In the February 2011 issue of The Female Patient there was an article stating that acupuncture has become a bigger part of mainstream medicine. We’ve seen a steady increase of acupuncturists in Los Angeles using acupuncture for pregnant women who would like limited risks and complications that you may encounter when taking medication. Through personal experiences and passing the information along many Los Angeles women have discovered that acupuncture does work and that the risks to the well being of their child and themselves are limited, even if there isn’t scientific proof that can only be attained through expensive clinical trials. Studies have shown that acupuncture can help during pregnancy with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and can also be a successful treatment for back and pelvic pain and depression. Acupuncture has been shown to help induce labor, reduce labor pain and greatly reduce the need for analgesia during childbirth. The risks during acupuncture are extremely limited, and provide a safe and effective alternative to using pharmaceuticals, which can cause complications. With all of this information women are ready turn to acupuncture and explore the benefits, once they see positive results they will keep using acupuncture without the support of extensive scientific studies. They have first hand experience in the benefits of acupuncture and why it works.
So many women have nausea and vomiting during pregnancy approximately %50 to %90. Via stimulation of a certain point called PC-6 (which is located on the forearm, palm side between two tendons approximately three finger width up from the crease of the wrist) acupuncture has shown positive results in being effective in relieving symptoms of nausea and vomiting. The use of electro stimulation (electroacupuncture) and acupressure may increase results when used at this particular point (PC-6). Patients are not focused on exact mechanism or scientific validation of these results if it works for them.
More common symptoms during pregnancy that acupuncture can resolve are pelvic pain and back pain. Twenty five percent of women will seek medical help for these symptoms out of this twenty five percent up to eight percent will become bed ridden and up to seven percent will still have these symptoms after childbirth. Acupuncture has shown positive results in relieving back and pelvic pain in pregnant women. The standard regime for these symptoms is physical therapy, acupuncture has results suggesting that it may be more effective. Acupuncture provides low risk treatment that does not involve pharmaceuticals to help with lower back pain and pelvic pain in pregnant women.
Women from ages 25 to 45 who are pregnant often experience depression. Medical professionals have been searching fornatural methods to help with depression, relieving depression is crucial to the health of the child, mother and the family as a whole. Staying away from medication greatly reduces complications during pregnancy. There are clinical trials that have shown that there is a %63 positive response rate in using acupuncture to relieve depression during pregnancy. Acupuncture is an excellent alternative to pharmaceuticals for treating depression and the risks are very limited.
Acupuncture is not popular for inducing labor just yet, although it has been shown to reduce the necessity for analgesics during childbirth. Every acupuncturist must be made aware of specific precautions when treating pregnant women. Acupuncture is an excellent alternative to many medications and is a low risk, natural practice. Veterinarians have been successful at showing how well acupuncture works by using it on animals thus eliminating the thought that acupuncture creates the placebo effect.
Clinical trials are very costly. Acupuncture does not have anything to patent like pharmaceutical companies do so, there is no financial bonus to gain by conducting clinical trials for acupuncture. We must wait for government organizations or non- profit organizations such as the National Institute of Health to fund and conduct these studies. This is a far longer process than for a profit private sector. During acupuncture treatments MRI scans of the brain show positive readings when the insertion of the acupuncture needle sends signals to the brain through the afferent nervous pathways, this stimulates a response of the central nervous system (CNS). The central nervous system sends the desired signal to the areas of the body that have been targeted through the efferent nervous system pathways. One of the most important reactions achieved through acupuncture is to relax the sympathetic nervous system. Acupuncture may allow the CNS to do its job, restoring and maintaining health by removing the patient from the fight or flight scenario.
Acupuncture has become popular in mainstream medicine even with the lack of scientific studies proving its effectiveness. Patients will explore acupuncture because of the low risk, because it is natural and because it is medication free. Patients pass their personal experiences with acupuncture along to others and continue with it themselves because of their personal successful results. Based on its popularity many Medical Doctors and practitioners of mainstream medicine are informed of the results of acupuncture, which prompts them to suggest acupuncture to their patients. Eastern and Western medicine are able to combine the best of both worlds providing more opportunities for success.
If you are looking for a low risk option for pain relief, Acupuncture may be just what you need. Contact an Acupuncturist to find out more.