Fertility

Acupuncture, originating from China and the Far East, is a healthcare system with a long history of use and continues to gain popularity today.

It is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, operating on the principle that the body contains a vital energy known as “qi,” flowing through invisible pathways called meridians. When there’s an imbalance in this energy, illness may arise.

The practice aims to rebalance qi flow by stimulating specific points along the meridians, known as acupuncture points, with fine needles. Despite initial concerns, acupuncture is generally painless, with patients experiencing only mild sensations such as tingling or numbness during treatment.

Complementary techniques like Tui Na massage, moxibustion, and cupping are often used alongside acupuncture to further enhance its effects. Tui Na aims to relax muscles and stimulate energy flow, while moxibustion involves burning Chinese herbs to provide warmth and improve circulation. Cupping, on the other hand, utilizes glass cups to create a vacuum effect, aiding in the circulation of blood and breaking up stagnant energy.

Chinese herbal medicine, along with acupuncture, constitutes a fundamental aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), historically serving as a primary healthcare system in China and regions of East Asia. Evolving over millennia, Chinese herbal medicine encompasses over 6,000 diverse medicinal substances, traditionally employed for a wide spectrum of health conditions. Unlike other herbal medicine practices focused on pharmacological properties, Chinese herbal medicine operates on an energetic paradigm, attributing each herb with specific energetic properties that interact with the body’s energy system.

Classification of traditional Chinese herbs is based on their energetic attributes and therapeutic functions, such as warming, cooling, tonifying, or detoxifying properties, reflecting their intended effects on the body. In clinical application, approximately 300 common herbs are utilized in various forms including seeds, roots, stems, leaves, twigs, fruit, grass, and flowers. Adhering to Australian regulations, the Fertility & IVF Acupuncture Clinic primarily dispenses plant-based herbs unless otherwise agreed upon with the patient.

Traditionally, Chinese herbs were administered in raw form, requiring laborious preparation involving soaking, boiling, and simmering. To address this, the Fertility & IVF Acupuncture Clinic adopts a more convenient approach by providing concentrated herbal powders of superior quality and standardization. These powders are easily dissolved in hot water, forming a tea consumed twice daily, streamlining the herbal therapy process.

Infertility refers to the inability to conceive despite consistent, unprotected intercourse over a year. Determining its cause can be challenging, potentially involving hormonal imbalances in both partners and ovulation issues in women. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) does not treat this condition rather than focus on the TCM patterns lying underneath the condition via holistic view.

• Kidney Qi Deficiency:
  • Signs include infertility after a prolonged marriage, irregular menstruation, dizziness, lower back and leg soreness, mental fatigue, and pale tongue with thin coating, along with a deep, thready pulse, particularly in the feet.
• Kidney Yang Deficiency:
  • Symptoms include infertility after a long-term marriage, scant and pale menstruation or amenorrhea, cold abdomen and limbs, low libido, frequent urination, and a pale complexion, with a white, slippery tongue coating and a thready, slow pulse.
• Kidney Yin Deficiency:
  • Indications involve infertility after a long marriage, missed menstruation, dizziness, soreness in the waist and legs, vertigo, palpitations, sallow complexion, and a pale tongue with minimal coating, along with a deep, thready pulse.
• Liver Stagnation:
  • Manifestations include years of infertility, irregular menstruation, breast distension and pain, chest discomfort, lower abdominal pain, mood swings, a red tongue with thin coating, and a stringy or tight pulse.
• Phlegm-Damp:
  • Symptoms consist of infertility after a prolonged marriage, obesity, delayed menstruation or amenorrhea, heavy vaginal discharge, dizziness, chest tightness, nausea, pale complexion, greasy white tongue coating, and a slippery pulse.
• Blood Stasis Type:
  • Manifestations include years of infertility, delayed menstruation, dark-coloured and clotted menstruation, lower abdominal pain, severe premenstrual pain, a dark purple tongue, and a wiry, astringent pulse.

When visiting a qaulified Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, you can anticipate a personalised approach to healthcare based on ancient Chinese principles aimed at restoring balance and harmony in the body. Here’s what you might expect during your visit, although it may vary depending on the practitioner’s preferences:

• Discussion of general signs and symptoms pertaining to your individual condition.
• Assessment of current and past medical history.
• Pulse examination, usually conducted on the wrist.
• Examination of the tongue for diagnostic purposes.
• Diagnosis based on fundamental TCM theories.
• Treatment plan tailored to your specific needs, which may include herbal medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic exercises (such as Qi Gong), or dietary recommendations.
• Follow-up appointments typically scheduled after 7 days or longer.
• Discontinuation of treatment once improvement is observed
• Restart your TCM treatment if the signs and symptoms begin to show at the earliest stage or maintain results by visiting your TCM practitioner on the regular basis. 

In general, our Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner advises beginning treatment 6-9 months prior to planning pregnancy. TCM treatment can commence at any point during the IVF cycle, such as during the Stimulation Phase, After Egg Collection, On the Day of Embryo Transfer, and during “The Wait” period after Transfer.