Acupuncture to Alleviate Pregnancy Symptoms
For some, the arduous 'fertility journey' isn't always over once they have conceived. They might then have to battle with crippling nausea, blood pressure problems, gestational diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, heartburn, sciatica & back pain. Although hopefully not all in one go!
Acupuncture can be extremely useful in helping to keep these symptoms at bay. In fact, we find that patients who worked with us to help them conceive, and continued with acupuncture treatment throughout find that they have an easy, manageable pregnancy and labour.
Pregnancy Nausea
Acupuncture to alleviate the symptoms of pregnancy nausea has been used in both the East and West for years. Midwives will often recommend women seek out an acupuncturist to help and we certainly see plenty of struggling expectant mums.
Travel sickness wristbands, which are often thought to double up as morning anti-sickness bands, work by putting pressure on an acupuncture point. The difficulty is, if you don't know exactly where that point is, the wristband will be useless. An acupuncturist will be able to accurately locate the correct area to apply pressure. They will also use needles to effectively stop nausea and sickness and often for mild nausea, only one treatment is required.
Patients with severe pregnancy nausea or hyperemesis gravadarum may require two treatments per week to keep their nausea at a more manageable level. In clinic we find that ladies undergoing fertility treatment who decide to continue with treatment after they fall pregnant usually don't suffer with morning sickness. This is because we will have already put measures in place to strengthen the digestive system to ensure that morning sickness doesn't become an issue.
