Acupuncture to alleviate pregnancy symptoms
For some, the arduous 'fertility journey' isn't always over once they have conceived. They might then have to battle with crippling nausea, blood pressure problems, gestational diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, heartburn, sciatica & back pain. Although hopefully not all in one go!
Acupuncture can be extremely useful in helping to keep the symptoms at bay. I always encourage my patients who have been seeking treatment to help them conceive to continue with treatment throughout pregnancy as I find it makes for a much smoother pregnancy and labour too.
Acupuncture can be extremely useful in helping to keep the symptoms at bay. I always encourage my patients who have been seeking treatment to help them conceive to continue with treatment throughout pregnancy as I find it makes for a much smoother pregnancy and labour too.
Pregnancy Nausea
Acupuncture to alleviate the symptoms of pregnancy nausea has been used in both the East and West for years. Midwives will often recommend women seek out an acupuncturist to help and we certainly see plenty of struggling expectant mums.
Travel sickness wristbands, which are often thought to double up as morning anti-sickness bands, work by putting pressure on an acupuncture point. The difficulty is, if you don't know exactly where that point is, the wristband will be useless. An acupuncturist will be able to accurately locate the correct area to apply pressure. They will also use needles to effectively stop nausea and sickness and often for mild nausea, only one treatment is required.
Patients with severe pregnancy nausea or hyperemesis gravadarum may require two treatments per week to keep their nausea at a more manageable level.
Travel sickness wristbands, which are often thought to double up as morning anti-sickness bands, work by putting pressure on an acupuncture point. The difficulty is, if you don't know exactly where that point is, the wristband will be useless. An acupuncturist will be able to accurately locate the correct area to apply pressure. They will also use needles to effectively stop nausea and sickness and often for mild nausea, only one treatment is required.
Patients with severe pregnancy nausea or hyperemesis gravadarum may require two treatments per week to keep their nausea at a more manageable level.
In clinic we find that ladies undergoing fertility treatment who decide to continue with treatment after they fall pregnant usually don't suffer with morning sickness. This is because we will have already put measures in place to strengthen the digestive system to ensure that morning sickness doesn't become an issue.
Hormonal Changes
As the body changes throughout pregnancy the reproductive hormones change shape dramatically too and this can create a whole host of unfavourable symptoms. Anxiety, headaches, insomnia, tiredness, low mood and depression can be an indicator that your body is struggling with pregnancy hormones and needs to be balanced. Acupuncture is able to have a profound effect on the endocrine system and so without damaging the essential hormones needed in pregnancy we are able to redress the balance so that your body can cope with the changes a little better.
Inflammation & Pain
Acupuncture is widely used and perhaps best known for its treatment of pain management. During pregnancy it can be invaluable. Where other therapies will often manipulate joints to relieve the pain, this can be tricky when there is a bump in the way. This is where my advanced training in Balance Method Acupuncture really comes into its own as we are able to place the needles away from the site of pain to effect a dramatic change. Sometimes only one treatment is required to cure acute pain in pregnancy.
