Introduction
The current presentation is dedicated to the research conducted by Zhu, et al. (2018) and reflected in a peer-reviewed article “Acupuncture Treatment for Fertility.” In it, the authors aim to evaluate the ability of acupuncture as a well-known practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat infertility in both women and men. The significance of this study is determined by the disturbing trends of this issue in the present day. While in the present day, approximately 8-12% of couples face infertility worldwide, these numbers are expected to grow in the future (Zhu et al., 2018).
Infertility
In general, infertility is traditionally regarded as “the inability to conceive in a sexually active couple who are trying to get pregnant for one year” (Zhu et al., 2018, p. 1685). The factors of this condition are numerous, however, the most common ones include low sperm count and low sperm motility in men, polycystic ovarian syndrome, poor egg quality, hormonal imbalance, hyperprolactinemia in women, various comorbidities, age, stress, obesity, unhealthy habits, and genetics.
Infertility in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
According to TCM, the main causes of infertility are the disruption of vital balance and blockages in blood circulation flow and Qi energy. Thus, when energy and blood flow are blocked, deficiency, stagnancy, and heat syndromes may occur. The deficiency syndrome leads to the disorder in the sexual and reproductive functions of men and women. The stagnancy syndrome presupposes the restriction of blood and energy circulation in the reproductive organs. Finally, heat syndrome refers to inflammation processes that contribute to gynecological infections and impact semen quality. In turn, acupuncture has been successfully used in TCM for the treatment of infertility for more than 5000 years (Zhu et al., 2018). It implies the insertion of highly thin sterile needles into the body’s specific points called acupoints for the regulation of its functionality. In particular, acupuncture regulates the flow of blood and energy, balances the hormones, removes phlegm and stasis, and stimulates the nervous system.
Methods
The research implies the description of the case of a young couple who faced infertility and underwent acupuncture treatment in a clinic for TCM and acupuncture in Skopje, Macedonia (Zhu et al., 2018). Both men and women are 28 years old, and treatment was organized simultaneously to improve its outcomes. In particular, the acupuncture treatment for a man was made to improve his sperm quality while for a woman, it aimed to balance the hormones and remove ovarian endometriotic cysts on both ovaries (Zhu et al., 2018). Treatments were done with sterile disposable needles 0.25 x 25mm manufactured in China on the body’s sides for approximately 35-40 minutes once a week for three months.
Data and Results
According to the results, the acupuncture treatment led to successful outcomes. In particular, the quality of a man’s sperm substantially improved – the percentage of progressively moving sperm cells increased from 5% to 40% (Zhu et al., 2018). In turn, a woman’s ovarian endometriotic cysts disappeared after seven sessions – as a result, got pregnant spontaneously and successfully. In general, acupoints chosen for the treatment contributed to the improvement of blood flow and the circulation of fluids in the lower abdomen, the liver, and the kidneys. The blockages in this area led to excessive dampness, blood stagnation, and the formation of ovarian cysts in a woman and poor sperm quality in a man. In turn, acupuncture helped prevent further accumulation of fluids, restore the normal circulation of blood, and resolve the phlegm masses.
Conclusion
In TCM, acupuncture has been used for the treatment of infertility for thousands of years. The insertion of tiny sterile needs in specific points contributes to the improvement of body functionality and the normalization of blood and fluid flows essential for sexual activity and pregnancy. Using the example of the couple’s successful treatment, the authors demonstrate the efficiency of acupuncture for the restoration of fertility in both men and women. In general, this case may be used in a full-scale literature review dedicated to the issue of infertility in order to collect and generate data for reliable and unbiased results.
References
Zhu, J., Arsovska, B., & Kozovska, K. (2018). Acupuncture treatment for fertility. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 6(9), 1685-1687. Web.