Acupuncture treatment skyrocketing in recent years and is beneficial for treating several ailments, pain, symptoms, and especially during pregnancy and morning sickness. Does acupuncture scare you? Do you feel that the needle inserted in your body will hurt? Many questions summon and appall you. But not now, after reading this blog and learning how it can benefit the pregnant mother.
What is Acupuncture Treatment?
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that emanated in China over 2,000 years ago. It involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body, called acupoints. The practitioner may also use heat, pressure, or mild electrical stimulation in the intersection with the needles.
Some people swear by acupuncture treatment, citing it as a “miracle” to enhance their quality of life because it’s said to be able to treat everything from dismay and allergies to morning sickness and cramps. There have been continuous refinements and updates to its theory and clinical practice. This type of therapy aims to restore balance and harmony to the body so that the cause of the disease can be treated, not just the symptoms.
Acupuncture and Pregnancy
Researchers have found that acupuncture points correspond to deep-seated nerves so that the nerves are activated when the needles are twisted or electrically stimulated (known as electroacupuncture). In turn, that releases several chemicals in the brain, such as endorphins, which can alleviate a spectrum of pregnancy symptoms.
Health care recommends acupuncture to improve fertility, pain relief during and after childbirth, and nausea, vomiting, and headache that can happen due to hormonal changes. There is numerous acupuncture treatment that helps to relieve pain, conception, morning sickness, and other symptoms.
Is Acupuncture Treatment Safe during Pregnancy?
When acupuncture is performed by a certified acupuncturist, it is considered safe and beneficial for a pregnant woman. Despite the practice’s traditional forbidden points (such as the lower back), a 2015 analysis of 15 studies found that pregnancy complications like miscarriage, preterm birth, and stillbirth were not higher.
Acupuncture treatment has myriad health benefits that are enlisted below:
Conception
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in 2018 that there is no evidence, acupuncture increases the probability of live births in women using IVF. Even though it has been shown to help women conceive, especially when used with IVF.
While acupuncture may not be safe for use during IVF, it can help patients feel more relaxed and less stressed, which is useful when undergoing the procedure. As an adjunct to staying healthy and possibly increasing the chances of conception, any practice that is safe and can help a mother relax can be helpful.
Labor Induction and Breech Positions
Acupuncture was successful in at least two cases of induction of labor without medication in the study. This was in pregnant mothers who had been recommended for labor initiation.
Besides correcting a breech baby’s head down to prepare for delivery, acupuncture has also been reported to help correct a breech position.
Nausea and Vomiting
A 2013 ACOG review suggested that acupuncture may have many uses to relieve symptoms, even in hospital settings, since it is effective for facilitating nausea after C-sections. It may be helpful for women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy (extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy), especially if they do not want to take medications.
Depression
A targeted form of acupuncture may help women who suffer from depression during pregnancy. Nearly one in four women experience depression during pregnancy. Compared with women receiving general acupuncture or massage, those who received depression-specific acupuncture had a decreased severity of symptoms.
Apart from these acupuncture also aids the pelvic pain and other symptoms that occur during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Final Thought
Richmond Hill Acupuncture is one of the renowned acupuncture clinics in Ontario. We are a passionate team of registered and licensed acupuncturists with proven expertise in ancient Chinese treatment techniques. We help to improve health and well-being through acupuncture treatment methods. We help pregnant women in treating pain and symptoms and get back their lives what they love!
If you and your loved ones want to relieve their pain and other symptoms during pregnancy, Richmond Hill Acupuncture Pro is one stop away from you. Book an appointment with our licensed acupuncturist and give us the chance to treat you!