Two years ago, I was grieving the loss of my unborn child from an ectopic pregnancy and praying for my menstrual cycle to return while receiving no answers from doctors on why it hadn’t. I was desperate to find “normalcy” in my body so we could try to conceive again. After hours of searching Google for a holistic way to jump-start my cycle, I came across the option of acupuncture. While I had heard of acupuncture before, I was hesitant about the thought of having needles pushed into my body. I wasn’t sure if it would hurt, how it truly worked and if it would truly benefit me physically or emotionally.
So let’s start at the beginning… “Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as chi or qi (chee) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body,” explains the Mayo Clinic’s website. “By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.”
The first time I met my acupuncturist, she had this light about her. I instantly gravitated toward her personality and felt a sense of trust. She was a walking encyclopedia of information on how to heal your body and transform your mind through acupuncture.
While there is not one exact protocol to follow for a patient with infertility (my later diagnosis), it all depends on what the individual body needs. It is paying attention to what the body needs at that time and that is exactly what my acupuncturist did over the past two years. She changed up our appointments and needle placements as my body (and mind) went through highs and lows trying to heal itself.
Besides the physical benefit acupuncture gave me, I really enjoyed the relaxation I gained from each session. With the needles inserted (and no, it’s not hundreds of needles like you are imagining) and the heat lamp on me, I had 30-45 minutes of alone time with my thoughts. 30 – 45 minutes of no phone, no distractions; just letting my mind and body go into an “accu-coma” state — a state of relaxation you’ve never experienced before. 30 – 45 minutes to feel as if I had control over my body’s behaviors. 30 – 45 minutes to gain back my sanity while going through a challenging chapter of my life.
While I will never truly know if it was acupuncture or something else that brought an end to our road of infertility, I do know that discovering acupuncture was exactly what I needed to have a sense of sanity during that challenging time. I will forever be grateful for my time spent with all the tiny needles and look forward to how acupuncture can benefit me in the future.
If you are ever thinking about acupuncture for yourself (as it has loads of benefits for all sorts of things), here are some tips to consider:
- Do your research and find a licensed acupuncturist.
- Ask for referrals from friends and colleagues you trust.
- Make sure the acupuncturist understands your history and has explained how he or she thinks acupuncture can help the symptoms you have now.
- Be aware of the cost as sessions can add up. Check to see if your insurance will help!
