Study Shows How Acupuncture Relieves Pain, Improves Fertility

Ground-breaking research has identified the link between specific acupuncture practices and effective treatment of severe and chronic pain conditions. The research conducted by physicians at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York appeared in a recent issue of Nature Neuroscience.

The study found that adenosine, a neuromodulator with anti-nociceptive attributes, is released during acupuncture treatments. A nociceptor is a sensory receptor that responds to stimuli by conducting nerve signals to the spinal cord and brain. The process itself is referred to as nociception and commonly results in the perception of pain. Lead investigator Maikin Nedergaard, co-director of Rochester’s Center for Translational Neuromedicine said, “We have produced the first evidence that acupuncture releases a natural pain-relieving molecule into the body. . . Adenosine is a key to reducing pain during acupuncture treatment.”

The discovery of the adenosine release explains the principles of acupuncture in western clinical terms and adds still more momentum to the mainstream acceptance of acupuncture in the United States.  Perhaps the principal reason for this momentum is growing appreciation of the efficacy of acupuncture for treating infertility.  Studies show that acupuncture patients have a lower miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy rate and a higher rate of live births than comparative non-acupuncture groups. In one randomized, double-blind study in Fertility and Sterility it was found that acupuncture improves implantation rates for in-vitro fertilization by 180 percent while discovering a significant reduction of gonadotrophins.

Home Herbalist – How To Make Your Own Tinctures

Tinctures are wonderful natural health remedies that have been used for centuries. The Chinese use them frequently as they are an easy way to get the medicinal qualities of an herb in a small container – easier than the bulky herbs used to make daily teas, though those are wonderful and will be posted about later! Making a tincture is incredibly easy and really fun. You can make a whole home herbal pharmacy. And they make wonderful, inexpensive and unique gifts!

A tincture removes the essence of the herb and stores it, preserving it in a solution of alcohol, so that a few drops can be taken to receive the therapeutic effect.

To Make A Tincture

1.   Place either fresh or dried herb of your choice (more on how to choose later) into a glass jar, amount based on how much tincture you want to make.

2.  Pour in alcohol (vodka is usually used). Any 80-100 Proof alcohol is fine but NEVER use isopropyl or rubbing alcohol. Pour enough to completely cover the herbs, any herbs sticking out above the alcohol might grow mold and you’d have to throw out the whole batch. Pour in a little water on top.

3.  Seal the jar tightly and shake.

4.  Place in a dark place. Let sit for at least 2 weeks, a month is best. More than that isn’t necessary or even helpful. Shake the bottle daily or every other day.

5. When ready, strain the contents by pouring them out over a layer of cheesecloth or similar strainer. Squeeze the herbs to release any last essence. Bottle the tincture in a dark colored jar – often used are amber colored bottles with a stopper available on line at places like

6. You’re done! Enjoy your home herbal remedy.

Other useful information

1.  Water can be used for non-alcoholic tinctures, you can add vinegar to help release the herbs’ essence.

2.  Tinctures stored properly can last for up to 2 years.

3.  A typical dose is 1 teaspoon 1-2 times a day, either straight or in water or tea.

4. When choosing which herbs to use, consult a book or website with information on loose herbs, for example acupuncture.com herbal section.

5.  Some really useful tinctures are:

* Ginseng (Renshen) for energy (use American ginseng if you tend to feel hot, have high blood pressure, sweat at night or get very hot at night. Also you might want to consult a doctor on this one as ginseng can be powerful).

* Astragalus (Hunag Qi) – excellent for boosting immunity for those who are run down or get sick often. This herb is used to boost immunity but it’s thought best to discontinue once you do get sick, and restart again once you’re well. The Chinese believe it will strengthen anything in your body, including your illness once you’re sick, hence stopping it during illness.

* Angelica Root (Dang Gui) – Used for centuries to enhance fertility by boosting the blood and regulating the menses. Also good to increase energy as it is thought to nourish the blood.

* Ginger (ShenJiang) – Great for arthritis pain. Ginger has been shown to inhibit of certain kinds of inflammation associated with arthritis. Great for joint health, relieving joint stiffness and pain. Also excellent for chronic digestive complaints.

What’s so exciting is that there are hundreds of herbs that can help with just about any kind of health issue. Have fun and feel good!

Fertility Acupuncture – Ancient Medicine Aids Modern Science

Being told you are infertile is one of the most devastating things a couple can hear. As an acupuncturist in practice for over 10 years, I have sat with many women as they recount their letters and numbers: FSH, LH, number of follicles, estrogen levels, etc. Western medicine offers miraculous opportunities to couples dealing with fertility struggles, but it is a stressful, difficult process, hard physically and emotionally. Acupuncture offers something unique: a different perspective.

First of all, I never use the word infertile. So few people are truly infertile, meaning incapable of ever having a baby. Most people face fertility challenges. May sound like I’m just trying to be PC but I’m not. Words are powerful, and our beliefs about ourselves are powerful and telling a woman she is infertile is a horrible label that can send a woman into depression or high stress which alone can hamper her chances of getting pregnant. Chinese medicine looks at a body’s physical age, not primarily the chronological age. That means a heavy smoker with a bad diet and history of drinking might be “old” at 29 whereas many women today who eat well, exercise and manage their stress are “young” at 40. The perspective in Chinese medicine is holistic – the body works as a whole, the hormones, fallopian tubes, uterus, they are effected by all the other systems and cells in the body, and vice versa. When the ovaries of older mice who had stopped ovulating were placed in a young mouse, they started to produce eggs again. It is not just that we need to fire chemicals at the ovaries, we need to nourish and strengthen the whole woman, or man, to encourage fertility.

Western medicine and Assisted Reproductive Therapy (ART) have so much to offer and they help thousands of families every year to start families that were once not possible. I have a lot of respect for Western medicine. But I do deeply believe that the mind, body and spirit must all be treated in order to have a healthy happy fertile body, and that is where acupuncture is invaluable. Acupuncture has been shown to improve the success rate of in vitro fertilization by up to 40%, a staggering number. It is also the only therapy that has been shown to increase the thickness of the uterine lining, also extremely important for pregnancy. It can regulate the hormones and hence help regulate the menstrual cycle, also key in getting pregnant. But it works on another level too. Acupuncture helps the patient relax, it helps the body release hormones associated with deep relaxation. And this allows the body to function so much better all on it’s own. Stress is a fertility crusher. Allowing the body to relax is so important as it allows the body to do what it is designed to do, be healthy, be in balance and function.

There are other important contributions that Chinese medicine makes to fertility treatments including guidelines on diet therapy, food that are thought to enhance fertility, herbs that can regulate hormones and stress levels. And even Qi Gong and meditation exercises that can have a real impact on how a person feels, and how well their body functions. But perhaps most of all, I love that Chinese medicine is positive, it is hopeful, it is empowering to the woman, to the couple. It says, ok you’re 40, so what? Let’s get you to the healthiest most rich and fertile place possible for your body. You may be doing ART while getting acupuncture and that’s wonderful, the two work so well together, but here is what you can do to really boost your chances of success and it doesn’t involve needles or drugs or charts. It involves holistic healing, herbs, whole food, and mindfulness. And that is a gift. An ancient gift that can help support our modern ways of helping mother nature to create a miracle, the miracle of life.