Baby Dust

OK, I know most people think of acupuncture as some form of ancient Chinese torture…old wrinkled man who pretends he doesn’t speak English sticking small needles all over your body…why would you pay someone to do that?

Because… The Chinese have been using acupuncture and herbs to treat medical problems for over three thousand years, (yup, Before Christ…), and western doctors are finally starting to admit it actually works! Modern acupuncture clinics have more of the feel of a spa than a doctor’s office, and, the best part is, acupuncture doesn’t even hurt.

Part of the difficulty the medical community and the population at large has with accepting acupuncture is that the placement of the needles has nothing to do with any other identifiable system, (like the nervous system, or the circulatory system). The Chinese believe the body has energy flowing through it, along pathways called meridians. The energy is either in balance or out of balance. If there is a malady in the body, energy is blocked along a meridian, and the use of acupuncture will restore the flow of energy, (called chi and qi). ‘One commonly cited source describes meridians as 14 main channels "connecting the body in a web like interconnecting matrix" of at least 2,000 acupuncture points.’ (For a more comprehensive description, go to nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/).

My first visit to an acupuncturist, ten years ago, was due to a sharp pain in my foot. I felt like I had a nail in my foot, each step was difficult. The orthopedic surgeon said I had a nerve pinched in between the bones of my foot. He could operate, but he could not promise that the scar tissue wouldn’t cause pain either. He suggested an acupuncturist. I went.

After looking at my tongue, my skin, the whites of my eyes, the acupuncturist told me I had blocked energy in my kidneys. I thought, “Great, not only does she not even know why I’m here, she’s going to try to sell me on some 6 week treatment for my kidneys!” I repeated I was there for my foot (which she had only looked at for two seconds, as I pointed to the exact spot where I felt the pain). She shook her head, as if to say, “Yes, non-believer, I know that, and I am telling you how I can fix it, but you are not listening”. She asked if I had ever had any problems with my kidneys. In fact, I had: quite a bit. I was plagued with kidney infections all through high school, and landed in the hospital half a dozen times because of them. That made me stop and think. So, I agreed to allow her to do her thing. There were needles all over the place, but not a single one in my foot. I walked out of her office pain free, and I have not had a problem with my foot since. I have seen acupuncturist now for everything from the flu to infertility.

And while Western doctors can’t fit acupuncture into the mold of lab tests and experiments, they are beginning to use acupuncture in conjunction with modern medicine to treat their patients.Acupuncture is now being mainstreamed into many fertility clinics and obstetrician’s offices. A study published in Fertility and Sterility showed that of the 160 IVF patients in the study, the 80 women who received an acupuncture session prior to and just after transfer had 34 pregnancies, while the 80 that did not receive acupuncture had only 21 pregnancies. Acupuncture is being used to increase blood flow to the uterus, which can help create a thick cushy lining into which the fertilized egg will implant, as well as provide blood flow to help keep a pregnancy viable. It is also being used to increase egg production, can reduce the effects of polycystic ovarian syndrome, and can even help men with sperm-DNA-fragmentation. It is very effective on functional problems (like irregular periods), but not so on structural problems (like blocked fallopian tubes). It can be used to help restore the menstrual cycle and the aid the body in healing after miscarriage. One of it’s best uses is for the relief of stress, which, when dealing with infertility and miscarriage, can be considerable.

So, if you are struggling with infertility or miscarriage, you might want to try this ancient practice. Here is a website to help locate a practitioner in your area: (acupuncturists.healthprofs.com/cam/prof_search.php?gclid=CPmfwPfIx5QCFRwsagodihGBkw).Just be sure do your homework, as there is no central governing body (like the AMA for doctors). “Even training among licensed acupuncturists can vary widely. Some graduate programs include training in all aspects of Oriental Medicine, including Chinese herbal therapy, food therapy and body work and may require as much as 3,500 hours of training”. (http://www.chimedicineworks.com/qualifications.html).