Infertility, not an uncommon problem
For some couples, becoming pregnant can be difficult and many must turn to medical treatment options in the form of Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) to aid in fertilization, but unfortunately, not always with success.
In-vitro Fertilization
The procedure known as In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) is one of the most frequently adopted infertility treatment options. For the United States, data from the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that approximately 15% of women, who are of child-bearing age, seek such aid. However, even with the scientific advances of modern times the success rate appears to be much less than 50%.
Acupuncture for fertility
As a supplementary procedure to improve on that success rate of IVF, some infertility specialists are adopting the ancient Chinese medical technique of acupuncture, long used in China as a method to help regulate the female reproductive system.
While there are still differences of opinion among medical professionals, studies in the United States and Germany have confirmed the significantly improved rates of success in achieving the births of healthy babies.
What is Acupuncture
Acupuncture, is recognized and described by the U.S. National Institutes of Health as a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in which procedures are used to stimulate certain points on the body that are believed to help control the flow of energy that is required to maintain a healthy body.
Acupuncture stimulation involves the placement of ultra-thin needles in the skin at various points, defined as pressure points, throughout the body. According to the tenets of acupuncture, the stimulation of those points promotes the body's natural healing capabilities.
An ancient Eastern tradition
Acupuncture is an essential component in the practice of traditional Chinese healing. In the ancient traditions of Chinese medicine, it is believed that a person's health is determined in large measure by the flow of energy along specific pathways in the body. Chinese medicine also incorporates a holistic approach to achieve good health.
Modern Western tradition and acupuncture
As in many traditional beliefs passed down from ancient times, Western society does not readily accept acupuncture without a more logical scientific explanation. However, without yet being able to demonstrate the scientific reasons why, some valid and reputed clinical researches have demonstrated that there is merit in some of the claims regarding the benefits of acupuncture in the treatments of some diseases, many of which have not succumbed to conventional medical treatment.
The National Institutes of Health's Center for CAM has reported that a growing number of people are turning to acupuncture for treatment of what ails them. A survey in the year 2007 indicated that 3.1 million adults had used acupuncture in the previous 12 months, an increase from 2.1 million in the survey of five years earlier.
The relief of pain from many causes is a primary application of acupuncture but the practice is not limited to pain relief. Acupuncture is also used to treat such ailments and medical conditions as depression, anxiety, fertility problems, asthma, tinnitus, neuralgia and other nerve conditions.
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