By: Marilyn Elias USA TODAY Acupuncture on pain-relief points cuts blood flow to key areas of the brain within seconds, providing the clearest explanation to date for how the ancient technique might relieve pain and treat addictions, a Harvard scientist reports today.
The combined therapy of acupuncture with herbal drugs has definite therapeutic effects on male immune infertility, which can regulate antisperm antibody AsAb and raise the immunity of the patients.
Over a period of three years, acupuncture was offered to patients entering assisted reproduction therapy. Acupuncture sessions were given at varying, but usually weekly, intervals during the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle, and immediately before and after embryo transfer. Twenty two patients (average age 36.2 years) were treated over a total of 26 IVF cycles and 15 pregnancies were achieved, as determined by presence of foetal heartbeat on ultrasound at four weeks post embryo transfer. This was a success rate of 57.7% compared with 45.3% for patients in the IVF unit not treated with acupuncture (P > 0.05). Relaxing effects were noted following acupuncture and it is speculated that this may have contributed to the increase in pregnancy rate for the acupuncture group.
Victor S. Sierpina, MD; Moshe A. Frenkel, MD Family Medicine Department, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX Abstract This article summarizes the research base, probable mechanism of actions, and clinical applications of acupuncture. It offers the clinician a deeper understanding of appropriate conditions for which acupuncture may be useful, outlines how to integrate acupuncture […]
Auricular acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility Gerhard I; Postneek F Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproduction, Women’s Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Germany. Gynecol Endocrinol 1992 Sep;6(3):171-81 (ISSN: 0951-3590) Following a complete gynecologic–endocrinologic workup, 45 infertile women suffering from oligoamenorrhea (n = 27) or luteal insufficiency (n = 18) were treated with auricular acupuncture. […]
Controlled trial of acupuncture effects in assisted reproduction therapy Paulus W.E.1, Zhang M.2, Strehler E.1, Seybold B.1 and Sterzik K.Christian-Lauritzen-Institut, Reproductive Medicine, Ulm, Germany and 2Tongji Medical University, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China Introduction: In a former published prospective randomized study we demonstrated the benefitt of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in assisted […]
Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):157-63. Use of acupuncture in female infertility and a summary of recent acupuncture studies related to embryo transfer. Stener-Victorin E, Humaidan P. Institute of Neuroscience and Physiolopgy, Sahlgrenska Academy, Goteborg University, Sweden. elisabet.stener-victorin@neuro.gu.se During the last five years the use of acupuncture in female infertility as an adjuvant to conventional treatment in […]
Effects of ferulic acid on fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile human sperm motility, viability, lipid peroxidation, and cyclic nucleotides. Zheng RL, Zhang H. Department of Biology, Lanzhou University, P.R. China. The capacity of human sperm fertilization principally depends on sperm motility and membrane integrity. Reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, are known […]
Improvement of IVF Outcomes by Acupuncture: Are egg and embryo qualities involved? Paul C. Magarelli, M.D., Ph.D., a Diane Cridennda, L.Ac. b, Mel Cohen, MBA a a Reproductive Medicine & Fertility Center, Colorado Springs, CO b East Winds Acupuncture, Colorado Springs, CO FERTILITY AND STERILITY®, May 2005, VOL 83, SUP 2, Proceeding from the 2005 […]
The most important takeaway message from the study is that acupuncture may improve IVF outcomes, leading to a higher chance of pregnancy and the number of sessions you have does matter. The study found that patients who received acupuncture during their IVF treatment cycle had a significantly higher pregnancy rate than those who didn’t receive […]
Clinical observation on effect of combination of zhuanyindan and hormone in treating male infertility with positive antisperm antibody [Article in Chinese] Yu AL, Zhang FZ, Zhang FX. Taishan Medical College, Shandong 271000. OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect of combination of Zhuanyindan (ZYD, a Chinese herbal preparation) and hormone in treating male infertility with positive […]
Effects of Electro-Acupuncture on Nerve Growth Factor and Ovarian Morphology in Rats with Experimentally Induced Polycystic Ovaries ABSTRACT Despite extensive research on the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), there is still disagreement on the underlying mechanisms. The rat model for experimentally induced polycystic ovaries (PCO)—produced by a single injection of estradiol valerate—has similarities with […]
This study confirmed Chinese herbal medicines can reduce the risk of miscarriage in the early weeks of pregnancy. Two days after embryo transfer a group of women was administered a Chinese herbal formula renown to reduce the risk of miscarriage. Control group were not administered any hers. But both groups were on progesterone support treatment. […]
When you think about fertility acupuncture benefits, you will think about better blood flow. In the last two decades, reproductive acupuncture became synonymous with better circulation in the uterine lining. It all started in 1996. Dr. Elizabeth Stener published the first study on how this time-tested natural therapy improves blood flow to the uterus and […]
Stress may increase the risk of miscarriage. And the study below shows that it may be especially harmful in early pregnancy. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce stress in early pregnancy and could be one of the therapies for miscarriage prevention. Cortisol levels and very early pregnancy loss (miscarriage) in humans Pablo A. Nepomnaschy , […]
This study showed that acupuncture significantly improves sperm morphology (increases percentage of normal form sperm). This was a randomised controlled blinded trial and was published in a peer-reviewed Asian Journal of Andrology. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8. Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Gurfinkel E, Cedenho AP, Yamamura Y, Srougi […]
Comparative study of electro-acupuncture and maprotiline in treating depression [Article in Chinese] Han C, Li XW, Luo HC. Acupuncture and Moxibustion School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) and maprotiline (Map) in treating depression. METHODS: Thirty patients of depression were treated with EA and 31 patients […]
Auricular acupuncture: a potential treatment for anxiety. Wang SM, Kain ZN. Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut 06521, USA. shu-ming.wang@yale.edu Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for chronic anxiety disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in reducing anxiety in […]
Acupuncture in patients with minor depressive episodes and generalized anxiety. Results of an experimental study [Article in German] Eich H, Agelink MW, Lehmann E, Lemmer W, Klieser E. Klinik fur Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, am Evangelischen Krankenhaus Gelsenkirchen Universitatsklinik der Ruhr-Universitat Bochum. In a placebo-controlled, randomized, modified double-blind study we investigated the effects of body needle […]
Tumori. 2002 Mar-Apr;88(2):128-30. Links Acupuncture in the treatment of menopause-related symptoms in women taking tamoxifen. Porzio G, Trapasso T, Martelli S, Sallusti E, Piccone C, Mattei A, Di Stanislao C, Ficorella C, Marchetti P. Medical Oncology Unit, University of L’Aquila, Italy. porzio1@interfree.it Fifteen patients were enrolled in a pilot study to evaluate the safety and […]