How Acupuncture Can Help with Pregnancy-Related Issues
Pregnancy is one of the most amazing, joyful experiences of your life, but it's not without its challenges. Morning sickness, aches, and pains can make it difficult to enjoy every moment of this special time. Acupuncture offers a safe, drug-free way to manage many common pregnancy complaints.
7 Ways Acupuncture Can Make Pregnancy Easier
Acupuncture, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, involves inserting thin needles into the skin to correct imbalances that cause uncomfortable symptoms. Treatments improve the flow of Qi, an unseen energy force needed for good physical and mental health. Acupuncture offers a safe, effective way to treat many pregnancy-related complaints. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2023, acupuncture was more effective than Western medicine treatments in treating pregnancy-related discomfort.
Acupuncture can help you manage:
- Morning Sickness: It may be called "morning" sickness, but nausea and vomiting can occur throughout the day and last well beyond the first trimester for some women. Acupuncture decreases morning sickness by regulating the digestive system and calming the stomach. Acupuncture may be as effective as Western medicine in treating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine in 2024. The review also noted that the combination of acupuncture and Western medicine may be more effective than treating morning sickness with Western medicine only.
- Pain. Aches and pains are inevitable as your body expands to make room for your growing baby. Hip, back, and pelvic pain are common, particularly during the last trimester. Acupuncture reduces pain by easing muscle tension, increasing blood flow, decreasing inflammation, and flooding your body with pain-killing hormones. Women who used acupuncture to control pregnancy-related low back pain saw significant decreases in pain following treatment, according to a 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Heliyon.
- Fatigue. Feeling like you just don't have enough energy anymore? Acupuncture treatments could improve your energy level naturally. Treatments boost energy by reducing discomfort and improving sleep and circulation.
- Headaches and Migraines. Finding a safe pain reliever that really eases the pain of headaches and migraines can be difficult during pregnancy. Acupuncture treatments relieve headaches by regulating blood flow in the head. Treatments also reduce tension in the head and neck muscles that can trigger headaches. Regular acupuncture therapy could decrease the frequency and intensity of your headaches or migraines.
- Heartburn. Heartburn during pregnancy occurs due to increased pressure on your stomach and hormonal changes. During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone keeps your uterine lining healthy. Unfortunately, higher progesterone levels may also weaken the esophageal sphincter between the stomach and esophagus. When the sphincter is weak, stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, triggering heartburn. The backward flow of stomach acid is called acid reflux. Acupuncture relieves heartburn by reducing acid reflux and improving the flow of food through your digestive system.
- Sleep Issues. Insomnia is a common complaint during pregnancy. Back pain, headaches, and stress can affect the duration and quality of sleep. Acupuncture treatments improve sleep by relieving aches and pains that make it difficult to find a comfortable position at night. In addition to easing pain, hormones released during acupuncture treatments help you feel calm and relaxed.
- Swelling. Swelling in feet, ankles, and hands happens due to fluid retention and increased blood volume. Acupuncture treatments relieve swelling by improving circulation and helping the body's lymph system remove waste products more efficiently.
Improve your pregnancy-related issues with acupuncture! Contact our office to make your appointment with the acupuncturist.
Sources:
PubMed: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture in Treatment of Pregnancy-Related Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 12/2/2023
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10774725/
Science Direct: Complementary Therapies in Medicine: Acupuncture for Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 10/2024
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229924000670
Science Direct: Heliyon: Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture for Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 7/25/2023
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10427988/
Office on Women’s Health: Stages of Pregnancy
https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/stages-pregnancy