About Infertility Treatment
Acupuncture has been used for centuries in the treatment of women's gynecological conditions. Among these conditions one of the most important has been infertility. Acupuncture can effectively treat gynecological problems leading to infertility that have received a conventional medical diagnosis, such as PCOS, as well as those situations in which there is unexplained infertility.
The length of the course of treatment varies in each case, but in general, we advise planning on three to six months of weekly treatments or more. This will see the patient through 3-6 menstrual cycles, a minimum in terms of seeing positive changes there. During that time taking the basal body temperature (BBT) can be very informative and beneficial for the patient and practitioner alike. Keeping a journal of physical and emotional changes during the cycle can also be illuminating, but is not required. Women who are seeking to conceive without any conventional medical assistance, as well as those using IUI or IVF are welcome to my practice.
Diet and lifestyle can be factors along with age and any possible genetic conditions. All of these will be looked at in your initial comprehensive evaluation. Having been in this area for seven years I have many valuable colleagues in related fields to whom I refer when appropriate.
If you become pregnant, I do treat pregnant women for various issues such as nausea, fatigue and sciatica. You should ask your practitioner if she or he is willing to treat pregnant women if you are in the process of deciding on an acupuncturist.
Male factor infertility is also a condition that can respond to acupuncture depending on the cause. Here treatment course can vary greatly as with women, so an in depth evaluation would be necessary to determine a probable length of treatment.
For the emotional stress of infertility or other family issues, I recommend psychotherapist, Liz O'Donnell, Ph.D, a specialist in the field, who has offices in Westlake and Beachwood. You can view her website at www.mindingmatters.com.
Please feel free to call me with any questions you might have about acupuncture treatment for infertility.
For those interested in complementary treatment for fertility, consider the one day seminar I am offering with Liz O'Donnell, Ph.D.
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Complimentary Fertility SeminarSaturday, August 14th from 10:00am - Noon |