Acupuncture FAQS

Steroid medications are commonly prescribed for Bell’s Palsy, with other medications used depending on the cause. Mild cases may heal gradually while managing eye-related symptoms with protective glasses, eye drops, or taping the eye shut at night. Severe cases may require surgical reconstruction such as nerve grafts or muscle grafts.

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are pains in the lower abdomen before or during a period, sometimes radiating to the low back or legs. Primary dysmenorrhea has no underlying cause in Western medicine, while secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by a problem in the reproductive organs such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease.

Acupuncture aims to correct the body’s energy flow, regulate ovulation and menstrual cycles, and improve oxygen-rich blood flow to the uterus. Studies have found improved pregnancy rates when combining acupuncture with IUI or IVF, and improved sperm quality in men.

Conventional treatments include monitoring the woman’s cycle, testing sperm numbers and quality, induction of ovulation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), and surgery. These can be costly and have relatively low success rates, around 15% for IUI.

In women, causes can include age, and physical problems in the fallopian tubes or uterus such as blockages, fibroids, cysts, or polyps. In men, causes can include low sperm count or poor sperm quality. Both partners can experience infertility due to an STI, hormonal imbalances, chronic illness, or lifestyle habits like tobacco and alcohol use.

Roughly 1 in 6 (16%) couples in Canada currently experience infertility, a number that has doubled since the 1980s. While most people associate infertility with women, 30-50% of cases can be due to male sterility.

A typical course of treatment is two treatments a week for four weeks, though individuals are assessed on a case-by-case basis and better recommendations can be given once the patient has been seen.

Acupuncture increases circulation of blood to the tendon, which has lower blood flow than larger muscle groups. This allows the anti-inflammatory actions of blood to decrease swelling and helps platelets heal the local area, while also working on the extensor muscles to relax them and reduce stress on the tendon.

The injury typically occurs with overuse of the arms, forearms, and hand, causing a tear in the lateral epicondyle, the bony part on the outside of the arm. This tearing of the tendon causes a significant pain response, usually felt with shaking or squeezing motions of the arm.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a common injury where pain is felt on the outer elbow. It’s named for its association with tennis players due to the backhand swing, but it isn’t necessarily caused by playing tennis.