Eastern Medical Center » infertility

Can Acupuncture Help With Fertility? Absolutely!

Dr. Teresa Shen — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:10:00 +0000

Acupuncture can treat many different problems and conditions, as we’ve talked about before. And there’s one women’s issue that acupuncture is particularly effective in helping: getting pregnant. Besides all the current research and past treatment sessions, there are three recent patient stories that tell me acupuncture can do wonders for fertility.

All of these patients ultimately got pregnant, but they all came in for very different reasons:

The Endometriosis Patient

This woman came to Eastern Medical Center experiencing intense pain from a recent surgery. On a scale of 0-10, she said her pain level was a “10.” All she wanted from acupuncture was some pain relief — and after one treatment she reported an “90 percent” reduction of her pain. She returned one more time to get rid of the rest of that pain for good.

Once she wasn’t dealing with excruciating pain, she was again clear and relaxed enough to consider, and talk about, her other health goals. The big one revolved around fertility. She wanted to get pregnant, but physicians had told her that it would be difficult for her to get pregnant considering her endometriosis condition. We started addressing that through acupuncture by removing blockages and increasing blood flow. The acupuncture helped stimulation to the uterus and vascularize the lining and keep the area open from obstructions or imbalances. We strengthened her energy so that she could hold the pregnancy. And soon after, she got pregnant!

The Arthritis Patient

This woman came in with arthritis in her hands. As that condition improved with acupuncture, she mentioned that she wanted to have another child but had a very particular concern: She once had an abortion that might affect a new pregnancy. From an Eastern medical perspective, this abortion left a bruise, stagnant blood that we wanted to get rid of so that the energy could flow properly again. We also didn’t want there to be any cellular memory of the abortion to be there, as that could increase the possibility of a miscarriage. She was already exercising regularly, which was a big help. So, we used acupuncture for stimulation, blood circulation and good energy flow through the meridians in her body to help boost her metabolism. After four treatments, she got pregnant and we kept working together to support her body and prevent any problems throughout the pregnancy.

The ‘Cravings’ Patient

This woman wanted to lose weight and needed help with the various addictions in her life. Through acupuncture, we helped her stop smoking, reduce her cravings for junky foods and reduce her appetite. Yet, she still wasn’t seeing the weight loss she wanted. An investigation into that concern revealed that she wasn’t losing weight because she, in fact, had gotten pregnant! So, our acupuncture started focusing on alleviating “morning sickness” and helping her body feel good throughout the pregnancy.

Many women experience morning sickness because of energetic weakness. Energy is meant to go down through the stomach channel. But when there’s a bulge and if the body is weak, the energy tries to go down but fails … and begins to reverse flow. And when what’s supposed to be going down reverses flow and comes back up, that’s what morning sickness looks and feels like.

Acupuncture is a tremendous resource for dealing with the various conditions women experience when pregnant — from food cravings to morning sickness to arthritis, swelling and migraines. Sometimes a woman’s body runs so hot during pregnancy that no amount of air conditioning will give her relief. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs help her reduce those problems naturally, without medications.

So, if you or someone you care about either wants to get pregnant or is concerned about ensuring a healthy pregnancy, please contact me at Eastern Medical Center to see how acupuncture can help. And if any of the other conditions mentioned in this post (endometriosis, arthritis, addiction, intense pain) ring a bell, we’d love to help with that, too.

Pregnancy & Infertility – Can Acupuncture Help?

Dr. Teresa Shen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:24:07 +0000

It’s important for women to know that acupuncture and herbal medicine can help with infertility problems. Oftentimes, the reason women have trouble getting pregnant is because the body is out of balance and isn’t functioning properly. Two quick examples are an under-functioning thyroid or over-functioning thyroid, either one of which can affect fertility. A return to balance through acupuncture and herbs allows the body to operate in a natural, healthy way.

I am a member of the American Pregnancy Association, a wonderful organization promoting pregnancy wellness. Their Web site is an exceptional resource for all things relating to pregnancy and infertility, and they also have sections that go into treating infertility with acupuncture and herbal medicine in great detail.

Here’s a brief excerpt from their article on treating infertility using acupuncture:

“Acupuncture can be used to treat any type of fertility disorder including spasmed tubes. (Spasmed tubes are often de-spasmed with acupuncture, though blocked tubes will not respond to acupuncture). Acupuncture is often combined with herbs to treat elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), repeated pregnancy loss, unexplained (idiopathic) infertility, luteal phase defect, hyperprolactinemia (when not caused by a prolactinoma), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with annovulatory cycles, and male factor including men affected with sperm-DNA-fragmentation.”

Their articles also discuss how acupuncture can help prevent miscarriages (and on the other end of the spectrum, help women have a quicker, easier, less painful time giving birth). Please browse their site for more on herbs, acupuncture and many other articles, videos and tools for a comfortable, healthy pregnancy.

If you or someone you love is experiencing infertility problems, has a fear of miscarriage or is going through a difficult pregnancy, please feel free to call Eastern Medical Center (925-847-8889) or come in for a consultation to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help.

Eastern Medical Center Wins Readers Choice Award

Dr. Teresa Shen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:30:54 +0000

All of us at Eastern Medical Center wanted to take a moment to thank the readers of the Pleasanton Weekly for voting us as the 2009 Readers Choice Award winner in the “Best Acupuncture” category. We are so grateful for the support we receive from the local community and do our very best to live up to that praise through our services, helping area residents heal.

We regularly receive letters and e-mails from patients with inspiring stories of how acupuncture has changed their lives, and we thought in honor of this award we’d share a few brief excerpts here, including a special message from the students of Foothill High School:

“I want to express my appreciation for your expertise in both acupressure and acupuncture. I lost use of my left arm in 1984 leaving me the use of only my right arm. Since I lost use of my left arm, I have torn the rotator cuff of my right arm twice. I am unable to let my right shoulder heal completely because I am unable to give my arm the time it needs to rest. Since I began using your acupressure service, I am now able to not only perform my daily duties almost pain free, but I have also begun working out at the gym. I am strengthening my arm and shoulder with a reduced level of pain and it continues to lessen with each visit I have with you.

“I also want to thank you for the acupuncture you have given me. When I paralyzed my left arm the doctors told me I pulled the nerves out of my spine and there is nothing they could do. I occasionally experienced excruciating pain in my fingers on my left hand, which the doctors told me were phantom pains and gave me Vicodin to alleviate the pain. The acupuncture you’ve given me not only showed me that I still have the nerves that control my arm, but you are also able to control the “phantom pains” without medication. I know it is a long road before I can retrain my arm, but with your care I am given new hope. Again, thank you for your help and I will continue to use your service and tell others of the help you’ve given me.” –Armando A., teacher, Pleasanton

****

“I had a stroke a few months ago, and was hospitalized for three months. I went to Dr. Teresa Shen because my cousin always raves about her … I had intense vertigo, a throbbing headache that would not go away, shoulder pain on the left side, as well as numbness in my right hand and feet. After the first treatment I noticed I was able to rest better and my throbbing headache was gone! I went back the next week and noticed a reduction in my shoulder pain. On my third visit the numbness in my hands and feet were miraculously gone! And this time my shoulder pain is gone as well. Finally the vertigo started to lighten up and I cannot wait until my next visit. I also noticed more energy and the heavy, muggy feeling has left me.” –Jason C., business owner, Alliance Security, Pleasanton

****

“I first came in for infertility. I also had a history of eczema, anxiety, and skin rashes. Previously I had three miscarriages. I could not have the door closed at night from fear and anxiety before. I went to the Eastern Medical Center for acupuncture and herbs. I was receiving treatment for three months for all of the above, especially infertility. Now I have the happiest baby girl! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will be coming inf or my next baby!” –Wakana H., homemaker and mother of two girls, Pleasanton

****

“I have had a chronic/severe “tennis elbow” for around 10 years. Through traditional medicine, I had two cortisone shots to try in alleviate the pain. They did mask the pain for about nine months each time I had it done, but it never really lasted and, as you know, having these injections is no fun and really not good for your body. So, in January I mentioned to my current medical doctor that I was going to try acupuncture and he was very supportive, and said it was probably something he needed to try himself too.

“Having never had “acupuncture or acupressure” done before going to the Eastern Medical Center, I was hesitant and curious at the same time. It has now been 4+ months and my tennis elbow has gone from a pain threshold of 7-8 (out of 10) down to 1-2. Dr. Shen has done an amazing job and to have experienced the progress without any shots or side affects is truly awesome.” –Ray T. Hill III, Livermore, CA

****

“My classmates and I really appreciated Dr. Teresa Shen’s expert knowledge and demonstration of the many aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Not only did she present a very informative and eye-opening lesson in the classroom, she also brought awareness to our student body during our Health Quest health fair. Dr. Shen’s advice helped me realize that Eastern medicine presents countless medical options. She is very helpful, friendly and is extremely easy to talk to. As someone who wants to study Chinese medicine, I found her words encouraging and her personal experiences inspiring. For students who are looking into studying TCM, I recommend shadowing Dr. Teresa Shen. For teachers hoping for an excellent lesson in Traditional Chinese Medicine for their students, I recommend asking Dr. Shen to speak in the classroom because her enjoyable lesson is balanced with enriching information yet fun demonstrations.” –Michelle Choi, Foothill High School, Health and Bioscience Academy

If any of these stories struck a chord with you, please feel free to call Eastern Medical Center to see how we can help you or your loved one feel better and live happier.

About Dr. Teresa Shen

Dr. Teresa Shen is a Board Certified and California-licensed acupuncturist at Eastern Medical Center in Pleasanton. She earned her Doctor of Chinese Medicine degree from Tianjin University in China, where she studied and conducted research at China’s top Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital. She is especially passionate about family health care using natural healing.