaired that I would ever be 100% again.

 Monica immediately diagnosed my condition, and from the first session I had dramatic improvement.  All my symptoms have been greatly reduced.  Monica is a very good listener and very collaborative in designing the acupuncture treatments.  I am not 100%, because that will take some time, but my condition is greatly improved and I am confident I will fully recover.

 I would recommend Monica to anyone for any condition they think is suited to acupuncture.  She is the only person that was able to help me.

 Pete Sher

 

Pete is a patient of Monica Legatt who practices Traditional Chinese Medicine at Downtown Seattle Acupuncture

 

 

 

 

Acupuncture For Sports Medicine and Injuries

  

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For professional and amateur athletes alike, it is important to get back to their peak performance as soon as possible after sustaining an injuryAcupuncture is extremely effective at treating sports injuries and chronic pain.  There is ample research demnstrating the efficacy of acupuncture for pain relief and sports injuries.   

 At your first visit your licensed acupuncturist will assess your condition and prescribe an acupuncture treatment protocol. Acute or new conditions can typically be resolved within three to six acupuncture treatments.  Chronic conditions may require more treatments over time: at each treatment your injury will be re-evaluated to ensure that your recovery is as expedient as possible.

 Many of my patients are amazed at the results they see with acupuncture: it has been used for thousands of years to cure martial-arts injuries in Asian countries.  Today it is used by athletes in virtually every professional sport to treat injuries and to optimize performance. 

Acupuncture Can Provide:

           Alleviation of pain

Reduction of swelling & inflammation

            Increased blood flow to the region

            Faster healing of the injury

 

Treatment Modalities Used for Injuries:

 

            Acupuncture

            Electric-stimulation acupuncture

            Massage with medicated liniment (i.e. Tiger Balm)

            Chinese Herbal prescription for trauma or pain

 

I have had the honor to have worked with a wide variety of athletes and artists including major league baseball players, soccer players, cyclists, marathoners, triathletes, Broadway singers & dancers, opera singers, professional ballet dancers, salsa dancers, swimmers, professional musicians, tango dancers, a javelin thrower and a professional curler.  I have also worked with many dedicated weight lifters: parents lifting their kids. 

 Click here for a comprehensive list of injuries acupuncture can treat.

For more information about sports injury treatment and Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, please feel free to cotact me:  Monica Legatt, LAC

 

Going Gluten Free by Melissa McCarty ND

I often recommend patients try a gluten-free diet because it is one of the most inflammatory and reactive proteins we eat. Gluten is found in many grains including:

·         Wheat (durum, kamut, graham, semolina, spelt)

·         Rye

·         Barley

·         Triticale

·         Bulgur

·         Couscous

·         Einkorn

·         Emmer

·         Faro

·         Malt extract, malt flavoring, malt syrup

·         Oats** (Oats are naturally gluten free but they are processed or rolled in the same facilities as gluten products. Gluten is sticky and sticks to the machines and attaches to oats this way.)

·                           Be aware that “wheat-free” does NOT guarantee gluten-free. Breads made from carob-soy flour can contain up to 80% wheat flour.

 

Grains that are gluten-free and safe to have on a gluten-free diet are: rice, corn, soy, potato, tapioca, beans, garfava, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, arrowroot, amaranth, teff and nut flours

 The extreme form of gluten intolerance is called Celiac Disease. In this autoimmune process, the body has an immune response to gluten that causes it to attack it’s own intestinal walls and damages them, making it very difficult for the body to absorb nutrients.  Celiac disease is screened for with a blood test and often confirmed with a biopsy of the intestinal wall. Sometimes if the blood test is negative but there is a high suspicion of the disease, a biopsy will be done anyway.

 If you don’t have Celiac Disease, the best way to know if gluten is a problem is to eliminate it from your diet for a few weeks (I usually recommend 3-4 weeks) and see if you feel any difference. Most people have a symptom (or many symptoms) that is irritating enough to them that they want to give elimination a shot. Some of the more common symptoms I see are:

Skin:  eczema, dermatitis, itching, hives, swelling, redness, acne, dark circles under eyes

Gastrointestinal:  diarrhea, gas, nausea/vomiting, cramps, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation

Respiratory:  wheezing, nasal congestion, trouble breathing, asthma

Other:  joint pain, swelling (lips, tongue, face, throat), headache, migraines, brain fog, fatigue, fertility issues

Below is a list of food categories and specific foods that are allowed and ones that should be avoided when going gluten free (abbreviated “GF”). Additional resources are listed at the end of this list.

Breads

Allowed:       Specially prepared breads using only these flours: amaranth, arrowroot, bean, buckwheat, chia, corn, flax, Indian rice grass, mesquite, millet, nut, pure gluten-free oats, potato, quinoa, rice, sorghum, soy, tapioca, and teff.

 

Be careful with oat bread (see above)

 

Avoid:             Breads containing wheat (including einkorn, Durham, faro, graham, semolina, spelt), rye, barley, triticale, Kamut, bulgur, or couscous.

 

Flours/Thickening agents

Allowed:           Amaranth, arrowroot starch, bean flour, buckwheat, chia, corn bran, corn flour, corn germ, corn meal, corn starch, mesquite, millet, Montina (Indian rice grass, GF oats, potato flour, potato starch, quinoa, rice bran, rice flour (brown, white, or sweet OK), rice polish, rice starch flour, sorghum flour, soy flour, tapioca starch, teff.

 

Dairy Products

Allowed:       Fresh, dry, evaporated, or condensed milk; cream; sour cream**; whipping cream; yogurt

 

Avoid:             Malted milk; some commercial chocolate drinks**; some non-dairy creamers**

**Consult label and contact manufacturers about questionable ingredients

 

Meat, Fish, Poultry

Allowed:       All fresh meats, seafood, poultry

Be careful with some processed meats (hot dogs, lunch meats, cured meats), as well as some fish canned in water, oil, brine, or vegetable broth.

 

Avoid:             Prepared or processed meats containing grains to avoid, such as: some sausages*, hot dogs*; bologna*; and luncheon meats; *Chili con carne*; bread-containing products, such as Swiss steak, meat loaf, meatballs, and croquettes; tuna canned with hydrolyzed protein*; turkey with hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) injected as part of the basting solution; “imitation crab” or other meat analogs containing wheat starch or other unacceptable filler; quick individually frozen (QIF) seafood ‡

 

*Consult label and contact manufacturer to clarify questionable ingredients.

‡May be dusted with flour or other starches in processing.

 

Eggs

Allowed:       Plain or in cooking.

 

Avoid:             Eggs in sauces made from wheat, rye, oats, or barley. Wheat flour is often used in white sauces. Note that some restaurants may add a wheat-based filler to scrambled eggs and omelets.

 

Potato, Rice, Pasta, or other Starches

Allowed:       White and sweet potatoes; yams; hominy; rice; wild rice; special pasta made from rice, corn, soy or other allowed ingredients. Some Asian rice* and bean thread noodles.

 

Avoid:             Regular noodles; spaghetti or macaroni made from grains not allowed. Most packaged* or frozen rice or pasta side dishes*.

*Consult label and contact manufacturers about questionable ingredients

 

Vegetables

Allowed:       All plain, fresh, frozen or canned vegetables

 

Be careful with some commercially prepared vegetables.

 

Avoid:             Creamed vegetables*, vegetables canned in sauce*, some canned beans*, and commercially-prepared vegetables and salads.

                            *Consult label and contact manufacturers to clarify questionable ingredients.

 

Fruits

Allowed:       All fresh, frozen, canned fruits

 

Be careful with some dried fruits*.

 

Avoid:             Thickened or prepared fruits, some pie fillings

 

                            *Consult label and contact manufacturers to clarify questionable ingredients.

 

To learn more:

o        The Gluten Intolerance Group

o        Celiac Disease Foundation 

o        National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse: Celiac Disease

o        “Is That Gluten Free?” iPhone App (allows you to search ingredients, brands, products and tells you if it contains gluten)

o        Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen blog for GREAT recipes: 

 

 

Dr. Melissa McCarty

Naturopathic Physician

Seattle Integrative Medicine

5322 Roosevelt Way NE

Seattle, WA 98105

206-525-8012

www.seattleintegrativemedicine.com

 

 

New Study Suggests Acupuncture May Improve Bell’s Palsy

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Each year, about 40,000 Americans get Bell’s palsy, which results in a temporary

facial paralysis that usually affects one side and lasts a few months. A steroid called

Prednisone, along with over the counter analgesics, vitamins, physical therapy, and

acupuncture are often used to treat the condition. However, a new study from

China reveals that a more intensive form of acupuncture produces significantly

better results when added to prednisone treatment than low-intensity acupuncture

for patients with Bell’s palsy.  This more intensive form of acupuncture requires the

acupuncturist to achieve “De qi.”

 

“De qi” is the term used for the sensation felt when an acupuncturist reaches the

level of qi in the body. Before acupoints are stimulated, they must first be opened to

access the channel passing through it. Acupoints contain the qi, and they allow the

qi to flow outwards to the body’s surface. When correct stimulation is applied, the

qi is activated in the desired channels and areas of the body, offering appropriate

therapeutic results.  Click here for more details on what acupuncture feels like.  

 

The needle may be twirled, moved up and down at different speeds and depths,

heated, or charged with a small electrical current until the de qi sensation occurs.

Patients have described the sensation in many ways, including warm, cold, tingling,

and heavy. De qi is also felt by the practitioner and can signal that the proper

amount of needle stimulation is being performed. According to one of the study’s

authors, Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the combination of feelings

associated with de qi to provide the best therapeutic benefit.

 

Dr. Wei Wang at Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases of Chinese Ministry of

Education in Wuhan, Hubei, conducted a randomized control study to see whether

de qi makes a difference in the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy. He and his

colleagues asked 317 adults with Bell’s palsy to undergo five half-hour acupuncture

treatments for four weeks. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to

receive treatments that would elicit de qi, and the other half received the traditional

acupuncture treatment in which the needle is inserted and left alone. All of the

participants, however, received prednisone.

 

Using a scale of 200 to rate patients’ facial function, neurologists found that patients

started with scores around 130 to 135. They did not know which treatment

each participant had received, and patients were rated again after six months of

treatment. Those in the de qi group had an average score of 195 while the other

group scored an average of 186. Although a nine point difference may not seem

significant, Wang notes that this would be noticeable to patients.

 

Although the study did not measure how well people would have recovered without

receiving acupuncture, or with no treatment at all, the researchers found that 94

percent of the participants who received de qi completely recovered their facial

function by the end of six months. Only 77 percent of patients in the other group

experienced a full recovery.

 

Many Americans are turning to alternative medicine to treat their medical

problems, and nearly half of physicians in the U.S. have either referred patients

to acupuncturists or would be open to making such a referral. Shands Hospital

in Florida is opening a new Center for Integrative Medicine to provide patients

with other forms of healing, such as acupuncture. This shift may be a result of the

prevalence of doctors prescribing pain medications inappropriately. 

 

Despite its growing popularity, patients should remember that acupuncture also

comes with risks, fraud and misrepresentation. Patients who are interested in

acupuncture should ensure that their acupuncturists are accredited and have a well-

known reputation for providing exceptional standards of care.  Click here for details about the 

licensing requirements for acupuncture in Washington State.  

 

 

This blog post was kindly contributed to the Downtown Seattle Acupuncture blog by Ashley Burns.  

 

For more information on treating bells palsy with acupuncture, contact Monica Legatt, Licensed Acupuncturist

Acupuncture for Lactation & Milk Supply

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is highly effective for treating lactation problems and without negative side effects.  It is a system of medicine deriving from East Asia that is thousands of years old: it includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, massage, nutrition, lifestyle guidance and less-known treatment modalities such as cupping and moxibustion.  Depending on your specific diagnosis, one or several of these healing modalities will be part of your treatment protocol.  Choosing a practitioner who is experienced treating women during pregnancy and post-partum is important if you are facing lactation challenges.

In TCM lactation disorders fall into two distinct categories: low milk supply or milk not flowing.  Mastitis makes up a third category that I will explain later.  Low milk supply is a diagnosis of insufficient energy (called Chi) and blood supply in the mother.  Milk not flowing or problems with let-down are diagnosed as stagnation of energy (chi) preventing milk from moving down the ducts and out of the nipple.  It is not unusual for a mother to have a combination of deficiency (lack of energy and blood) and stagnation (unable to let-down or express the milk) at the same time.

In TCM it is understood that a woman’s menstrual blood is converted into breast milk once her baby is born.  This is the same blood that was going to the placenta prior to birth.  Energy (chi) is required to convert her blood into milk, and blood itself is required to become the milk.  A predisposition toward anemia or blood loss during delivery can result in a low supply of the mother’s blood resulting in poor milk supply.  Exhaustion due to labor and sleep deprivation can prevent the mother’s body from producing milk because there is not enough energy to generate the milk. 

When chi (energy) and blood supply is deficient causing low milk supply, the treatment plan will include acupuncture, possibly an herbal prescription and nutritional guidance.  Nutrition is a very important component of the treatment for low milk supply.  Any food that is good for the production of blood in the mother will help with milk supply.  This includes organic red meats, fish, eggs, and collagen-rich soups made from ham-hocks or chicken with the skin included in the soup stock.  When nursing, it is especially important for a mother to eat organic and free-range meats and poultry if possible.  If the mother is vegetarian, a protein-rich diet is important.  Milk Makers cookies to support milk supply are an excellent daily addition to the diet of a woman with chi and blood deficiency because the cookies include specific ingredients that help increase her chi (energy) and blood production, thereby increasing milk supply.  A TCM practitioner who is experienced treating breastfeeding patients will go over additional nutritional advice extensively with you. 

Stagnation or blockage of energy (chi) in and around the breasts prevents the milk from flowing and impairs let-down.  Stagnation can lead to breast fullness, distension, pain, pressure and engorgement.  Stagnation is also a cause of mastitis.  In TCM the primary cause of this blockage is emotional: feelings of being stressed-out, anger, resentment, frustration and depression.  These emotions cause stagnation of the energy of the liver energy channel. In TCM the liver channel controls the woman’s nipple function and also can facilitate or block the flow of energy and by extension milk in the surrounding energy channels and ducts in the breast.  Stagnation causing problems with let-down and milk flow is treated most effectively with acupuncture, massage therapy and by keeping the mother away from any sources of emotional stress. 

Mastitis is a combination of stagnation of chi, blood and milk in combination with infection.  Combining Western medicine with TCM to treat mastitis is more effective than Western medicine by itself.  Antibiotics prescribed by your physician will clear up the infection, and a combination of acupuncture, massage, herbs and medicinal compresses for the breast can alleviate the blocked chi and blood and milk in the breast, thereby reducing engorgement and inflammation.   Herbal prescriptions can be combined safely with antibiotics as a treatment protocol and are also safe for the breastfeeding infant.  In addition to the above mentioned treatments, expressing milk as often as possible either manually, via nursing, or with a pump is very crucial in the successful treatment of mastitis.

Whatever your particular breastfeeding challenge is, consulting with a professional lactation consultant is helpful.  I recommend finding a qualified IBCLC.  

If you have any questions about Traditional Chinese Medicine and lactation please don’t hesitate to contact me online at www.seattleacupuncture.com

 

Acupuncture for IVF

Current research in reproductive medicine shows that acupuncture improves pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing IVF.  Research also demonstrates the effectiveness of Chinese herbs to improve embryo quality in women who have undergone failed IVF cycles.  Acupuncture can help with fertility in many ways, both physically and emotionally.  An excellent example of the successful combination of Traditional Chinese Medicne and IVF comes from my patient Tracy:  

About 9 years ago (2001) my husband and I experienced primary infertility when starting our family. At the time, we were both about 29 years old. We started seeing a reproductive endocrinologist (RE) in 2003. The diagnosis at the time was primary infertility because my husband had a very low sperm count (between 6-12 million.) I also was diagnosed with a bicornuate uterus, but our RE told us that would only be a factor if I couldn’t carry our children to term. Our first treatment plan with our reproductive endocrinologist (RE) was to try IUI’s. On our fourth IUI (our first with Clomid) we were able to conceive our first daughter.

When she was 18 months old we went back to our RE. I knew it would take a little while to get pregnant, but we thought we knew the formula. I was very in tune with my body because we had practiced Natural Family Planning (NFP) in order to avoid pregnancy the first years of our marriage. So when the normal signs of fertility were not occurring during the time I was ovulating, I knew something was wrong. We had tried 7 IUI’s (with Clomid & Follistim,) each one with a much higher sperm count than the cycle I had conceived our daughter on. I spoke with the RE and the nurses about this, but they all had a different answer and none of them made sense to me. Because of the absence of my normal fertility signs, I knew something was wrong with my body.

We decided to start seeing a new RE at another practice. When we did this, they had us redo all the tests we did a few years early. When they took the hormone tests for me they saw that I had an elevated FSH level (12.5.) They told me that if my FSH were any higher I wouldn’t be eligible for IVF. Because it was that high I had a lower chance of conceiving then other women in my age group.

This is when I decided to turn to acupuncture. I read a review about Monica from a lady in England who had been to her a couple of times, but swore Monica was the reason her IVF procedure worked. I decided to give Monica a try.

When I explained everything to Monica, she thought that there were definitely things she could do to help. During my next cycle my fertility signs did return (I know that was because of the acupuncture). My RE had also given me an HSG and ordered an ultrasound and then an MRI to diagnose my uterine anomaly correctly. Finally something showed up that explained the cause of my secondary infertility…a dermoid cyst on my ovary. This needed to be removed before we could proceed with any other procedures. While I was waiting on the surgery I continued to see Monica and continued to get healthier. My husband even went to her to increase and improve his sperm count and motility.

I had the cyst removed and we were able to finally do our first and only IVF cycle in November 2007. Monica was so accommodating during this time. She made sure she was available for us any time of the day while we were going through our procedure. She was there to give me a treatment before & after my cycle which she had to come in on the weekend for.

We were very successful with our procedure, even with my elevated FSH level the RE was able to remove 22 eggs and 16 fertilitized and 7 went to blast stage. She even thought of putting one blast back, but because my age (35) and FSH levels were high she recommended two. They were able to put two grade A eggs back in 5 days later. Needless to say a week and a half after that we found out we were pregnant and a few weeks after that we found out we were having twins.

I really feel like if I were not seeing Monica during this time that I would not have become pregnant. She was understanding and very involved and interested in my overall health. I carried my twins to full term, even with my bicornuate uterus.

Thank you Monica for my wonderful girls!!!!

Tracy H.

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Acupuncture for Depression

It’s that time of year for many Seattlites: SAD (Seasonal Affect Disoerder) time.  With the long grey days and rain many people suffer from depression in the Winter in the Pacific Northwest.  Acupuncture can help you! Researchers discovered that both acupuncture and electroacupuncture improved the quality of life in depressed patients in this study: 

Acupuncture Ups Antidepressant Therapy – New Research

 

In the above referenced study patients who were undergoing treatment 

Acupuncture for Low Back Pain

I treat low back pain with acupuncture many times every week, and sometimes many times in one day in my acupuncture office!   I can tell you unequivocally that acupuncture does work wonders for back pain as well as other kinds of pain including migraines, sports injuries, menstrual pain, and abdominal pain.  Acupuncture is without side effects and covered by insurance in Washington State: what have you got to lose by trying it?  This form of medicine has been in existence and flourishing for thousands of years.

Research shows that for chronic low back pain relief in the acupuncture groups was significantly more effective than sham treatment and with no additional treatment. 

If your low back pain is acute, meaning only a few days old at the most, you should have between one and three acupuncture treatments.  If your low back pain is chronic, you should have treatments once per week for a minimum of two months: maybe longer.  You may benefit from a Chinese herbal prescription as well, depending upon your personal circumstances.  

My recommendation in choosing a practitioner is that he or she has experience treating neuromuscular conditions and that he or she is board certified by the NCCAOM.  Acupuncturists who maintain their current diplomate standing with the NCCAOM uphold themselved to the highest standard of continuing education requirements.

Feel free to contact me with questions!  I can be reached at Downtown Seattle Acupuncture.  

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Acupuncture for Menstrual Pain (Dysmenorrhea)

Menstrual pain is a condition that afflicts many women, and it is not managed well by Western medicine.  Taking birth control pills is helpful for some women, but they are not an option for a woman trying to conceive.  Ibuprofen and related medications like alleve are harmful for kidney function and they are not adequate for pain relief for women with severe menstrual pain.  Acupuncture is a safe and effective non-pharmaceutical treatment for dysmenorrhea that is without adverse side effects.  Research demonstrates the effectiveness of acupuncture for reducing menstrual pain: within the first month of treatment the pain can be dramatically decreased and with regular acupuncture treatments in combination with Chinese herbs over a period of several months the pain can be eliminated.  Rectifying the cause of a woman’s menstrual pain will improve her fertility by improving the overall health and function of her reproductive system.  

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the cause of menstrual pain is stagnation of chi and blood.  Blood stasis and chi stagnation cause pain and also are an inhibitor to implantation for women trying to conceive. The liver meridian is always involved in this pattern, but other meridians such as the conception channel, kidney channel and stomach channel are also involved.  There can be underlying conditions of yin deficiency, spleen chi deficiency, or blood deficiency that are contributing factors to the stagnation of the chi and blood resulting in menstrual pain.  Your practitioner will treat the symptom of pain by moving stagnant chi and blood with acupuncture, and also address the root-cause of the pain with herbs, which may be a combination of the factors listed above.  An acupuncturist who is experienced working with gynecology can explain to you your exact diagnosis and how many menstrual cycles you should undergo treatment.  If you have had menstrual pain for many years, then you will derive the best results if you receive acupuncture treatments for several months.  

 The adjunct symptoms that accompany menstrual pain will also improve with acupuncture treatment.  This includes PMS, menstrual-migraines, breast pain, bloating, sugar cravings, low back pain, fatigue, unexplained infertility, irritability and mood swings.  Endometriosis can be treated with acupuncture in combination with Chinese herbs and if the patient is willing to undergo treatment for many months it can be cured without surgery. 

 In gynecology herbal medicine is considered very important and almost always your acupuncturist will combine an herbal prescription with your acupuncture treatments for optimal results.  Typical formulas used for menstrual pain include Xiao Yao Wan or  Shao Fu Zhu Yu Wan

 In TCM the constitutional imbalances that make a woman suffer from menstrual pain also make her more likely to suffer from fertility challenges when she is in her childbearing years and menopause-related problems when she is older.  When a woman shifts her constitution and eliminates the cause of her menstrual pain with acupuncture and herbal treatment, she is also preventing menopausal hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, frequent urination and helping to preserve her fertility should she decide to have children later in life. 

 If you have questions about acupuncture and the treatment of gynecological conditions or fertility do not hesitate to contact me!  

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