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Acupuncture is part of the oriental medicine healing system that has been in practice for over 2000 years. Developed in the Chinese, the practice of acupuncture is based on the belief that a interference in the energy flow in the body can cause energy imbalances, which is considered to be the root cause of most of the ailments suffered by human beings. These blockages can be cleared and the energy flow of the body can be stimulated by the insertion of tiny needles into specific acupoints of the body. There are over 2000 different acupuncture insertion points on the human body and the disease determines which insertion points should be used. Acupuncture is now used all over the world to treat a variety of conditions, such as bronchitis, gingivitis, sinusitis, myopia, infertility and Meniere's disease.

How Does Acupuncture Help Infertility?

The use of acupuncture to cure infertility is a comparatively new concept for western countries. The theory behind acupuncture for infertility is that acupuncture will increase the amount of blood flow to the sexual organs and readjust the hormones present in the body. This practice is confirmed to be effective by increasing ovarian effectiveness in women and assisting in sperm creation for men.

Using acupuncture for infertility treatment is most commonly used when a couple is having functional issues, such as infrequent ovulation or erectile dysfunction. In some scenarios, acupuncture is used as additional procedure for in vitro fertilization, helping women to relax their uteruses during the embryo transfer process. A study conducted in 2002 by German researchers found that acupuncture increased the success rate of in vitro fertilization by up to 16% and reduced the amount of miscarriages in women receiving in vitro fertilization by 12%.

What's It Like To Go Through an Acupuncture Treatment?

Acupuncture is a rather painless procedure and side effects are very uncommon. The most common negative events reported include the transmission of infectious agents, minor bleeding at the insertion point and needles broken beneath the skin. These risks will be greatly reduced if the acupuncturist is a licensed and accomplished professional that has gone through the required 2000 to 3000 hours of training and has passed the required board exam.

Acupuncture for infertility treatment can be a long-winded process. On average, acupuncture therapy requires 12 individual sessions, each about an hour in length and occurring weekly. During this hour long appointment, a physical test will be given and any complications or issues that have arisen since the last appointment will be discussed.

Using acupuncture to treat infertility is quickly gaining acceptance in the USA. Although whether the procedure is useful is intensely argued among researchers, the fact of the matter is that it seems to work and it certainly doesn't hurt to try. For couples who have been trying to conceive a child without success, using acupuncture therapy to aid in infertility treatment may give them the breakthrough they need to finally have a baby.