TCM Diagnoses and Acupuncture Treatments for Infertility

When treating infertility cases it is imperative that the male partner receive a sperm analysis. Regardless, it may be beneficial for both partners to receive regular treatments.

5 Ways acupuncture can help boost fertility:

  1. Reduce stress hormones that interfere with ovulation
  2. Normalize hormones
  3. Increase blood flow to the uterus, improving the chances of a fertilized egg implanting.
  4. Improve ovulation cycles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which makes getting pregnant difficult.
  5. Improve pregnancy rates in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Causes & Pathology:

Causes:

  • Constitutional Deficiency – women with congenital KD deficiencies which may have arisen from being born prematurely or having had an unhealthy mother.
  • Excessive Sexual Activity – particularly around puberty, but also in women who have had multiple child births a/or chronic deficiencies of Jing and Blood – can lead to malnourishment of the Bao Mai and Uterus.
  • Cold a/or Damp – may arise from KD Yang Deficiency or chronic exposures to cold/damp during menstruation – can disrupt the Uterus.
  • Stagnations of Qi a/or Blood, possibly with Phlegm/damp – can block the Uterus.

Differentiation of Syndrome of Infertility:

  • Excess Pathologies
  • Cold in the Uterus
  • Blood Stagnation w/Phlegm (blocked fallopian tubes fall under this differentiation)
  • Deficient Pathologies
  • KD Yang Deficiency
  • KD Yin Deficiency
  • Blood Deficiency

Cold in the Uterus – Excess Condition

  • Signs & Symptoms: Patient will likely appear pale, delayed menstruation w/dark dilute flow, pain a/or coldness of the lower abdomen which improves with the application of heat, aversion to cold, cold limbs, may also have weak back/knees a/or profuse clear urination.
  • Tongue: Pale
  • Pulse: Deep, slow

Blood Stagnation with Phlegm – Excess Condition

  • Signs & Symptoms: Patient is likely to be overweight, irregular menstruation w/clotting, delayed most likely, chest a/or hypochondriac distention, irritability, palpitation, dizziness, profuse sticky leukorrhea.
  • Tongue: White greasy coat with purple spots
  • Pulse: Deep, wiry

KD Yang Deficiency

  • Signs & Symptoms: Irregular menstruation w/scanty pinkish Blood, weak back a/or knees, fatigue, dizziness.
  • Tongue:  Thin white coat
  • Pulse: Deep, thin, particularly weak in the KD position

KD Yin Deficiency

  • Signs & Symptoms: Irregular menstruation, sore back, constipation, mallor flush, night sweats, heat in the 5 palms, insomnia, dry throat, dizziness, vertigo.
  • Tongue: Red with no coat
  • Pulse: Floating, empty, rapid

Blood Deficiency

  • Signs & Symptoms: Delayed menstruation w/scanty, pinkish flow, emaciation, sallow complexion, fatigue, dizziness, may also have palpitations a/or insomnia if HT Blood is deficient.
  • Tongue: Pale, possibly swollen.
  • Pulse: Deep, thin, weak.