A QUIET SPACE FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
You are held,
exactly as you are
Wherever you are in your journey, hoping, hurting, healing, or simply seeking balance, this is a space to rest, to be heard, and to find your way back to yourself.
FIND WHAT FEELS CLOSE TO YOU
Choose the path that is yours
Not everything here will be for you, and that is exactly as it should be. Move towards whichever speaks to where you are today.
Your fertility journey
You are not alone in this
We keep hearing that fertility rates in Western countries are falling to a record low, apparently now affecting 1 in 7 couples. I would expect this figure to be a lot higher than this though, as many couples keep their struggles to themselves, hoping for matters to resolve themselves, eventually. After all we are being told to be very careful with contraception from an early age and spend many years of our lives trying not to get pregnant, so why would it not work when we actually want it to? Why would it be so hard? Why would it take so long to actually fall pregnant? I am afraid I do not have answers to these questions, as the matter of conception can be a complex one. There could be biological barriers to it (semen quality, hormonal imbalances, low ovarian reserve etc) but more often than not the stressful lifestyle we have, plays a fundamental role in preventing a pregnancy. And then we stress even more, by proactively trying to increase our chances by tracking ovulation, eating healthily, taking supplements, giving up alcohol and doing everything we possibly can to see that blue line appear on the test. And yet it doesn't.
Acupuncture will support you in your journey by nurturing your body, by quietening your mind, by supporting you gently through your struggles.
Numerous studies demonstrate the efficacy of acupuncture in assisting fertility but rather than giving you facts and figures, I'd like to focus instead on the ability of acupuncture to address individual imbalances. When you come and see me I will treat you (and your partner, if you chose to embark on this journey together) for your individual needs, rather than following a fixed protocol. We are, after all, all different, and Chinese medicine expertise is very well suited to finding out what needs rectifying and addressing it at the root cause, rather than concentrating on the symptoms.
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If you are thinking of starting a course of treatment please feel free to get in touch for an informal chat. Struggling with fertility is a draining experience and you might have many questions you'd like to ask before deciding whether acupuncture is for you.
We are, after all, all different.
So how can acupuncture help, when nothing else seem to have done so far? Acupuncture will support you in your journey by nurturing your body, by quietening your mind, by supporting you gently through your struggles. From a practical point of view it can assist in regulating your hormones, improving your egg quality and the thickness of your endometrium. It can help your partner by improving semen motility and mobility. And it can lower stress levels in both of you, by regulating your nervous system.
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Acupuncture treatments are suitable for couple trying to conceive naturally, as we well as couples undergoing IVF/IUI (many fertility clinics recommend acupuncture alongside their treatments nowadays). Although I mainly see women, great results can be achieved when couples come for treatment together (as the saying goes, it takes two to tango!). Single sex couples are also very welcome.
THE SACRED PAUSE
Recurrent miscarriages
Sadly, some pregnancies are just not destined to stay, for whatever reason. But recurrent miscarriages are a sign of underlying issues. Whether this has happened as a result of natural conception or whilst undergoing fertility treatment please get in touch, acupuncture might be able to help.
However this loss found you, you do not have to make sense of it alone. There is space here to grieve, and to heal, at your own pace.
THE SECOND BLOOM
Secondary infertility
Secondary infertility is probably more widespread than we assume. This term covers women who have had a successful pregnancy but, for some reason, they are struggling with falling pregnant again, with no apparent medical explanation. As we know Chinese medicine addresses people's health as they are in that moment in time, which makes it particularly apt in these sort of situations. Our bodies change during pregnancy: the way we deliver our babies may have an impact on our physical or emotional health, and our postpartum recovery will have a strong impact on our body too. Acupuncture can address those imbalances, allowing your body and mind to be in the best condition for potential conception.
Your body has done so much already. Treatment meets it where it is now, not where it was before.
ALONGSIDE YOUR TREATMENT
IVF / IUI
Many fertility clinics now recommend acupuncture alongside their treatments, as they recognise the role acupuncture plays in supporting a successful fertility round. As with all fertility treatments, we usually recommend to start three monthly cycles before embarking on IVF/IUI as this is the optimal time to regulate any potential hormonal imbalance, but you can start acupuncture any time you like whilst on this journey. Acupuncture can assist in regulating your hormones, improving your egg quality and ensuring optimal blood flow to your pelvic are, in preparation for transfer. And, perhaps more importantly, it also helps with lowering your stress and anxiety levels and improving the quality of your sleep.
IVF is one of the most emotionally demanding journeys there is. You deserve support, not just monitoring.
Pregnancy & Post-Partum Care
Nurturing you, and your baby
Traditional Chinese Medicine has a longstanding tradition in caring for pregnant women. This is not only the time for nurturing and protecting the fetus, but also the chance to support the mother to be while her body changes to accommodate her growing baby.
Traditional texts advise women to “keep a pure heart, speak kind words and be surrounded by beauty” during pregnancy, which sound very close to our modern idea of mindfulness and relaxation. Ideally, every pregnancy should be a nurturing nine month long journey towards motherhood, where both mum and baby’s physical and emotional needs should be fulfilled. Acupuncture is wonderful in supporting these needs, as well as dealing with problems that may arise during pregnancy.
Pelvic Girdle Pain, Sciatica and lower back pain
Often, women experience uncomfortable stiffness and ache in the lowr back and pubic bone regions, as their pelvis expand to accommodate a growing baby. Although not dangerous for baby’s health, this pain can often become debilitating, to the point where it interferes with daily activity. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment (sometimes provided by the NHS too) in alleviating these conditions.
Morning sickness
Usually experienced in the first trimester, and often the first symptom of pregnancy, morning sickness affects many women. TCM approaches this issue by strengthening a woman’s “Stomach qi”, making her more resilient to the nasea caused by her hormonal changes. Safe and effective, acupuncture (often combined with moxibustion) helps reducing these symptom from the very beginning of pregnancy. If you are struggling with loss of appetite and nausea and ginger tea doesn’t seem to bring any relief, get in touch for a chat!
Stress and anxiety
Although being pregnant should be a joyful time in a woman’s life, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. It is not unusual to experience some level of stress and anxiety towards your changing body or the unknown path ahead of you, but if these feeling starts to affect your life, acupuncture can help by gently supporting and nurturing you in this special time of your life.
Breech presentation
Perhaps the most common pregnancy related treatment of them all, Traditional Chinese Medicine is extremely effective in turning breech babies with the use of moxibustion. The treatment is safe, non invasive and very relaxing, with a really high success rate. During the treatment you will lie comfortably on your side, while a moxibustion cigar is lit and its heat applied to a point on your little toe. This point has a direct connection to the womb and gently encourages baby to turn, and stay, head down. Moxibustion to turn a breech baby can be applied from W35 onwards.
Gentle birth induction
Although we firmly believe that babies will come when they are ready, there are ways of gently nudging them by softening the cervix. The most effective way of ensuring that baby comes close to their due date is by following a 4 weeks protocol beforehand, so that your body gets ready steadily. If you have gone past your due date, though, and you are at the stage where you feel the time is right, acupuncture can help in moving things along.
Post-Partum Care
Mothering the mother
In many Asian countries, the tratidion of “sitting the 40 days” is still very much alive. This entails a period of time when the new mum is entirely looked after, while she looks after her baby. It is a chance to not only bond with baby, but to recover and recuperate from pregnancy and child-birth. Unfortunately we have forgotten about this ritual in Western countries nowadays, and women are supposed to be back on their feet, look after their babies, and often their house, within days of giving birth. This rush to go back to life as normal creates endless problems to new mums, both physical and emotional. Traditional Chinese Medine understands the importance of the “forth trimester”, as it’s often described, and places a strong enphasis on “mothering the mother”.
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So, if you are struggling with aches and pains after giving birth, if your breastfeeding journey is not going as smoothly as you would like, if you feel utterly exhausted and are having the blues, please get in touch, we are here to listen.
YOUR MOON TIME
Embrace a happy, pain free cycle
What if I told you that periods should not be painful? Would that shock you? It is so ingrained in all of us women that periods always come with some degree of pain that when I ask the question during my initial consultation I often get the "oh, just the usual cramps, nothing I can't cope with" type of answer. It is true that painful periods are common. But "normal"? No, they aren't. Here is a quote from the Neijing, one of the most ancient "manuals" of Traditinal Chinese medicine, dating back to around 475BC:
When there is free flow, there is no pain; when there is pain, there is no free flow. Neijing, c.475BC
This simple concept tells us that pain, often caused by what we call "stagnation" can be dispersed by restoring the flow of qi. So why are painful periods so common? The answer lies most probably in our modern, fast-paced lifestyle, as well as, perhaps, a subconscious refusal of these monthly periods that are, after all, inconvenient and disrupting to our routine. These thoughts and feelings "stagnate" the body, as much as and accumulation of "bodily fluids" does, often seen in medical conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis. This is where acupuncture comes into play: by restoring the normal flow of our qi and Blood, our bodies can find its innate, pain free harmony.
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From a practical point of view, some cases are easier and quicker to treat, while others require a little more time commitment, particularly where medical diagnosis are added to the mix. We often suggest a timeline of about three cycles for noticeable, long lasting improvements, although your cycle will start to self-regulate from the first few treatments. It is never too early to start acupuncture to regulate painful or irregular periods. It is actually advisable to start as soon as the problem arises in teenage years, so that girls can experience a carefree period and get on with the wonderful task of growing up and exploring life! By the same token, if you have been suffering with irregular, painful and heavy periods for many years do not despair, help can be at hand here too. Even if you have been diagnosed with medical issues, acupuncture can still assist in bringing some sort of harmony to your cycles and improving your quality of life. If you are curious, intrigued or simply ready for change, please get in touch to discuss your induvial circumstances so that we can decide together
A SECOND SPRING
Menopause as a new beginning
Chinese medicine has an interesting take on menopause. Rather than being viewed as a moment of decline in women's health, or a point of crisis where intervention is needed as a blanket rule, Chinese medicine sees it as the next stage in the natural progression of our lives.
As Chinese medicine practitioners we are trained to listen to our bodies and minds, we can hear the loud scream or the subtle whisper our body sends out for help and we can use it to guide us in restoring your health. This is what acupuncture does best, it addresses issues at the root, rather than fixing or masking symptoms. It allows your body to effectively "self-repair" and guide you through this transition in the smoothest way possible.
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Does this sound too good to be true? I am not offering you a magic or quick fix here, I am offering you a targeted treatment that will help you and your individual needs, a treatment that will support you gently but strongly in this phase of your life and into the next.
These are not symptoms to be suppressed but rather to be acknowledged and listened to, as your body is trying to speak to you.
So it is not something to dread nor something to look forward to, it is simply a phase in our lives. In fact, if we nurture ourselves in this transitional moment, we can look forward to what is called a "second spring" which will ensure that our bodies and minds stay healthy and strong long into our golden years.
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And if you are reading this and thinking that the idyllic picture I am painting couldn't be more further away from your own reality, I hear you. Transitions are never easy, and as the whole body engages in changes, it will meet resistance where there are underlying issues. So if you have lived a fast paced life, your yin will be depleted and insomnia and hot flushes will appear. Your mind may seem foggy, your brain might fail to remember a word that is on the tip of your tongue and your body may start aching in places that have never even had your attention before.
MORE AREAS OF SUPPORT
Every body tells its own story
These are some of the other areas acupuncture may be able to offer support. If you do not see your concern named here, please do get in touch, you are welcome exactly as you are.
Adenomyosis & Endometriosis
Where tissue and flow have found their way to places they don't belong, pain often follows. Chinese medicine sees this as a deep form of stagnation, and acupuncture works gently to restore movement, easing discomfort and supporting your quality of life alongside whatever medical care you are receiving.
PCOS & Hormonal Imbalances
Polycystic ovary syndrome, an evolving term, sometimes now spoken of as a metabolic and reproductive imbalance, is something Chinese medicine meets at the root. Rather than focusing on the label, treatment looks at the patterns beneath it: your cycles, your energy, your digestion, your skin, your sleep, and works to bring them back into conversation.
Amenorrhea
When your cycle falls quiet, it is often your body asking to be heard. Whether your periods have stopped through stress, weight loss, or without an obvious cause, acupuncture seeks to understand why, and to gently invite your body back into its natural rhythm.
Penwortham, Preston