Infertility

"Infertility" Issue / Symptom Connections

Below you will find various relationships to, and potential clinical treatment approaches for infertility.

Content Related to Infertility

It is critical to appreciate that in Chinese Medicine, treatment for "infertility" is rarely focused on the symptoms exclusively. Alternatively, a practitioner is looking at the factors that led to the development of "infertility" - i.e. the "cause(s)".

For non-practitioners, we recommend reading treating the "cause" and not the "symptoms" for more on the overall approach and the importance of the TCM diagnostic system in formulating treatment approaches.

Within TCM, "infertility" is potentially related to one or more of the following diagnostic patterns: blood stagnation, kidney jing deficiency, kidney yang deficiency, kidney yin deficiency, liver qi stagnation, spleen qi deficiency, and/or stomach qi deficiency.

The above patterns are common examples. In clinical situations, however, there are any number of other possibilities. Many times there will be a layered combination of patterns in an interwoven blend with their symptoms - some being the cause of an issue and the result of another issue. While initially complex, this is illustrative of the the web of relationships that Chinese Medicine is designed to approach.

Related Acupuncture Protocols

When developing an acupuncture protocol a practitioner is very often focusing on the causal diagnoses in Chinese Medicine terms, not on the condition itself. To illustrate and guide developing an acupuncture treatment for someone experiencing infertility, this issue is referenced in the following acupuncture protocol section:

• View EX Huatuojiaji at L1 (Sides of Spine at L1)
  
      .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of L1
  
      L1 innervates and influences the adrenal gland, the testis or the vagina areas.  It is used for a range of hormonal issues including menstrual issues, PMS, fertility issues, sexual issues, etc. Used  extensively within the Tam Healing Sys…
• View EX Huatuojiaji at L2 (Sides of Spine at L2)
  
      .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of L2
  
      L2 innervates and influences the kidneys and kidney system in Chinese Medicine terms, the seminal vesicles in men and the uterine tube in women.  The kidney system involves the thyroid, the sex hormones, the bone and bone marrow, according…
• View EX Huatuojiaji at L3 (Sides of Spine at L3)
  
      .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of L3
  
      L3 innverates the prostate in men and the ovaries in women.  In women, then, this point may help with a range of ovarian issues - cancer, fertility and/or menstrual issues, cysts, etc.  In men this point can be very helpful for prostate pr…
• View EX Huatuojiaji at S1 (Sides of Spine at S1)
  
      In the area around the 1st sacral foramen, UB 31
  
      S1 influences the ureter and is used along with S2 and S3 for a range of menstrual issues, fertility issues, PMS, etc.  May be useful for low back pain. Used  extensively within the Tam Healing System and Tong Ren Therapy. May be needled …
• View EX Huatuojiaji at S2 (Sides of Spine at S2)
  
      In the area around the 2nd sacral foramen, UB 32
  
      S2 influences the bladder and is used for a range of bladder issues, such as blood in the urine, or burning, as well as women's issues and reproductive issues. Used  extensively within the Tam Healing System and Tong Ren Therapy. May be n…
• View KD 12 (Great Manifestation)
  
      4 cun below CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 3.
  
      KD 11, KD 12, KD 13, KD 14 & KD 15 all intersect the Chong Mai and are useful as local points for abdominal a/or gynecological issues
• View KD 18 (Stone Pass)
  
      3 cun above CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 11.
  
      Local Point for abdominal and intestinal issues.   Pain, hiccups, vomiting, harmonizes stomach. Fertility issues involving stagnation in the lower warmer. Abdominal pain following childbirth.
• View KD 19 (Yin Metropolis)
  
      4 cun above CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 12.
  
      Local point for abdominal and intestinal pain. Vomiting, reflux, nausea, bloating - harmonizes stomach. Fertility issues, primarily by moving blood stagnation in the lower warmer.
• View ST 28 (Waterway)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 4.
  
      Excess Cold/Damp Issues of the Lower Warmer - retention of urine, inflammations. Gynecological issues of an excess nature - dysmenorrhea, fibroids, cysts. Fertility issues in women, cold in the uterus. Expel either the placenta after bi…
• View ST 29 (Return)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 3.
  
      Excess or Cold/Deficient disorders of the Lower Warmer - amenorrhea, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, qi stagnation/masses, leukorrhea. Uterine prolapse, hernia. Infertility, genital pain and/or swelling, impotence, seminal emission…
• View UB 23 (Kidney Shu)
  
      1.5 cun lateral to GV 4, level with L2.
  
      For all Kidney system related issues from a Chinese Medicine perspective which effect the brain, bone, hair, teeth a/or hearing. Male deficiency related sexual problems: impotence, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, sterility, exhausti…
• View UB 33 (Central Bone Hole)
  
      On the sacrum medial and inferior to UB 32, level with the 3rd PSF.
  
      UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Liao" points and are all useful for local low back a/or sacrum problems and most genital and urinary related disorders. Of these UB 32 is most often used clinically. In women may be…