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Acupuncture for Fertility

Couples are increasingly turning to acupuncture to help them grow their families. When considered alongside the unattractive options available from western medicine it is easy to see why. Western medical treatments for fertility can be incredibly expensive, and are often invasive and taxing on the body. People looking for more natural, gentle, and cost-effective approaches find acupuncture for fertility especially attractive.

Acupuncture deserves a special place in fertility support because it can be safely and effectively combined with other therapeutic approaches. Since acupuncture involves no drugs or harsh herbal formulas it can be used alongside virtually any other medical fertility enhancement technique. These techniques include hormone therapy, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and artificial insemination (IUI).

People turn to acupuncture for fertility because it can address a wide array of factors which can contribute to decreased fertility levels. At the root of most causes of decreased fertility are energetic and functional imbalances.

These imbalances can manifest in the body in subtle ways, such as low or border-line hormone levels or hormonal imbalances. They may also show up in more overt ways. In women this may look like menstrual irregularity, cramping, polycystic ovaries (PCOS), uterine fibroids, or even ectopic pregnancy. In men these imbalances may manifest as enlarged prostate, low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or other issues with sperm viability.

We love helping couples grow their families. It’s an especially rewarding part of what we do. Please take the next step by contacting us for more information. You can schedule your appointment or consultation using our online schedule or by calling 919-228-8448.
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Navel Piercings – Bad Idea

Navel piercings inhibit the flow of qi and jing in the conception vessel.

Conception Vessel Blockage – Not a good thing

A navel piercing may seem like a benign adornment, but acupuncture theory strongly suggests that this is not a healthy or safe practice.

The problem is that the piercing is creating a semi-permanent obstruction in the flow of a very important energy channel known as the Conception Vessel (or Ren Mai in Chinese). The conception runs from between the legs up the front of the body, ending below the mouth. Here’s a diagram of the Conception Vessel, for the curious. If you do look at the diagram, notice that the navel is an acupuncture point on the Conception Vessel- CV-8. You may also notice CV-8 is a point that one is specifically forbidden to needle.

When an obstruction like a navel piercing is placed in a channel it creates a physical blockage to the flow of the channel. The piercing represents a constant interruption in the energetic field of the body. As you might gather from its name in English, the Conception Vessel is a very important channel in the energetics of the reproductive system.

Consequently the blockage created by the piercing can possibly lead to problems down the road, particularly with the reproductive system:

  • Infertility
  • Amenorrhea (no menstrual periods)
  • Cervical Dysplasia (abnormal cells of the cervix which may lead to cancer)
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Endometriosis

When a woman comes to me for treatment with menstrual complaints or infertility it is very common for her to have either a navel piercing or surgical scar along or across the Conception Vessel. It is also pretty rare that I talk to someone who has had a navel piercing for more than five years who doesn’t have some sort of menstrual or cervical abnormality.

Some people can do okay with navel piercings for a few years, but problems may develop down the line. I’m sure it is possible that most people will never develop symptoms from a navel piercing. Is it worth the risk? You’ll need to decide for yourself.

To see if acupuncture might be right for you, give us a call at our Durham location or you may call us at 919-228-8448. If you find it easier to make an appointment online, you can simply click here to use our online schedule to set up a free face-to-face consultation.

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