Fertility support blog series: Burwood Acupuncture
Part 1: A brief look into Fertility from the TCM perspective
Introduction
Trying to fall pregnant is a silent struggle for many couples. Acupuncture is often thought of as a treatment for managing pain conditions, but it can also play a role in improving fertility outcomes. This blog is part of a series exploring the infertility from a traditional Chinese medical (TCM) perspective. It looks at the theory of TCM and how it relates to fertility issues, the recommended types of treatment, frequency of treatment, and how it can be integrated with Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
A traditional view
In traditional Chinese medicine, the body's vital substances need to be plentiful for pregnancy to be achieved and sustained. These substances are Essence, Qi and Blood. They are essential for life.
1. Essence: is stored in the Kidneys. We are endowed with Essence, and Essence is produced in our bodies from the food and drink we consume. Ovum and Sperm are two physical embodiments of Essence. We cannot have too much Essence, but we can be deficient in Essence.
The key factor in Essence deficiency is lifestyle habits. Too much sex consumes Essence. Overworking and excessive physical strain consume Essence. This is because physical and mental activity requires Qi and Blood, which come from Essence. Overwork, overstraining, and over-training all consume Qi and Blood, which in turn consumes the Essence from which they come. This can be illustrated by the phenomenon of 'athletic amenorrhea’.
We need a diet of good quality food and drink so our bodies can produce essence. Poor diet and overconsumption of drugs and alcohol affect our stores of Essence.
Chronic disease can lead to a deficiency of Essence. Chronic disease consumes Qi and Blood, which are produced by Essence. The body's demands are very high when a person is affected by disease. Long-term heavy menses can also consume Essence, for the same reason. Blood comes from Essence, heavy blood loss over a long time causes a deficiency of these substances.
2. Qi: is associated with several body organs. The Lungs, Spleen, Liver, Heart and Kidney. Qi comes from Essence, the air we breathe, and the foods and drinks we consume. It is transformed by the digestive system, (the Spleen and Stomach), and it is transported in the body by each of the organs listed above. They all play an important, interconnected role.
We commonly think of Qi as Energy. It is the motive power in our bodies. Yang Qi warms our bodies. Qi and Blood have a very close relationship. Qi moves Blood to every part of the body. A deficiency of Qi can cause a deficiency of Blood, it can also cause Blood to become blocked/stagnated in a certain location.
Qi deficiency is often caused by lifestyle factors, including overwork, and excessive physical strain. But it is also by consuming too many of the wrong kinds of foods and drinks. Poor diet overloads the Spleen, causing a deficiency of Qi in the middle jiao (digestive powerhouse). This, in time leads to generalised Qi deficiency, characterized by heaviness of the body, fatigue, diarrhoea or constipation, poor appetite, nausea, sleeping and waking feeling unrefreshed. Because Qi and Blood are closely linked, excessive blood loss can lead to Qi deficiency. One example is post-partum haemorrhage. Or any accident where a large amount of blood is lost quickly.
3. Blood: is stored by the Liver. Blood is considered Yin. It comes from the yin aspect of Essence and the Yang aspect of Qi. Blood relies on Qi to transport it throughout the body. It nourishes every aspect of the body, keeping our sinews soft, our joints lubricated, and our eyes moist. Enough blood is essential for conception and a healthy pregnancy, it nourishes the baby. Lifestyle and environment factors introduced above, also hurt the body’s ability to produce Blood.
Fertility and TCM organ and channel theory
In the traditional view, the entire body is connected. The health of the body, its ability to fight disease, and recover is not the job of any one organ or channel. It is the role of the entire organism. However, for conception and pregnancy, there are several organs and channels which have a greater role to play. These are, the uterus, Liver, Spleen, Kidneys, and the Chong and Ren channels. Little detail will be covered here. The key idea is, these organs all have roles to play in creating, storing, and moving the essential substances. Our lifestyles may or may not support this. Whether or not we are affected by chronic disease also affects these organs and channels' ability to fulfil their roles. They can also be affected by pathogenic factors. Cold, dampness, heat, and blood stasis are pathogenic factors that impede the circulation of vital substances in the channels and organs.
Pathogenic factors - where they come from and their effects on the body.
We are exposed to pathogenic factors through our environment and our lifestyle.
Cold: cold climates, seasons and foods can affect our bodies adversely. In Winter, we wear warmer clothing to stay warm. Footwear is important. The Kidney channel starts on the sole. Walking barefoot for too long can let cold enter the Kidney channel. In the traditional Chinese medical model, cold can attack any part of the body surface. This means we must dress appropriately, especially when trying to conceive. Cold is associated with contraction. It is easy to understand when we think about how we ball our hands into fists when the weather is cold. This is the natural body reaction. Blood is sent inwards to keep our vital organs warm and prevent heat escaping from the surface. This means blood is not circulating optimally, which is not ideal for conception.
The effect of cold on the exterior body is easy to visualise. However, less is paid to how cold affects the interior. Drinking iced drinks, and consuming too much raw food is cold directly into the body. The digestive system requires warmth to work effectively. Our core temperature is around 37 degrees. We can support our body’s natural functioning by consuming warm/cooked foods.
Damp: There is dampness in the environment. However, the type of dampness that adversely affects fertility is generated inside the body. It can be caused by lifestyle choices, particularly diet. Too much sweet or greasy food overburdens the Spleen. The Spleen should produce clear Yang for the body (transformed from food and drink). An overburdened Spleen produces dampness. The nature of dampness gives important information as to how it can impede successful conception. It is heavy and sticky, it blocks channels. It causes stagnation of Qi in Blood in some areas and deficiency of Qi and Blood in others.
Heat: Heat is often generated in the body when there has been long-term stagnation, due to dampness or cold, or a combination. It can also be caused by extreme emotion. Frustration, anger and heat are associated with Liver Qi stagnation.
Blood stasis: Accumulated blood caused by Qi deficiency, Blood deficiency, Yang deficiency, injury, dampness, and cold. These are conditions in which circulation is weakened, or a pathogenic factor disrupts blood circulation.
Conclusion
In the traditional Chinese medical model, the body is an interconnected organism. Each part affects another, all parts work together for optimal body functioning. This blog has introduced traditional theories about health and disease in TCM. If you seek fertility support through a TCM specialist you can expect to be offered manual therapies (acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping), and herbal medicine as the standard approach to treatment. TCM is individual medicine. Each person is assessed on their personal history and signs and symptoms. In the next blog, I will introduce some commonly utilised acupuncture methods and some herbal formulae that may form your treatment plan.
At Burwood Acupuncture fertility support treatments include: acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, or a combination of these. To make a booking visit our services page and select private acupuncture, herbal medicine + private acupuncture, or an initial consultation for Chinese herbal medicine. Not sure where to start? Send us a message to book a free 15 minute consultation.
