Acupuncture and Unexplained Infertility

Unexplained infertility translates to mean there is no medical reason the doctors can apply within the realm of modern scientific understanding to explain why conception isn’t occurring. Chinese medicine is particularly effective in treating this otherwise devastating diagnosis. Acupuncture and unexplained infertility go hand in hand. This is because unexplained infertility has the highest response rate to acupuncture and other alternative therapies.

In natural medicine it is thought that the underlying problem in unexplained infertility is accumulated stress. Over time, this stress reduces blood flow to the pelvic organs and changes the hormone balance. Acupuncture performed by a skilled practicioner can restore the proper blood flow and hormone balance. This is thought to occur partly because of its stress releiving properties and partly because of the targeted healing energy being sent to the reproductive organs.

Adrenalin is a hormone which is released by the adrenal glands during conditions of stress. Although it helps us to escape from danger, it also inhibits our ability to utilize progesterone, a very important consideration for fertility.

Prolactin, a hormone which is released by the pituitary gland, is usually discharged in order to stimulate lactation in preparation for nursing. However, also under times of stress, the pituitary gland emits more prolactin – in order to impair fertility.

Our bodies know that we should not be pregnant when we are under tremendous stress. Its first priority is keeping us out of danger. Taking care of a fetus when we are experiencing a precarious or tense situation is not an optimum physiological response. The optimum physiological response, as far as our bodies’ preservation instinct is concerned, is to flood the skeletal muscles, dilate the pupils, and remain acutely aware of our surroundings. Our bodies’ know that we shouldn’t be tired and nauseous and accommodating a pregnancy. Yet, when the stressor is only one of perception, or when we are responding inappropriately to stress with nervous tension, we must retrain our bodies and let them know that we are not in immediate danger, regardless of our environmental situation.