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Acupuncture for Fertility

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acupuncture fertilityIf you’re having fertility issues, we recommend you seriously look into having Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Many conditions reducing fertility can be helped with this combination of treatments. These include:

  • Endometriosis
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
  • Unexplained infertility
  • Male fertility issues

If you are thinking about starting a family (or adding to it!), our Acupuncturists recommend a 3 month pre-conception programme of Acupuncture (with Chinese Herbal Medicine if required). This allows us to find the root cause of any issues and get you in the healthiest possible state to conceive.

For those with known fertility problems, or those needing assisted reproduction techniques like IVF, Acupuncture really comes into its own. It is very useful in maximising your response to treatment and coping with the stress associated with these procedures. For IVF, there are key times in the cycle that it’s important to have acupuncture treatment for the best results.

Our Acupuncturists are experienced in helping couples boost their fertility naturally, and in working in with an IVF regime. Health-fund rebates are available for Acupuncture treatments.

 

Acupuncture for migraine

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migraine1If you suffer from migraines, you will know how disabling these headaches can be, especially if they happen frequently. Many sufferers find migraines very disruptive to work and free time — it’s not often convenient to take the evasive action they call for, like lying in a darkened room. However, Western pharmacological treatment often does not bring the results hoped for or causes side-effects. In addition, overuse of painkillers can actually worsen the severity and frequency of headaches (“medication overuse headaches”), and this has recently been recognized as a huge problem.

The good news is that acupuncture can be very effective in treating migraines. A 2009 Cochrane review (an overview of many studies, 22 in this case) found acupuncture to be effective in treating this type of headache. In fact, the studies in this review that compared acupuncture to drug therapy found acupuncture to have better results with fewer side effects. Interestingly, the studies also suggest that acupuncture that does not penetrate the skin (similar to many Japanese techniques in which the needles are inserted only a couple of millimeters), was just as effective as stronger forms of acupuncture.

This is great news for migraine sufferers. Traditional Chinese Medicine is deeply rooted in ancient philosophy, and while reports of the effectiveness of acupuncture date back 200 years, it’s comforting to note that modern research is confirming these clinical observations.

 

Obstacle Racing

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ben clarkeObstacle racing is taking off in Australia not only becoming a popular challenge for people at all levels of fitness but also being a fun and interesting way of raising money for worthy charities such as Legacy, Canteen, Cancer Council, Red Cross, McGrath Foundation, and Soldier On, just to name a few.

Depending on your level of fitness you have many races to choose from. Shorter distance races such as the Warrior Dash, Mud Run, Tough Bloke Challenge and The Stampede are great entry level obstacle races with distances ranging between 5-10km. If you’re up for a bit more of a test you can take part in the Tough Mudder which is a 20km race with a total of 21 obstacles including electric shocks and ice water submersion, don’t let this intimidate you as the ethos behind this obstacle race is camaraderie and teamwork so there is always someone there to lend a hand.

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Are you a Migraine/Headache sufferer?

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MeditatingA New Study Shows Acupuncture to be More Effective than Western Medication.

Migraines are a major health and disability problem and are one of the main reasons headache patients will visit a doctor for treatment. A recent survey of migraine patients found Western pharmacological treatment options to be unsatisfactory in their results. Latest studies have shown that Acupuncture has been found to be more effective for treating and preventing migraines than most Western medications.

Frequency of migraines can range from daily headaches to once/month. The symptoms, occurrence and cause of migraines vary widely between each case and it is quite common for patients to be prescribed incorrect medication. This is a serious concern that is linked to development of chronic daily headaches. Interestingly, patients who have received preventative Western medication often report using more over the counter painkillers than those not receiving any preventative medication.

Acupuncture is a safe, effective and pain free alternative to medication. A recent Cochrane systematic review found Acupuncture to be as effective, or possibly more effective than preventative migraine medication. These results were demonstrated through a number of small and large scale randomised trials. Researchers were met with positive results, agreeing that Acupuncture was more superior than the only evidence-based, oral drug for treating chronic migraines. This is great news for migraine sufferers and also practitioners of Acupuncture. Traditional Chinese Medicine is deeply rooted in ancient philosophy whilst always results driven. Although reports of Acupunctures’ efficacy dates back 2000 years, it’s comforting to note that modern, evidence based research is confirming these clinical observations.

 

The Importance of Stretching

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Health In The Bay StretchingStretching is a very effective and important activity that has a number of known key benefits for all. These benefits include improved flexibility, a decrease in the likelihood of injury and muscle soreness, and an enhancement in physical performance.

Through stretching, the affected muscles will be lengthened, which helps to improve the body’s normal level of flexibility as well as to reduce general muscle tension. This increase in muscle length will also enable the muscles to contract over a greater distance and hence create a greater level of power. The body is then able to move more freely with increased comfort.

After physical exercise, the muscles can often feel tight, sore or stiff. Such soreness occurs due to minute tears that form within the muscle fibres, as well as an accumulation of blood and waste products, such as lactic acid. Stretching after exercise, therefore, helps to diminish any muscle soreness through improved blood circulation and the removal of waste products.

Exercise also creates fatigue, and results in a decrease in both mental and physical performance. Stretching muscles can help to prevent fatigue by reducing the pressure on the working muscles. For every muscle, there is an opposing muscle, and if these are made more flexible through stretching then the working muscles have to exert less force against them. The movements of the working muscles will, therefore, require less effort, which will result in the enhancement of an individual’s physical performance.

Additional benefits of regular stretching include improvements in posture, body awareness, energy levels, coordination, and stress relief.

Stretching should be carried out before and after any physical activity, and as part of an individual’s daily routine. A typical stretching routine should last for around 5-10 minutes, with each muscle group being stretched 2 or 3 times. Each stretch should be performed gently and slowly, and held for around 20 seconds only to the point where tension is felt in the muscle. Only stretch muscles that are 100% healthy and avoid areas that are recovering from injury. Stretches should never be performed when the muscles are cold. Prior to any stretching, light, physical activity that results in a light sweat should be performed for about 10 minutes.