When it comes to having a baby, it takes two.
Most fertility treatments, however, are focused only on improving a woman’s ability to conceive. The reality is that about half of infertility cases are related to either male infertility or issues with both partners.
The good news is that acupuncture can significantly improve male fertility – often within a matter of just a few months. Read on to learn more about Chinese medicine’s perspective on male fertility and how acupuncture can help you welcome the baby of your dreams.
What is Male Infertility?
For a man to be able to successfully reproduce, he needs to be able to produce sperm that can successfully swim to and fertilize an egg. Unfortunately, many issues can stand in the way of that seemingly simple process.
- Low sperm count reduces the chances of an egg and sperm meeting each month.
- Low motility or an inability to swim can prevent sperm from finding the egg.
- Issues with the shape and structure of the sperm (morphology) can prevent healthy fertilization from occurring.
- An inability to get an erection or ejaculate can prevent sperm from reaching the egg.
- Structural issues, scar tissue, swelling, or inflammation can block the flow of semen.
What causes these issues? There are many different underlying factors, but some of the most common reasons men struggle with infertility are stress, inflammation, hormone imbalances, and diet and lifestyle choices.
Unfortunately, Western medicine has few options for men to improve their fertility aside from lifestyle changes and assisted reproductive technology like Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
A New Perspective: Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture for Male Fertility
Thankfully, Oriental medicine offers men safe and effective ways to enhance their fertility naturally. Like all health conditions in Oriental medicine, male infertility is treated based on your unique pattern of imbalance that lies at the root of your fertility challenges.
In Oriental medicine, the most common cause of male infertility is weak Kidney energy, which leads to weakened sperm.
Kidney Qi, Yin, and Essence are all necessary for healthy and plentiful sperm. Unfortunately, many men have weakened Kidney energy as a result of overwork, fatigue, stress, diet and lifestyle choices, or chronic health conditions.
According to Dr. Ko, “In Oriental medicine, disease (including sexually transmitted disease) makes the stamina weak. Or, when too much sperm is used, this can also make weak sperm which causes infertility.”
Without enough Kidney energy, the body either doesn’t produce enough sperm, the sperm lacks the energy to find and fertilize an egg, or the sperm is mutated.
In addition to weak sperm, low Kidney energy can cause issues like low libido, erectile dysfunction, and hormone imbalances that impact fertility.
How Acupuncture Benefits Male Fertility
Chinese medicine offers many natural ways to improve underlying imbalances and enhance male fertility. And acupuncture is one of TCM’s most powerful methods – and according to Dr. Ko, this treatment can be enough to help you achieve your goal of growing your family. Researchers agree, stating that “Acupuncture is distinctively efficacious in improving sperm quality.” Here’s how it works:
- Acupuncture strengthens the sperm.
The key to improving male fertility is to strengthen the sperm. Acupuncture accomplishes this by boosting the Kidney energy. During your treatment, specialized acupuncture points are chosen to stimulate Kidney qi and strengthen the body’s ability to make healthy, virile sperm. For best results, Dr. Ko prescribes herbal formulas along with acupuncture treatment as this “will treat rapidly and more effectively.” Dr. Ko often chooses classic vitality formulas like Shi Quan Da Bu Tang or Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, but notes that “there are various herbal medicines so we prescribe them depending on the symptoms and the patient’s situation.” - Acupuncture reduces inflammation and improves circulation.
Acupuncture is well-known for reducing systemic inflammation in the body, while also improving the body’s natural blood flow. These benefits can help support any man trying to conceive with his partner, but are most likely to help those who struggle due to inflammatory disease, chronic stress, and erectile dysfunction. - Acupuncture balances hormones.
Just like women, men need to sustain a healthy hormone balance to be fertile. Acupuncture helps men balance their hormones by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Studies show that regular acupuncture treatments can help men increase their testosterone levels and balance their other sex hormone levels so they can create healthy sperm and restore their fertility.
Grow Your Family with Acupuncture for Male Fertility
Fertility challenges affect almost 10% of men in the United States. But with the help of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, you don’t have to let infertility hold you back from creating the family you’ve been waiting for.
At 120 Acupuncture Clinic in Studio City, we help couples like you achieve successful pregnancies and welcome healthy babies into their lives. It all starts with a tailored acupuncture plan to improve sperm quality and enhance your natural fertile potential.
It’s easy to get started today. Simply book your appointment here, or call us at 1-818-980-7979.