Unsubscribe
Update e-mail address
February 2008 [Volume 7, Issue 2]
To Your Health is brought to you by:
In this issue of To Your Health:
Acupuncture May Boost Fertility Treatments
An estimated 10 to 15 percent of couples experience reproductive difficulty and seek specialist fertility treatments, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Now, a review of seven studies of acupuncture given with IVF suggests that acupuncture may improve rates of pregnancy. The review was published online in the February 2008 issue of the British Journal of Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Integrative Medicine examined the seven studies to see if rates of pregnancy were improved with acupuncture. The studies encompassed data on more than 1,366 women.
The reviewers found that acupuncture given as a complement to IVF increased the odds of achieving pregnancy. According to the researchers, the results indicate that 10 women undergoing IVF would need to be treated with acupuncture to bring about one additional pregnancy. The results point to acupuncture as a potential complementary treatment that may improve the success of IVF.
For more information on the many benefits of Oriental medicine, visit www.acupuncturetoday.com.
Herb of the Month – Mugwort (ai ye)
Mugwort leaf is known by many other names, including artemisia and Japanese wormwood. The part of the plant used for medicinal purposes is the leaf. The leaves are gathered in the spring and summer, while the plant is flowering, and dried in a shady place.
According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, mugwort leaf has bitter, pungent and warm properties, and is associated with the Liver, Spleen and Kidney meridians. Its main functions are to warm the meridians and stop bleeding, and to dispel cold and stop pain. Mugwort has a special place in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the herb of choice for acupuncturists who practice moxibustion – a form of healing in which mugwort is burned, either in a cone-shaped pile or on top of an acupuncture needle.
The amount of mugwort leaf used depends on the condition being treated and the way it is being applied. Mugwort cones may weigh as little as three grams. Larger moxa sticks may weigh up to 10 grams. Mugwort can also be ground up into boiling water and used in a decoction with other substances. Fresh mugwort leaf can be crushed and blended to form a type of juice.
Mugwort leaf should be avoided by patients diagnosed with spleen yang deficiency. Skin contact with mugwort leaf may also cause an allergic reaction in some individuals; burning mugwort leaf should be used with extreme caution by patients and practitioners alike. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking mugwort leaf or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
Question: Can acupuncture help with anxiety? How many sessions will I need?
Answer: Yes, acupuncture treatments can reduce anxiety symptoms. How many sessions depends on the individual patient. I would need to examine you. Also, there are different treatment protocols and a combination may work better than one (I mean where and how to place the pins). In general, a patient will feel less anxiety after one treatment, but it often will not be permanent. A typical patient will have 10 treatments two or three times per week. When you see an acupuncturist and they have examined you, they can tell you more accurately how many sessions you may need.
Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit acupuncturetoday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask.
Unsubscribe
Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received
this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name
from our e-mail subscription list at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php.
Update your e-mail address
To update the e-mail address your newsletter is sent to, click here.
If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.