How acupuncture can improve the opportunity for successful IVF 针灸和中药如何提高人工受孕机会

More and more people today realize that acupuncture can increase the chances of successful IVF. But how? That is the thing that a lot of people want to know. Basically, we all know acupuncture will improve the blood circulation, calm the mind, reduce depression, and anxiety.
Just like any other Traditional Chinese medical treatment, you need to have a Traditional Chinese medical diagnosis before you start acupuncture treatment for IVF. The aspects a TCM practitioner look for are many, such as: energy(qi) deficiency, blood deficiency, yin or yang deficiency or excess, liver qi stagnation, blood stasis, etc. Based on diagnosis, acupuncture treatment plan will be made to either improve energy,  tonify and nourish blood, supplement yin or yang, soothe liver and regulate qi, or circulate the blood and resolve the stasis.

This treatment entails needling plus fuming certain acu-points with moxa smoke (for cold or cool syndrome cases) to transport the channel Qi(energy), restore and regulate the functions of the organs, qi and blood of the body. In clinical practice, selection of points along the course of channels is the basic principle, in addition to selection of local points, on the basis of different syndromes.
Local points such as Zigong, Qihai, Guanyuan, Tianshu, these points are located near the uterus and ovaries. When needing these points, will promote the function of the ovaries and uterus, improve the quality of eggs, help to release more eggs,offer a suitable inside environment for fertilization and the embryo to grow. This is one of the therapeutic properties that acu-points have, that is, local and adjacent therapeutic properties. Base on the diagnosis, some points will be chosen for the remote therapeutic properties such as Zusanli, Juque, for those have deficiency in stomach meridians, Sanyinjiao to increase the spleen liver and kidney function, or Nieguan to calm your mind, etc.

Case： Female，38+ year old, already experienced the IVF process twice but was unsuccessful both times. She heard acupuncture treatment can increase the chance of successful of IVF, that is why she came to my clinic.  According to her assessment, she has deficiency of spleen and blood deficiency. The treatment strategy is to calm her mind, strengthen the spleen and tonify the blood. She had 3 sessions of acupuncture, and 10 days herbs before the embryo transfer. On the day of embryo transfer, she had acupuncture treatment in the afternoon (embryo transfer procedure was in the mooning). She also had acupuncture treatments two days layer, and one week later. Then her report showed she was successfully pregnant.
Acu-points chosen: Zigong , Tianshu, Qihai, Guanyuan, Zusanli, Jujue etc.

Xiao fen Huang R.TCMP
500 Sheppard Ave. E, unit 205, Toronto M2N 6H7
647-296-3226 

Acupuncture for Vertigo (Ménière's disease）针灸治疗美尼氏综合症

Ménière's disease, also called endolymphatic hydrops, can be difficult to cope with for people who have it. The main symptom is severe rotational vertigo, severe vomiting can lead to stomach cramp, and heavy sweating all over the body. Acupuncture treatment can stop the vertigo feeling quickly, normally in 0.5-1hour, along with the other accompanying symptoms.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we separate vertigo into five types:
1.hyperactivity of liver-yang
2.Deficiency of qi and blood
3.Phlegm-turbidity obstructing the middle jiao
4.kidney-essence deficiency
5.Stagnant blood blocking the brain collaterals
Acupuncture treatment and herbs based on syndrome differentiation.
.
Case Introduction:
Now I will talk about a patient who has vertigo. Male，61  years old, one morning he suddenly had severe rotational vertigo with a sensation of his head being wrapped by a towel. This feeling persists even when he laid down. He could not open his eyes because of  severe spinning. Heavy vomiting occurred more than 20 times a day and caused him to develop a stomach cramp. In addition to these symptoms, he complained of tightness in his chest and looked extremely fatigued. His tongue was swollen and had white coating. His pulse was wiry and slippery. Based on these symptoms, his vertigo is type 3 from the list above.

Treatment:
Acupuncture points: Baihui, Fengchi, Fenglong, Juegu, Zusanli, Neiguan. Apply moxibustion on points.

20 minutes later he stated the spinning feeling was gone and he was able to open his eyes. Since his heavy vomiting has hurt his stomach, I told him to eat congee or porridge for a few days in order for his stomach to recover.




       美尼氏综合症，西医又叫耳水不平衡，以剧烈的旋转性眩晕为主要症状，伴随剧烈的呕吐，遍身冷汗，病人有很深的恐惧感。此证属中医眩晕范畴，临床上分几个症型。
1.肝阳上亢型，
2.气血亏虚型，
3.痰浊中阻型，
4.肾经不足型
5.瘀血阻窍型等，
有时还混合2个症型。下面介绍一例痰浊中阻型的治疗。
        男性，61岁，某天清晨突感天旋地转，不能站立，剧烈呕吐，卧床闭目还眩晕不止，历时2天仍不减轻，头晕头痛，头部有重压感，胸闷难受。诊：舌胖大，舌质淡，舌苔白，脉弦滑。针灸用穴： 百会，风池，丰隆，绝骨，足三里，针后得气加灸。20分钟后病人已能睁开眼睛，眩晕停止。因剧烈呕吐损伤胃，所以喝稀粥调理几天后复原。

中医辨证治疗性功能低下，Chinese Medical treatment for ED and lowered sex drive (males)

      中医对男性性功能低下有独到疗效，临床辨证分型主要有阳虚型，血瘀型，心脾两虚型等，现介绍阳虚型性能力低下的治疗。

     男性，47岁，平素怕冷，膝盖为甚，容易感冒，夜尿3-5次， 精神状态差，性事稀疏。经中药温阳补气治疗，主要用附子，肉桂，桂枝，干姜，党参，黄芪，炙甘草等，针灸用关元，气海，肾俞 ，太溪，太冲等穴位，疗效明显，经过1个多月的治疗，现在基本不怕冷，精神状态好转，夜尿1次，性能力达到每周2次。

      对于其他症型的治疗，只要辨证准确，用相应的疗法如活血祛瘀或健脾补心等，均有显著疗效。

Chinese herbs and acupuncture treatment has obvious effect to ED and lowered sex drive. The main types of ED are: Yang deficiency, Blood stagnation and Both heart and spleen deficiency. Now  I am introducing the Yang deficiency type.

Male，47 years old,  he is very sensitive to cold temperatures, especially his knees. At night he urinates 3-5 times, his lower back feels sore all the time. He gets tired more easily and has lower sex drive. By using herbs and acupuncture for 1 month, his condition improved dramatically. He is no longer sensitive to cold, feels more energized, urinates only 0-1 per night, reports sexual activity has increased.

The acupoints used: Guanyuan Qihai Shenshu Taixi Taicong ect.
 Herbs are: Fuzi, dry ginger. cinnamon, Dangshen, Huangqi, Zhigancao, ect.

For the other types, treatment may vary based on diagnosis. For example, for blood stagnation,treatment principle will be” to circulate the blood and resolve stasis".  For both heart  and spleen deficiency, we will use "tonify the heart and spleen,nourish the blood" method.

By Xiao Fen Huang R.TCMP

Cathay Toronto Acupuncture &Herbs Clinic

Unit 205, 500 Sheppard Ave. E.Toronto, ON.M2N 6H7
Tel:647-296-3226

Carpal tunnel syndrome(Acupucture treatment) 腕管综合征

Male, 39 years old, has been diagnosed  with carpal  tunnel for 1 year. He started seeing me on April 07, 2015. At that time, he complained of pain in his index and middle finger on both hands. It was worse during the nighttime than it was during the day. He also has pain in the tendons that joint the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow (lateral epicondyle )when pressure is applied on it.  He plays guitar every Sunday. Sometimes his fingers get so tight that he cannot open his fingers when he plays.
He accepted 2 sessions of acupuncture with moxibustion, an acupuncture technique where a stick of moxa is lit and the tip is gently applied to the needle handle. The heat from the moxa will transfer into the points and travel through the meridians. This will purge the coldness from his joints. The following Sunday, he didn't feel any pain when he was playing guitar, and he is really happy about this amazing result. He continues his treatment so his carpal tunnel can be fixed.

男性，39岁。患腕管综合征1年。2015年4月7日初诊。主诉：二三指麻痛，手腕容易累，时麻时紧，日轻夜重。当用稍重的力按压肱骨外上的韧带时，有痛感。他每周日都弹吉他。有时手指紧到不能张开。2次针灸加艾灸治疗后，他在跟着的星期天弹了几乎一天的吉他，但他一点也没有感到手指痛或麻或不能张开。他对于治疗结果极其满意，现在继续治疗，务求彻底治好。


Xiao Fen Huang R.TCM.P.
 647-296-3226
Cathay Toronto Acupuncture& Herbs Clinic
500 Sheppard Ave.E. Unit 205
Toronto ON. M2N 6H7
http://cathay-toronto-acupuncture.blogspot.ca

Acupuncture treatment for Ankylosing Spondylitis(AS) 强直性脊柱炎.

Male patient, was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis in 2012. He has been through treatment for AS from 2013 to June, 2014. He started to see me in June 28, 2014. His complaints are as follows: morning stiffness 2-3 hours daily, on a scale of 0 to 10, his pain was "6 to 7", he sweats easily, his condition gets worse  when it rains or in humid weather.
I assessed him based on the traditional Chinese medical way, four aspects as I mentioned before in my other articles, I gave him diagnosis as deficiency of spleen, dampness attack and kidney  deficiency. He accepted acupuncture treatment along with herbal treatment. After only four treatments, his morning stiffness symptom dropped dramatically, and his lower back pain was 0 to 1 scale. He continued his treatment for 10 sessions, and his lower back pain completely disappeared, and his morning stiffness is minimal (0 to 1).

 R.TCMP & R.Ac: Xiao Fen Huang
Cathay Toronto Acupuncture&Herbs Clinic
647-296-3226
500 Sheppard  Ave. E Toronto ON. Unit 205


一男性病人，2012年确诊为强直性脊柱炎，看过西医，打过针，吃过药。2014年6月28日来看病。他当时的主诉是每天晨僵2-3小时，腰痛按10度划分法为6-7度，下雨天或潮湿天气会加重病情。病人体型比较瘦小，面色白，但舌体胖大，舌质淡红，白苔，舌面有裂纹，白天尿频，大便每天2次，偏湿，左尺脉细，我给他的诊断 是脾虚湿侵加肾虚。他做了4次针灸为主的治疗后，晨僵已基本没有，只有极轻微的腰痛。之后继续治疗共10次，晨僵处于0-1度，腰痛症状全部消失，人也觉得神清气爽。嘱其每年做检查和维持治疗。

Acupuncture for AMD（ Age Related macular Degeneration ）中医治疗黄斑变性

A female patient ，66 years old，has been diagnosed  with　Age Related Macular Degeneration, dry type(AMD). She came to see me and  asked for traditional Chinese medicine treatment after she got the blur symptom  for about one month. I gave her Acupuncture and herbs treatment after her assessment. She has been given the traditional Chinese diagnosis which  is liver stagnation and blood stasis. Here are some ac-points I have used : Jingming,Yanglao, Xuehai, Taicong, Zusanli, Taixi. Herbs are: honghua, taoren ,chuanxiaong, huangqi, caihu,ect.

After 5 sessions ,she felt less blur. Now she has  had 14 sessions already , and she told me she felt70-80% recovered.

 R.TCMP & R.Ac: Xiao Fen Huang
647-296-3226
500 Sheppard  Ave. E Toronto ON. Unit 205


       一位女性病人，左眼视力急降，觉得眼前有厚黑影。西医专科诊断为老年性黄斑变性，症型为干性。她于发病后1个月来诊所就诊。一番望闻问切后，我认为她是中医眼科的暴盲证，肝郁血瘀型。我给她针灸治疗为主，有时配合活血化瘀的中药。针灸主要穴位是：睛明，攒竹，养老，太溪，太冲，中都，血海，足三里等。中药用通窍活血汤加减（没有麝香）。经过5次治疗后，觉得左眼视力明显有恢复，现在治疗了14次，她觉得已恢复了的70-80%的视力。

     治疗本病的关键是要及早治疗，针灸为主。因为主穴精明在眼球旁，对疏通眼部经络血气有极其重要的作用，越早针灸，在眼部气血没有严重闭塞时最好。

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for CFS 中医对慢性疲劳综合症的治疗

As I mentioned before, a TCM(Traditional Chinese Medicine ）practitioner will make a diagnosis based on four aspects. A person with CFS(Chronic fatigue syndrome) will have obvious signs of lack of energy. Patients have difficulty even moving around, so they can hardly perform their daily routines. Some symptoms are bad memory, lack of concentration, insomnia, or alternatively, hypersomnia. According to TCM theory,  these symptoms indicate deficiency syndromes, and different kinds of tonic prescriptions will help patients.

Syndromes of deficiency include four types： qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yin deficiency and yang deficiency. Normally, patients will have a combination of different types of deficiency such as qi and blood deficiency, qi and yin deficiency, or yin and yang deficiency. Therefore, the prescription for deficiency syndromes may include: invigorating qi , nourishing blood, invigorating both qi and blood, invigorating yin or yang, or invigorating both yin and yang.The reason cause deficiency may vary, such as stasis. Patient might have stasis first, then cause blood stagnation.Blood stagnation will lead to bad blood circulation.  If this is  the reason,  a TCM  practitioner will add some herbs to  get rid off the stasis along with the tonic formulas.

Below are some herbal formulas
For invigorating qi: Sijunzi Tang, Buzhongyiqi Tang, Shengmai San.
For nourishing blood: Siwu Tang, Dangguibuxue Tang.
For nourishing both qi and blood: Bazhen Tang, Guipi Tang.
For nourishing yin: Liuweidihuang Wan, Zuogui Wan, Yiguan Jian.
For nourishing yang: Shenqi Wan, Yougui Wan.

R.TCMP &R.AC :  Xiao Fen Huang
Cathay Toronto Acupuncture& Herbs Clinic
500 Sheppard Ave.E.Unit 205,Toronto
647-296-3226


       中药对慢性疲劳综合症非常有效。在中医术语中，归为虚损证。虚证可分为气虚，血虚，阴虚，阳虚，气血两虚，气阴两虚，阴阳两虚。对不同的虚证，有相应的方剂。在辨证中，要注意有无其他兼证，或虚损的原因是什么，例如是否先有瘀血，而令到血液循环不畅，从而造成血虚和气虚，那么在补气血的同时，要加入祛瘀的中药才有效，单纯的补气补血都不行。所以中医非常讲究辨证，找出致病的原因，从而祛除病根，疗效自然就显著。

       下面一些补益的方剂供大家参考
补气的方剂：四君子汤，补中益气汤，生脉散等
补血的方剂：四物汤，当归补血汤等
气血双补的方剂：归脾汤，八珍汤
补阴的方剂：六味地黄丸，左归丸，一贯煎
补阳的方剂：肾气丸， 右归丸等

针灸和中药对骨折愈合的显著疗效 Acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment for dramatic improvement in bone fractures

     几年前在家里的客厅滑到了，当时听到2声闷响，接着是剧痛，马上拿冰敷了10 分钟左右，之后用中药油、膏轻轻涂抹，过了一会，做针灸，跟着敷上跌打药膏，固定。当天喝了田七水，田七有止血不留瘀的功能。这样就能减少 因出血对周围组织的刺激，所以能减少疼痛。当时以为只是断了筋，所以没有去照x光，之后几天就做了针灸和涂抹中药。
       第五天，虽然觉得在好转，但脚不能下地，才想到可能骨折了，去约了家庭医生，照X光，是左脚胫骨闭合性骨折，骨头没有移位。在 North York General 急诊打了石膏，此时是受伤后第五天。第六天开始喝活血祛瘀的中药，喝了8付左右，又去North York General复诊，照X光后，不用再打石膏了，换了可脱下的保护靴。也就是说，我打石膏还不用2周。回家后，脱下靴，针灸，涂药，继续喝活血祛瘀中药加几味补肾药，一周4付左右，到了快六周时，又去复诊，那时我的脚已很有力的抵抗实习医生的检查了，把他吓了一跳，他不相信我这是受伤后才不到6周的时间，就恢复得这么好。回家后继续针灸、中药，中药有时吃些健脾胃的，这样8周后，我就能不用保护靴慢慢行走了。12周后就基本正常行走，只是还不能穿高跟鞋。这样还断断续续的有吃补肾的中药（中医理论，肾主骨）。五个月后，可以去hiking了，走了5个多小时，也能穿高跟鞋了。完全复原了。
        这个过程中我没有用过止痛药喔，所以针灸和中药对外伤是十分有效的。原因是针灸和中药能促进瘀血的吸收，促进血液循环，让受伤部位能有正常的血液供应，自然就能促进受伤部位的修复和愈合，所以就恢复得快。

       This is my own experience showing how using treatments correctly can really speed up healing.
In 2010, I slipped in the living room and hurt my left tibia badly. It was so bad that I couldn't walk and it was heavily swollen as well. The x-rays revealed there was a large fracture in my tibia. Normally, a fracture this large would require a person to be in a non-removable cast for at least 6-8 weeks, so I prepared a herbal formula and I drank it 4-5 times a week. The formula included tianqi, honghua, sumu, ruxiang, moyao and others. The purpose of these herbs is to stop internal bleeding and remove stasis/swelling. That is why can reduce the pain. On a check-up about two weeks after the cast was put on, the fracture had heal enough that I could switch to a removable cast. I continued with the herbal treatment  , and I also made a variation of the formula that I can soak my leg in. Having a removable cast meant acupuncture could be used as well. During my healing process I didn't take a single painkiller pill.

     Eight weeks since the day I was injured, I was able to walk slowly without the removable cast. On the twelfth week, my leg was almost back to normal, except that I still wasn't able to wear high heels. 5 moths later, I went hiking with my friends for five hours and my leg was just fine.
  
R.TCMP &R.AC :  Xiao Fen Huang
Cathay Toronto Acupuncture& Herbs Clinic
500 Sheppard Ave.E.Unit 205,Toronto
647-296-3226

中药的煎煮方法和服用方法很重要

      中药的煮法可大致分为补药的煮法, 和解药的煮法和解表药（即感冒伤风或外感发热）的煮法三种。在熬药前，最好把药泡半小时到一小时，之后连泡药的水一起煮。
1.补药煮得久些，一般大火煮沸后改小火煮40分钟，倒出药液后可马上加热水在药煲内煮第二遍。第二遍的煮法是大火煮沸后小火煮30分钟左右。把第一遍和第二遍的药液混合，分2-3次温服。
2.若是煮治感冒发热的药，要看是什么成分。有些方剂只需水泡过药面，然后泡1小时以上，就可以大火煮，煮沸后继续大火煮5分钟即可倒出药液备用。然后马上煮第二遍，加入开水，水量以泡过药面1-2cm 为好，然后大火煮沸后转中火继续煮20分钟即可，倒出药液和第一次的药液混合，分2-3次热服，一天服完。药渣还可以用开水再煮一遍，就是说加入开水，泡过药面1cm,大火煮开后转中火煮20分钟左右，倒出药液，温服。但有些方剂如桂枝汤或麻黄汤等，煮法和服用都有不同要求，要问清楚医生。
3.和解剂如小柴胡汤， 半夏泻心汤等的煮法就特别。是要把药液煮成一半时去掉药材，只是煮药液再成为一半。如800毫升水煮成400毫升是去渣再煮药液成200毫升。

     有些病人煮好药后，第一次热服，之后把剩下的药液放入冰箱，这样的话一定要把药液煮沸再服，否则从冰箱直接取出服用的话，这样的药液就成了寒物，会损害肺和脾胃的。最好的方法是剩余的药液放在 阴凉处，再服用时稍加热即可，不要放在冰箱。

     有些药物要先煎，是为了解毒或煎出有用物质，有些药后下，是因为用的是挥发性的物质，所以中药的煮法和服用方法非常重要，一定要问清楚医生。一般而言，中药要温服，但有特殊情况。如真寒假热的病人，是要服用热性药物的，但煮后要冷服，因为有假热在外。
      服药有时会有食物的禁忌，这些也要清楚，因为食物也有寒热温凉的性质，会和药物相冲的。特别是手术后的服药或外伤、烫伤等，一定要咨询中医师。