Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese system of health care, which is over 3,000 years old, although a specific date for its founding is not yet widely accepted.
Small, fine needles are used on pressure points in the body to help relieve pain and to increase the flow of Qi and blood. The pressure points are located along a number of meridians identified in our body.
Acupuncture is also widely practiced in Japan, Tibet, Vietnam, and Korea, as well as in many Western countries including France, Germany, and the U.S.
Acupuncture became popular in the United States in the 1970s and a national association, the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), was created in order to set a standard of care and to monitor the profession and its practitioners.
A number of schools throughout the country teach acupuncture and there are even Web sites specifically dedicated to the practice, such as www.acupuncture.com.
Acupuncture is generally used to treat a specific problem, to improve general health, and as an alternative or a complement to other forms of treatment. Acupuncture has been found to be a help with many conditions, specifically those affecting women, including fertility problems.
Can acupuncture help women who are looking for help with fertility issues?
Cindy E. Levitz, a New York-based licensed acupuncturist and herbologist, gave a resounding “yes” when this question was posited. According to Levitz, who has been practicing Chinese medicine and herbology for more than 13 years, she has had a lot of success using acupuncture treatments to aid women in their path toward, what some consider, the Holy Grail - motherhood.
Levitz explained, “Ideally, it would be great to see someone before they start fertility treatments such as IUI or IVF, or while they are trying on their own. We need to make sure that your cycle is regulated and that your body and mind are more in balance before you begin fertility treatments. However, I see many new patients when they have already started doing fertility treatments and through their pregnancy as well.”
Acupuncture, therefore, is seen as compatible with other sorts of treatments and methods used to try to conceive. In fact, studies have shown that it can improve your chances by 50-percent or more.
“Oriental medicine looks at the whole person. Western medicine often treats symptoms primarily, while Oriental medicine works on helping your body to increase its flow of Qi or energy in order to reach a healthy balance and maintain health as you age. So, acupuncture is preventive medicine as well,” Levitz said.
Cindy E. Levitz can be reached at www.AcupunctureAndHealth.com.
Susannah Gold is a journalist and communications professional with a strong interest in women's issues, among other topics. Her Web site is www.goldcommunications.net.