Acupuncture Services of Central NY

The fastest growing and most satisfying segment of my acupuncture practice has been in the area of fertility and helping couples conceive and have a successful pregnancy. Some women have come to me for acupuncture to address problems such as irregular periods, PCOS, or endometriosis pain and conceived without any intervention from Western medicine after trying unsuccessfully on their own for several years. Many others have been in the process of assisted reproduction techniques such as IUI's or IVF and have incorporated acupuncture treatments on the recommendation of their fertility specialist. Some women have sought my help, not because they have trouble conceiving, but because they have suffered multiple miscarriages.

In all cases, my patients are amazed when they see how Chinese medicine looks at the body and may see signs of a barrier to getting pregnant when all of the Western tests have come back normal. A big part of my job is educating my patients on how stress management, and diet and lifestyle changes along with acupuncture can make a big difference in a successful pregnancy.

I have several good books on Chinese medicine and how to improve your parenting potential. One of my favorites is a book that was published in August of 2009, “Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility”. I recommend this book to all of my fertility patients. The book was co-written by Dr. Sami David, a western doctor who was the first doctor to successfully perform IVF in New York in the 1980's and Jill Blakeway, a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner.

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 06:54 AM | Acupuncture And Fertility: Improve Your Parenting Potential

Chinese medicine, like Western medicine, believes that the Heart is responsible for the circulation of Blood and the health of the blood vessels. If the Heart is strong, circulation will be good, all of the body's tissues will be well nourished, and the pulse will be full and regular. Physiologically, both believe that a weak Heart can lead to palpitations and chest pain - even heart attack. Chinese medicine believes that the Heart controls sweating. So, it is no surprise that one of the main symptoms of a heart attack is breaking out in a cold sweat.

Chinese medicine also believes that the Heart “houses the mind”. This may be a difficult concept to grasp, but according to Chinese medicine, the health of the Heart energy has a lot to do with our mental activity – even consciousness. The Heart governs our ability to sleep soundly, think clearly and have a good memory. A healthy Heart plays a big role in our emotional health and our ability to have meaningful relationships. When the Heart energy is weak and Blood is deficient, we may suffer from anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness, inability to concentrate, and in extreme cases manic behavior or coma.

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 11:53 AM | The Heart in Chinese Medicine

This two-point unit is located on the ulnar aspect of the proximal segment of the dorsal side of the thumb. This acupuncture point is very effective to treat almost any kind of gynecological disease including irregular menses, dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, amenorrhea, endometriosis, fallopian tube blockage, uterine pain or fibroids, frequent miscarriage and infertility.
This point is needled on one hand and often coupled with a different point on the opposite hand called Return to Nest (Nest being a reference to the uterus). The first time Fu Ke will be needled on the left and Return to Nest on the Right. The next time, Fu Ke will be needled on the right and Return to Nest on the left. Continue alternating the points with each treatment.

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 10:59 AM | Master Tung’s Gynecology (Fu Ke) Acupuncture Point

In the past, when a couple has had difficulty conceiving, the assumption was that the problem was with the female partner. Not so anymore. Male infertility now accounts for 40% of infertility cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses male fertility via a sperm analysis, which measures the volume, count, motility and morphology of the sperm sample.

The average male sperm count has dropped 45% over the last few generations. The cause of this drastic decline has been linked to the increased exposure to environmental pollutants. Other factors include alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and some prescription drugs. Cell phone usage has also been implicated in the decline and men hoping to impregnate their partners should avoid wearing cell phones on their belt.

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 11:37 AM | Traditional Chinese Medicine Helps Male Infertility

Miranda - Waterville, NY - January 2007

Infertility plagued my life at a young age. My husband and I had started trying to conceive shortly after our wedding in May of 2004. By May of 2005 we knew something just was not right. We were both in our "prime" as western medicine practitioners called it. We sought help from several local ob/gyn's and were told that we were too young to worry about it. After much pushing we found an Ob/gyn who was willing to at least do a work-up for us. She did all the normal tests including labs, semen analysis, and HSG testing. All of which came back "normal". So now by December of 2005 we had a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. Great so now what? It was at this point that we started considering another avenue of medicine. Acupuncture was the only other logical thing to try. So in February of 2006 I contacted Joyce and made my first appointment with her.

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 10:16 AM | I am Having a Baby! - Patient Testimonial

Acupuncture & IVF
By Lifang Liang, O.M.D, Ph.D., L.Ac.

In 2002, a group of German researchers, led by Dr Wolfgang Paulus, conducted a study where women were given acupuncture treatments immediately before and after an IVF procedure. The analysis showed that the pregnancy rate for the acupuncture group was almost 50% higher than the control group that did not receive acupuncture. They published their findings in the April 2002 issue of “Fertility and Sterility”. Since that study, more and more Western fertility clinics are suggesting to their patients that they consider acupuncture in preparation for IVF.

In her book, Dr. Liang outlines the protocol used in the German study. Acupuncture points that were selected are known to relax the uterus, stabilize the endocrine system and improve the flow of energy to the abdomen.

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 09:00 AM | Acupuncture & IVF

Fertility issues affect at least one in six couples in the United States alone. Millions of women have gone through every test Western medicine has to offer to try to determine why they have not been able to conceive. Ultrasounds confirm that the ovaries and uterus appear to be normal. Blood work confirms that hormone levels are within normal range. Their partners have passed sperm analysis with flying colors. Many women tolerate hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs. Some attempt intrauterine inseminations (IUI’s) or expensive invitro fertilization procedures (IVF’s) in an attempt to bypass cervical, sperm or any other mysterious fertility issue. Many attempts fail and couples are given the dreaded, frustrating diagnosis of “unexplained infertility”. So, if nothing is wrong, what is wrong?

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Posted by Joyce Marley at 09:00 AM | “Unexplained Infertility” – Explained by Traditional Chinese Medicine

The World Health Organization has recognized over 40 common health problems that acupuncture can effectively treat. Most people are aware that acupuncture treats pain, but many do not know the wide range of painful conditions that are commonly improved with acupuncture. Acupuncture treats pain anywhere in the body, including but not limited to: back pain, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, trigeminal neuralgia, arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, shingles pain and migraines.

But acupuncture can also treat digestive disorders such as nausea, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. It is commonly used to treat asthma and sinus problems. Acupuncture is very powerful to treat gynecological problems including PMS, menopausal symptoms, endometriosis and even infertility.

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