Cairns Fertility Acupuncture may assist your conception in conjunction with IVF

Cairns Fertility

Please Phone – Tanya Galvin

Registered Acupuncturist &  Health Fund Approved Acupuncturist

We are a Chinese Medicine Clinic and Acupuncture Clinic with a special interest in fertility, pregnancy and labour.   Cairns Acupuncture and Tanya Galvin may be able to assist your conception and work in with your IVF clinic or your fertility clinic!

ph 0408 054 538.

Cairns Fertility

Cairns Fertility

There are many different ways to get to one goal. Both Chinese and | Western medicines have accomplished great feats over the last centur)> treating numerous diseases, saving thousands of lives, improving the quality of life for countless others. Using the best of both worlds, it is my experience that it is possible to increase the success rate o>{ in vitro fertilization significantly.

In fact, a recent German study found that using acupuncture with Ivp achieved a 42% clinical pregnancy rate in the test group, compared to °/o in the control group that did not receive acupuncture. This stud> involved giving acupuncture for just one day* shortly before and after the transfer of embryos. \iy clinical experience is that this rate increases to at least 60 %> with broader support of both Chinese herbs and acupuncture in preparation for and support throughout the IVF acupuncture in preparation for and support throughout the Ivf risk of miscarriage by supporting the female during her entire pregnancy.

A large number of patients who have tried IVF several times and were unsuccessful have soon become pregnant after Chinese medicine treatments. In clinical observation, the ultrasound shows that, acupuncture, the color of women’s ovaries change from cloudy to acupuncture, the color of women’s ovaneschange from cloudy to uterus becomes thicker, and the number of embryos increases siglificantly. Patients experience less side effects from the Western drugs f^l more at ease and happy. For male patients, it is my experience and feel more at ease and happy. For male patients, it is my experience greatly increases. In brief, Chinese medicine can help to iimprove the success rate of IVF in a number of ways:

1. Improve the function of the ovaries to produce better , quality eggs

  1. Regulate the hormones to produce a larger number of follicle
  2. Increase blood flow to the uterus and increase the thickness of the uterine lining.
  3. Relax the patient and decrease their stess
  4. Prevent the uterus from contracting
  5. Lessen the side effects of drugs used in IVF
  6. Strengthen the immune system
  7. Improve the semen to create better quality and quantity of embryos.
  8. Decrease the chances of miscarriages.
Cairns Fertility

Cairns Fertility

Cairns Fertility

Cairns Fertility – Chinese Medicine (Zhong yi) 🙂 is an ancient healing art that has been -/practiced in China for more than 4.000 years. Acupuncture, the most commonly used modality of Chinese medicine in the West, utilizes sterilized needles to access a person’s qi or “vital energy dies are placed in points found along the channels that run throughout the entire body. The channels are connected to internal organs as well as to the exterior body. Acupuncture rectifies and harmonizes the body’s energy and expels pathogenic factors. It can strengthen the :mmune system, enhance circulation, regulate hormones, increase enerand reduce stress. Other treatment modalities include herbal therapy, dietary recommendations, massage, and lifestyle counseling. Cairns Fertility

Chinese medicine came about from many years of observing nature and the cycle of life. Its theories are based upon yin and yang, vital substances, and the five phases. Many texts are available in English that owever, for the purposes of this book, a brief overview of Chinese medical theory will be provided, especially as it relates to infertility.

Yin & Yang

Chinese yin-yang theory is the basis of Chinese medicine. Yin-yang theory is a kind of philosophical dualism. According to this theory, everything in the phenomenal world has yin and yang aspects.

Yin and yang are inseparable, interchangeable, mutually creating, and transforming. Yin represents such things as night, cold, substance, and the interior, while Yang appears as day, heat, activity, and the exterior. Although we can say that this is more yin relative to that being more yang, in fact, and yang are mutuallyrooted and mutually engendering. Chinese medicine, different parts and functions of the body are Vin as compared to other parts and functions being yang.

Vital substances

The vital substances of Chinese medicine include qi% blood (xue> essence (/mg), and body fluids (jin ye). Qi represents one’s or “vital energy,” while blood is the nutrition that constructs and sustains the body. Similar to yin and yang, qi and blood have an extreme ly close relationship. Oi engenders and transforms the blood, but blood /-y pushes the blooc^.L…A. «(X. *’t. -r_ • •. 1 . I TO …l 1. L.J</ is the mother of the qi. Qi pushes the blood through the body> blood carries qi along with it. It is said that heaven and earth are Vang and yin in the outside world, but that qi and blood are yang and Vin respectively in the human body. Any form of vacuity or repletion of yin, yang, qi >r blood may result in pain, dysfunction, or disease.

There are three types of essence. Former heaven essence (sometimes called prenatal essence in English) is derived from the parents and pre It is a fixed substance that cannot be added to or replenished. Latter heaven essence (a.k.a. Postnatal or acquired essence) is a general term that describes the essence that is derived after birth from food, air, and fluids. Both pre- and postnatal essences contribute to kidney essence which is responsible for growth, development, sexual maturation, reproduction, and pregnanThis essence is referred to as the root of life and provides for basic constitutional strength.

The five phases

In five phase (wu xing) theory, each phase corresponds to a seasonal time in nature and to a yin and yang organ in the body* store vital substances (qi, blood, essence, and body fluids), while their paired yang bowels receive, transform, and course the vital substances. Tjnlike Western medicine, which tends to focus on an organ’s material and functional qualities, Chinese medicine sees each organ as part of a larg^ complex that includes not only those tangible aspects but encompasses other associations as well, such as emotion, color, and taste.

In relation to Western medicine, the functional qualities of internal organs in Chinese medicine often overlap, for example, in Chinese medicine, the heart includes the spirit or mental system, but, similar to V^estern medicine, it also helps circulate the blood. The lungs include “ the qi of the entire body. The endocrine system in Western medicine is recognized as part of the kidneys’ function in Chinese medicine. The kidneys are also responsible for growth, development, and reproduction. In addition to storin g blood, the liver regulates the emotions and the flow of qi. Lastly? The spleen represents the digestive system and the body’s ability to transform and transport the nutrients received from food and drink.

The five phases are interlinked to one another. Each phase is generated by another but also held in check by a third% example, the heart is generated by the liver (see figure 2) but controlled by the kidney (see figure 3).

When one phase falls out of balance, the others are easily affected. An imbalance can allow pathologies to occur, resulting in disease.

The viscera & bowels

There are five viscera (zang) and six bowels {ft*) in Chinese medicine. The five viscera include the liver, heart, lungs, spleen, and kidneys. The six bowels are the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, gallbladder, bladder and triple warmer.

Vfris last “bowel” refers to the chest, upper* and lower abdomen and the coordinated functioning of the other viscera and bowels located in these three areas of the torso. In addition, there are six extraordinary bowels. These are extraordinary or unique because they do not participate in the yin-yang and five phase paired They are also extraordinary because, although they are hollow in form, they store essence. These six extraordinary bowels include the brain, spinal cord, gallbladder, uterus, bones, and blood vessels. Cairns Fertility

Cairns Fertility

However, the three main viscera related to female reproduction in Chinese medicine are the kidneys, spleen, and liver.

The kidneys

In addition to storing the essence, the kidneys have two aspects: kidney Yin which provides substance, and kidney Yang which provides force. Cairns Fertility

Both are very important factors of the female reproductive system. Vacuity of kidney yin, resulting from overwork, a long, chronic disease or too many children born to close together, leads to a drying up of the yin and, therfore the cessation of the menses.

Yi Xue Zheng Cbuarx (The Correct Transmission of the Study of Medicine) refers to this depletion of kidney yin saying, ‘The mense are a transformation of kidney water; when this is vacuous, menstrual blood dries up.” Kidney yang vacuity may lead to the formation of cold which obstructs the uterus and may cause infertility. Cairns Fertility

Kidnev essence is the origin of menstrual blood which has many functions us in Chinese medicine. Blood flows throughout the body sending nutrients to every cell and supplying the woman’s menstrual cycleOnce pregnancy has occurred, blood nourishes the embryo’s growth. When the child is born, blood turns into the mother’s milk and supplies the infant with nourishment.

The spleen

The Spleen has several important functions. The spleen transforms and transports food and drink and sends the clear qi out of the entire body and the turbid qi down and out through the intestines. The spleen also forms blood which is very important to a woman’s menstrual cycle. If the spleen qi is vacous, it is not able to make enough blood, and the woman may experience delayed and/or scanty menstuation or amenorrhea. The spleen also has the function of holding the blood within the vessels. If the spleen fails to manage or contain the blood, there may be spotting or heavy uterine bleeding.

Cairns Fertility

The liver

According to Chinese medical theory, the liver plays a very important role in the reproductive systems in both men and women. The liver governs the free coursing of qi throughout the entire body and it stores blood at night. Since the qi moves the blood, if the qi stops, the blood stops. This means that, if the qi becomes stagnant, the blood may eventually become static. Qi stagnantion and blood stasis often go hand in hand and cause such problems as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and ovarian cysts.

Often, qi stagnantion and blood stasis may present with symptoms of abdominal pain, cramps, or irregular menstruation. In men, this blockage of qi and blood may manifest as varicoceles or obstruction of the ejaculatory ducts. High levels of stress impede the free flow of qi and, thus, often cause binding depression of liver qi. If there is liver blood vacuity, there may be scanty menstruation, dizziness, headaches, and problems with fertility.

The channels & network vessels

Each of the viscera and bowels of Chinese medicine has an associated channel (jing) and various network vessels (/mo) that run along specif. ic pathways on the body and can be accessed through the acupuncture points. These are referred to as the regular channels (zheng jing). Vcv addition, the body has several extraordinary vessels {qi mat) that act as reservoirs to these regular channels. These extraordinary vessels can both hold replete qi from the main channels as well as give qi back to them as needed. In gynecology, two of the most important of these eight extraordinary vessels are the controlling (ren) and thoroughfare ( chong) vessels. The controlling vessel, also known as the “sea of yin,” helps regulate menstruation, fertility, conception, pregnancy* childbirth, and menopause. Often referred to as the “sea of blood, thoroughfare vessel nourishes the blood and works in concert with controlling vessel to regulate the uterus and menstruation. Both of these vessels derive their qi from the kidneys and help circulate kidney essence throughout the body- The girdling vessel (dai mat) is the oaly horizontal channel of the body. It influences the genitals and is thought to have a containing function, encircling the other channels. Cairns Fertility

The tian gui or Heavenly water

The Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellotu Em-peror’s Inner Classic), first completed approximately 2500 years ago, is one of the most fundamental pieces of Chinese Medical Literature, e. It describes a woman’s physiological changes in seven year increments having to do with the waxing and waning of something called the tian gui or heavenVy water. The heavenlv water refers to kidney essence in its role in creating the menstruate. Therefore, menarche is called “the arrival of the tian gui”, while menopause is called “the cessation of the tian gui” For example, at two times seven or 14 years of age, a girl’s kidney essence has developed and, therefore, her menstruation starts and she is able to conceive. At three time seven or 21, her kidney essence has optimized and she is ready for conception. At five times seven or 35, a woman’s kidney essence has begun to wane, and by age 42, it is rapidly diminishing. At seven times seven or 49 years of age, the woman’s kidney essence is now depleted and, therefore, her menstruation stops and she can no longer conceive.

This classical theory describes the normal physiology of a woman’s hormonaly cycle throughout her life. Due to the cultural differnce and the improvement in both nutrition and living environment, modern women in North America and Europe on average start their puberty1-3 years earlier and enter their menopause 2-3 years later than those living in ancient times. In spite of this slight difference between ancient and modern-day women, the basic ideas about the physiology of female menstruation in the ancient text – Huang Di Nei Jing are still an important guide to modern traditional chinese medical diagnosis and it’s treatment of gynaecological diseases. Cairns Fertility

Please phone Tanya Galvin on 0408 054 538 (or text as I may be in treatment!)

www.cairnsacupuncture.com.au

www.birthclassescairns.com.au

www.cairnsmassage.net.au

 

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