Fertility and Women’s Health
Our specialty, a unique integrating East and West medicine approach
How do you help me to have a baby?
Evaluate the male side first. This work relatively is simpler when approached with TCM. Approximately 40% of cases are due to "male factors", such as abnormal sperm function or the presence of a varicocele.
Then get detailed information about the female physical reproductive organ system and related topics, starting from the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovary, pituitary, hormones from the ovary and pituitary gland, immune system, stress management, nutrition, diet, etc. All these can have an effect on the inner balance of a female physical body and fertility. Even sometimes the female is “normal”.
After a comprehensive evaluation, acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs are strategically applied to address related specific issues.
There are thousands of years history of Traditional Chinese Medicine practice. As China opens its door to the world, more and more people in the world get various benefits from TCM. It is safe and effective.
Understand and treat miscarriage
The causes of miscarriage are complicated and not well understood. Most of the miscarriages happen in the first three months of pregnancy are caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Chromosomal problems usually occur by chance. As women age, the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities may increase, which may contribute to the increase of miscarriage.
Factors causing miscarriage also include:
· Infection
· Environmental toxic or radiation
· Hormonal imbalance, like polycystic ovary syndrome
· Uterine structure issues, like scars, fibroids
· Incompetent cervix
· Immune and endocrine disorders, like diabetes, thyroid problem
· Severe heart, and kidney disease
· Malnutrition
· Lifestyle, such as illegal drugs, smoking, alcohol, even caffeine
First, find out the reason(s) behind miscarriage. Second, distinguish the specific body condition. In TCM terms, Qi, blood, Yin, Yang, cold, heat, deficiency and excess, etc. of the body’s condition are carefully evaluated. Then treatment strategies are crafted and executed accordingly.
I plan to get IVF, can you help me to increase my success?
Yes, there is recent research about combining acupuncture with IVF. The success rate is increased statistically.
A family choosing IVF may go through tremendous stress, emotional and financial. In the meantime, the female physical body goes through dramatic changes within a short period of time.
Supportive acupuncture treatment is given before, during, and after IVF to help the body to adjust well for pregnancy and increase the conceive success rate.
Morning sickness and TCM
To treat morning sickness, the first approach is from Eastern nutrition. Specific foods are recommended as homework.
For severe cases, evaluate each case thoroughly, find out the specific body condition, and give acupuncture and/or natural Chinese herbs to help the body adjust well. In the meantime, benefiting the fetus may combined.
For generations and generations, acupuncture and Chinese herbs have proven safe and effective for early pregnancy discomfort, like morning sickness, fatigue, etc.
Postpartum baby blue and major depression, treating safely while breast-feeding
Giving birth to a baby sometimes can be exhausting. Sometimes injury may happen during labor. Heavy bleeding may occur. Hormones change dramatically, etc. When the body cannot adjust smoothly after the baby comes out, postpartum baby blue, even major depression may develop.
In TCM language, Qi and blood deficiency, Kidney Yang deficiency and Liver Qi stagnation are among the main reasons. These can be treated safely with acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs while breast-feeding.
Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs
Premenstrual syndrome is a group of symptoms that start before menstrual period. About 2-7 days before menstruation, there are hormone changes inside of a female body. Mental stress puts more fluctuation to this cycle of hormonal changes. Some people are born with the tendency to have PMS. Some people acquire it later in life. When the period starts, PMS usually disappears.
PMS symptoms include
- Breast swelling and tenderness
- Acne
- Bloating and weight gain
- Pain – headache, lower back pain, or lower abdomen pain
- Food cravings
- Irritability, mood swings, depression
Exercising, getting enough sleep, and avoiding salt, caffeine, and alcohol may help.
Westy Acupuncture & Herb not only addresses the symptoms, like breast distension, emotional agitation, acne breakout, and lower abdomen cramping pain, but also addresses the related underlying causes like hormone imbalance, etc.
Dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramping pain
There are multiple factors that can lead to a painful menstrual period. In the Traditional Chinese Medicine language, the main conditions of the body are listed as follows. The patterns below may appear solely or overlap.
- Kidney yang deficiency, cold congeals the blood. Blood clots in menstrual flow can be as big as a quarter coin in size. Heavy menstrual bleeding may occur in the meantime. The dull achy lower back is common. Vaginal discharge is copious clear or white.
- Qi and blood stagnation. Pain with small blood clots and get worse with emotional stress.
- Qi and blood deficiency. Low energy, weak pulse, and puffy tongue with teeth marks are the key points.
- Damp-heat in lower Jiao. Smelling vaginal discharge, red tongue with yellow coating, and slippery pulse are characteristic.
Functional uterine bleeding, anemia, fatigue, and depression
Monthly heavy menstrual bleeding can lead to anemia, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction, even depression.
In our TCM treatment, the underline reasons that cause heavy functional uterine bleeding are investigated and treated, which is treating the root. In the meantime, tonifying Qi and generating blood to restore energy, and improve mental and physical function are addressed, which is treating the branch.
Taking various pills to stop bleeding every month, taking iron pills to treat anemia, and having surgery to take out uterine are not the proper efficient ways to treat functional uterine bleeding. Treat the root cause.
Acne, hormone, stress, diet and TCM
Acne affects people between puberty and menopause. Most commonly acne is found in young people. For people before puberty and after menopause, acne usually is free. Acne often breaks out about 2 to 7 days before the female menstrual period. All of these suggest acne is hormone imbalance related. Stress and improper diet influence the situation.
Acne affects the skin’s oil glands and their outlet passage to skin surface. Normally the pores of the oil glands should be open to let the sebaceous secretion out to lubricate skin naturally. Multiple reasons in daily life, like hormonal imbalance, stress, and improper diet, etc. may add together to generate acne-causing factors like
- Too much oil and waste production
- Dead cells debris can not be cleared out efficiently but build up and clog the outlet passage
- Skin pores just cannot open or open big enough to let waste out
Once the oil glands and their secretion outlet way is clumped with wastes like oil, and cell debris, bacteria may grow inside. The breakout of acne is inevitable.
Westyo Acupuncture & Herb addresses acne-causing factors and effectively treats acne from the inside out.
Breast cysts, fibroadenoma, stress, and hormone
A breast cyst is a sac filled with fluid. It typically occurs in females between the ages of 35-50 and is most common near menopause. Cysts often enlarge and become tender several days before the menstrual period. After a period, cysts become soft and less tender. Breast cysts usually are benign and may seem to appear overnight.
Upon palpation, the cyst is smooth on the surface and can be soft or hard. If a cyst is deep in breast tissue, it can feel like a hard lump. Fluid-filled inside a cyst makes it not complicated for ultrasound or mammography to confirm the diagnosis.
Fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast lump found in women of any age, more often in female 20s and 30s. Increasingly, it is seen in postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy.
On physical check, the painless fibroadenoma lump feels rubbery and moves freely. Its size varies and its location can be anywhere in the breast tissue. Ultrasound or mammography usually is made to confirm the diagnosis.
The treatment approach for these two kinds of lumps often ends up in surgery. In TCM view, these two kinds of lumps are related to stress and/or hormone imbalance. A Conservative strategy is strongly suggested.
Under tremendous or prolonged stress, qi and blood cannot flow freely but stagnation in channels and collaterals. In the meantime, hormone balance is disturbed by ongoing stress. Moving Qi, sooth Liver, tonify Kidney Yang, and resolving nodules are the treatment strategies for these two lumps. With aging approaching menopause, the decline in hormone levels gives extra to hormone balance maintenance. This is mainly seen in cyst formation and treatment strategy. Warming Yang qi, and resolving fluid accumulation are added for better achievement.
Uterine fibroid
Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors of the uterine in women of childbearing age. Fibroids are made of muscle cells and other tissues. There are three layers in the uterine wall. Fibroids that grow right under the inner liner are the ones that may cause heavy bleeding. The exact cause of fibroids is unknown. It can be found by gynecological exam and B-ultrasound.
Some women with fibroids have no symptoms. Signs and symptoms associated with uterine fibroids may include the following.
- Heavy or painful periods and/or bleeding during ovulation.
- Feeling "full" in the lower abdomen
- Urinating often
- Pain during sex
- Lower back pain
- Reproductive problems, such as infertility, multiple miscarriages, or early labor
There is no need for treatment for those who have no symptoms. Acupuncture and natural Chinese Herbs can slow, stop fibroids from growing, and even reduce them. Unnecessary surgery can be avoided. While treat fibroids, heavy menstrual bleeding, lower back pain, related miscarriage, and infertility are treated in the meantime.
UTI, acute and chronic
Antibiotics are adopted commonly to treat urinary tract infection, especially when it is acute. Chronic urinary tract infection is tough to treat, even with urine culture plus antibiotics sensitive tests are done. Drug resistance developed by bacteria makes the treatment result unsatisfying.
Using acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs as methods, TCM treats acute or chronic UTIs, not only addressing bacteria but also improving immune system function. Especially when cold and bitter-natured antibiotics are overused, the body has accumulated excessive cold inside. Adding warm/hot-natured herbs in herb formula helps to achieve effectiveness.
Vaginal discharge, acute and chronic
Glands in the cervix and the walls of the vagina normally produce clear mucus. Physical status like ovulation, pregnancy, and sexual excitement can increase the amount of normal vaginal discharge.
Abnormal vaginal discharge commonly is caused by infections like vaginal yeast infection, normal bacteria in the vagina overgrowing, and sexually transmitted infections including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. At the acute stage, the vaginal discharge usually is pasty or thick yellow or green with a smelling odor.
Less common causes of vaginal discharge include cancer of the cervix or vagina. This type of vaginal discharge may contain blood.
Stress and over-exertion, aging and degeneration in some people can cause chronic vaginal discharge. Clear watery, copious, without strong odor characteristic.
TCM addresses this disorder acute or chronic effectively with acupuncture and natural Chinese herbs, especially the third type when no antibiotic works.
Peaceful menopause
Our experts have successfully helped hundreds of women going through menopause.
Menopause means no more menstrual periods. It happens because the ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. It usually occurs naturally, most often after age 45.
The changes and symptoms can start several years earlier than the period stops. They include
- A change in periods - shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, with more or less time in between
- Hot flashes and/or night sweats
- Trouble sleeping
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood swings
- Trouble focusing
- Hair loss
Some women go through menopause smoothly without severe symptoms demanding attention. Treatment is needed for some women who have trouble with this significant transition period.
Several thousand years ago, in << Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic>> already documented the rising, peaking, and decline of Kidney Qi are related to the human body growing, peaking, and aging. To have a peaceful menopause, tonify Kidney is the main strategy. In the meantime, soothe the Liver, clear Heart heat, strength Qi, etc. are some other strategies.