Pregnancy Related Problems treated with Acupuncture

Acupuncture during pregnancy can  optimise the health of mother and baby. It can also ease pregnancy related symptoms.

In early pregnancy it can  help circulation and reduce high blood pressure. It can relieve stress and anxiety, help constipation, fatigue and insomnia.

At our Affordable Acupuncture Guildford  clinic we also treat more specific pregnancy related problems such as:

Morning and morbid sickness

Pelvic Girdle Pain

Breech presentation

Overdue pregnancy

Morning sickness

Acupuncture GuildfordMorning sickness occurs due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. Stress, tiredness, emotional factors and inadequate diet can make it worse.

About 50% of women experience nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Despite the name it can occur any time and it doesn’t always stop at 12-14 weeks.  Some continue to have these symptoms until much later or even the end of pregnancy. We call that morbid sickness. Medicines prescribed by doctors can be helpful but not completely get rid of sickness. Also, lots of women prefer not to take medicines during pregnancy

Apart from feeling unwell this kind of sickness can lead to dehydration which requires hospital treatment to receive fluids. Lots of midwifes are aware that acupuncture can help so at Affordable Acupuncture Guildford we often treat it with a great success.

Acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective way to help women with morning or morbid sickness. At our clinic we also discuss suitable diet, individually tailored to each woman.

In very acute cases we give 2 treatments per week until the symptoms become mild. Usually weekly treatments are enough to help resolve the sickness.

Pelvic Girdle Pain

Acupuncture GuildfordThe research shows that acupuncture is better than stabilising exercises with all types of PGP. We treat it at Affordable Acupuncture Guildford with very good results.

This painful condition (also known as PGP or SPD) is due to joints stiffness or instability leading to inflammation.

Symphysis pubis dysfunction is the most common problem but other joints such as sacroiliac or lower back can be affected too.

Severity varies from dull ache to severe pain deep in the groin or/and lower back. Sometimes it’s combined with grinding or clicking sensation in the pubic area. Different movements (standing on one leg, widening legs) make it worse.

Most painkillers and anti- inflammatories  can not be used during pregnancy as they can have a harmful effect on the baby. Physiotherapy and exercises have a limited success as it is difficult to strengthen muscles in late pregnancy.  Crutches or pelvic support can alleviate some symptoms too.

Research published by  British Medical Journal in 2005 show how well acupuncture works . They involved 386 pregnant women.

Midwifes and doctors are often aware of beneficial effects of acupuncture on PGP and refer patients to us.

Breech Presentation

acupuncture guilfordIt is best to try acupuncture  to turn breech babies  between 32-35 weeks of pregnancy.  We find it can still work right up to term. Many women are not made aware of it til the 37th week of pregnancy.

Lots of breech presentations lead to delivery by Cesarean Section so it’s definitely worth trying a safe , cheep, simple, painless and non-invasive treatment with a success rate of over 80%.

As part of our treatment we use moxa stick (big cigar look alike) to heat up a point on the little toe twice a day until a movement is noticed. It is quite a miracle to see this happening, sometimes after just one treatment!

Case History I had a client whose first baby was breech, she was already 38 weeks pregnant (little bit too late in theory)  and within 10 minutes of starting a treatment we saw the baby turning . Her second baby also decided to sit comfortably until the last scan at 36 weeks so we repeated the same and got the same result but this time after the treatment, during the night. Both her babies were delivered without major interventions.

Research  shows increased fetal activity during the treatment period. The success rate after the 33th week of gestation was  84.6% (Ewies & Olah 2002).

Overdue pregnancy

Acupuncture GuildfordStudies show that women who receive pre-birth acupuncture have an overall 35% reduction in the number of inductions (43% for first pregnancies) . Epidural and emergency Cesarean delivery was reduced by around 31%.

We usually see pregnant women when they are already overdue. Acupuncture can still help soften the cervix and release of hormones which can start labour. Sometimes it’s important  to have 2-3 treatments close together so the stimulation continues.

In my experience having acupuncture during late pregnancy and just before and even during the labour can help normalise the process a great deal. I have seen uterine  bleeding stop, contractions restart, pain managed and afterbirth expelled thanks to acupuncture. It always feels like a privilege to help women  during this incredible process.

Menstrual Problems Treated With Acupuncture

 

menstrual problems treated with acupuncture

Menstrual problems treated with acupuncture works really well.

Many women suffer from:

Painful and/or heavy periods, PMS, ovulation pain, irregular or absent periods, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome &  abnormal bleeding.

For menopause see our article on it here.

Changes in your health & life affect your menstrual cycle. At our clinic in Guildford Surrey we use a holistic approach. We work on your general health & focus on specific issues. Acupuncture can reduce stress, increase blood flow to the reproductive organs and normalise ovulation.

Premenstrual Syndrome

Everybody’s cycle is different. PMT can mean mild cramping and fatigue. More severe symptoms are things like:

Irritability, Food cravings, Fatigue

Anxiety, Insomnia, Mood swings

Headaches, Backache, Breast soreness

Bloating, Digestive problems

Doctors prescribe drugs. They will offer surgery if your problems are really bad. Drugs might  help but can have side effects. Also, you may be taking them for decades. So lots of women choose a natural approach with no drugs.

Heavy and Painful Periods

Here bleeding can be heavier or last longer then the average of 5-7 days. It is mostly caused by imbalances in sexual hormone levels. Other reasons are infections, underactive thyroid gland, fibroids, endometriosis and  pelvic inflammatory disease. It is normal to have some pain and cramping but some women have severe pain. Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose  any of these conditions &  doctors can only give pain relief.

Heavy periods can leave you drained of energy & anaemic. This leads to more fatigue.

Acupuncture helps the flow of energy in meridians (energy lines) related to uterus: Liver, Spleen & Kidney. They can be blocked, congested or low in energy. This leads to menstrual problems. We use fine acupuncture needles to regulate the energy & blood flow. This frees up your reproductive system &  periods become easier.

Absent Periods

sunset-2-by-geeSome girls don’t start periods before the age of 16. This can be due to underlying conditions such as anorexia, overactive thyroid gland or ovarian cysts. It can also happen to adult  women. It can be caused by polycystic ovary syndrome , pelvic inflammatory disease, stopping birth control, weight gain or weight loss.

Sometimes doctors can’t find the cause & prescribe pills to ‘kick start’ the period.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis can show itself as backache, premenstrual spotting, abdominal pain, painful defecation, vomiting or swelling. If left untreated it can lead to infertility.

In Chinese Medicine we see this as a disturbance of blood & energy flow in the Spleen, Kidney and Liver meridians. The Qi (energy) can be affected by stress, emotional problems, injury, surgery, bad diet & life habits, birth control pill, lack of relaxation & exercise.

We often use acupuncture for the treatment of endometriosis & absent periods .We can also help you work out how to look after yourself better & restore your fertility.

Summary

Menstrual problems treated with acupuncture really works. If you are not getting relief with drugs or hormones or prefer a safer & natural treatment this could be for you. If so, get in contact with us & book an appointment.

 

Menopause & Acupuncture

menopause & acupunctureAt our Affordable Acupuncture Clinic in Guildford we treat many women before & during menopause.

Interestingly, 30% of people who come for acupuncture are women age 40-69. Sometimes women don’t realise their problems are due to hormonal changes & can be treated  with acupuncture.

The World Health Organisation has approved Acupuncture to treat menopause. It also approved acupuncture for other women’s issues. We have written about these issues here.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of menopause are night sweats, weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, depression,anxiety, foggy headaches, palpitations, loss of libido & hot flushes.

These symptoms are due to lower levels of estrogen and other hormones.

Medical Treatment

The main drug used to control symptoms of  menopause is HRT,  tablets or patches. This can work but it increases the risk of breast, ovarian & uterine cancer.

How Chinese Medicine Explains Menopause

Menopause happens when a woman’s body needs to preserve blood & energy to help keep the Kidneys nourished. The extra kidney energy is then used to feed the spirit & extend longevity.  On a deep level this is seen as a change from mother to enlightened & wise being! So with Chinese medicine, the menopause isn’t about struggling and feeling unwell. It is more an opportunity for growth.

How We Treat

Acupuncture can help with the length and severity of hot flushes. We find that it also helps a lot with many other symptoms. We aim to treat each person’s individual symptoms. As well as acupuncture, we recommend  diet & lifestyle. For example, try & eat less dairy products, red meats, alcohol, sugar, spicy foods. Also caffeine & smoking is not good. We also can give you exercises to do. It’s amazing how much the right exercise can help.

Case History

After many years of helping women with one of the biggest changes in their lives I am starting to need my own remedy! Last year I began getting hot sweats, bad sleep, palpitations. I had a course of acupuncture treatments last year with David.  Amazingly all my symptoms went away & my sleep returned back to normal. A year later I am still symptom free. So  I don’t seem to need any treatments at the moment.

Acupuncture worked so well for me, I wonder how women cope without it!

 

Vahida Diaz

 

 

 

Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

A Client’s Story of Meniere’s Treatment with Acupuncture

Meniere's treatment with acupuncture guildford surrey

Meniere’s disease is  really difficult for all who suffer with it. Here is one client’s story.  Joanna, who Vahida treated with acupuncture, has kindly agreed to us posting it here.

“It is 13 years since I wrote an article in Spin magazine on acupuncture and Menieres. I have since then gone from strength to strength.

The doctors have dismissed me because they said there’s nothing more they can do for my Menieres Syndrome.I must keep taking the SERK (medication) 16mg three times a day.

I am down to 8mg once a day! I haven’t had a vertigo attack in ten years. My tinnitus is under control and I am certainly not as deaf.

Why? Because thanks to my acupuncturist I have learnt to mange my Menieres syndrome and of course I have been having acupuncture. Her favourite phrase is ‘listen to your body’. Our one hour sessions which initially I had every month and now every six months, have not only the needles but also a consultation. In that time I have learnt to recognise what triggers the symptoms ( tinnitus, deafness and vertigo), the best diet for my body, counteract with natural remedies- celery, parsley and asparagus as a diuretic, beetroot and red meat fro  iron.. I have learnt how to mange stress, a trigger for Menieres and tiredness, another trigger.

Over the years I have used my acupuncture for other ailments. My doctor is known to say:” I don’t think I have seen you for over a year”. Acupuncture can be a form of maintenance, especially through the winter months when there are lots of infections around. It boost up my immune system and can help me sleep. If I am having headaches, backache, pulled a muscle, got sinusitis, I go and have acupuncture. It always works for me.”   Joanna

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