Fertility

Up to 9% of men and 11% of women of reproductive age experience fertility issues. If you’re struggling to get pregnant, healthy lifestyle changes and holistic medicine may be able to assist. At Five Elements Acupuncture & Wellness, acupuncturist and Chinese medicine specialist Min Lu, MD, provides an integrative and minimally invasive approach to fertility treatment. Using a combination of patient education, improved nutrition, and natural fertility, she can help you start a family. To make an appointment, call the office in Gaithersburg, Maryland, or book online today.

What is fertility treatment?

Fertility treatment is a subspecialty of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that helps couples conceive. 

If you and your partner regularly have unprotected sex for more than a year but don’t get pregnant, it may indicate an underlying health problem. Identifying the cause makes it possible to treat it and increase your chances of starting a family.

What are the risk factors for fertility problems?

Various factors may increase your risk of fertility problems, including:

• Being age 35 or older for women, or 40 or older for men
• Diabetes
• Excessive alcohol use
• Smoking
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
• Stress
• Substance abuse
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Blocked fallopian tubes
• Kidney disease
• Thyroid disease
• Low sperm count

You’re also more likely to experience fertility problems if you struggle to maintain a healthy weight. 

When should I see a Chinese medicine doctor about fertility problems?

Make an appointment with Dr. Lu at Five Elements Acupuncture & Wellness if you’re over 35 and have been trying to conceive for more than six months without success. That’s especially true if you or your partner experience related issues, like erectile dysfunction, abnormal vaginal discharge, or chronic pelvic pain.

How are fertility issues diagnosed?

To diagnose fertility issues, Dr. Lu reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms. Then, she performs a physical exam. 

Women’s fertility exam

If you have female reproductive organs, Dr. Lu performs a pelvic exam and orders blood work to check your hormone levels. She might also perform a hysteroscopy –– a minimally invasive procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera on the end to examine your vagina and uterus.

Men’s fertility exam

If you have male reproductive organs, Dr. Lu performs a scrotal exam and asks about your symptoms, including if you experience erectile dysfunction or low libido. She also orders lab tests, including blood work and a semen analysis.

How are fertility problems treated?

At Five Elements Acupuncture & Wellness, Dr. Lu uses holistic, Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat fertility problems. Depending on your age and needs, she might recommend:

• Cupping therapy
• Massage therapy
• Moxibustion
• Stress management techniques, like yoga or meditation
• Improved nutrition
• Smoking cessation
• Regular exercise
• Cutting back on alcohol
• Addressing menstrual irregularities

At first, it might take trial and error to see what type or types of treatment work best. Be patient, attend your follow-up visits, and carefully follow Dr. Lu’s instructions.

To learn more about fertility treatment, make an appointment at Five Elements Acupuncture & Wellness by calling the office or booking online today.