Morning Sickness | Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs

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Morning Sickness

Morning sickness within the first trimester of pregnancy is sometimes accompanied with vomiting. Uncomfortable at best, morning sickness symptoms can actually last all day and night. Acupuncture is an a safe and effective natural treatment for pregnant women.

Manual acupuncture reduces hyperemesis gravidarum
A placebo-controlled, randomized, single-blind, crossover study.
Carlsson CP, Axemo P, Bodin A, Carstensen H, Ehrenroth B, Madegard-Lind I, Navander C. Physical Medicine Unit, Department of Rehabilitation, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.

Hyperemesis gravidarum, severe vomiting, develops in about 1-2% of all pregnancies. Acupuncture on the point PC6 above the wrist on the palmar side has been found to prevent some types of nausea and vomiting. The purpose of the present study was to see if acupuncture, in addition to standard treatment, could hasten the improvement of hyperemesis gravidarum. Thirty-three women with hyperemesis were evaluated in a randomized, single-blind, crossover comparison of two methods of acupuncture, active (deep) PC6 acupuncture or placebo (superficial) acupuncture. The women estimated their degree of nausea on a visual analogue scale (VAS).

The daily number of emesis episodes were documented. Crossover analyses showed that there was a significantly faster reduction of nausea VAS and more women who stopped vomiting after active acupuncture than after placebo acupuncture. This study suggests that active PC6 acupuncture, in combination with standard treatment, could make women with hyperemesis gravidarum better faster than placebo acupuncture.

Success of Acupuncture and Acupressure of the Pc 6 Acupoint in the Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
D. Habek, A. Barbir, J. . Habek, D. Jan uliak, M. Bobi -Vukovi , Research in Complementary and Classical Natural Medicine 2004;11:20-23

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiemetic effect of acupuncture (AP) and acupressure (APr) of the Pc 6 acupoint in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Methods: A prospective, placebo-controlled trial included 36 pregnant women with HG. Two methods of acupuncture were used: bilateral manual AP of the Pc 6 (Neiguan) acupoint (group 1, n = 10) and bilateral APr of the Pc 6 acupoint (group 2, n = 11); furthermore, superficial intracutaneous placebo AP (group 3, n = 8) and placebo APr (group 4, n = 7) was carried out.

Results: Anxiodepressive symptoms occurred in 9 pregnant women with HG from group 1, 8 women from group 2, 7 women from group 3, and 5 women from group 4 (p less than 0.001). The average gestation age at the occurrence of HG symptoms and the beginning of treatment was 7 weeks in group 1 and 8 weeks in groups 2, 3, and 4. Four women from group 1 and 7 women from groups 2, 3, an 4 needed intravenous compensation of liquid and electrolytes. The antiemetic metoclopramide was given intravenously to 1 woman from group 1, 2 women from group 2, 6 women from group 3, and 4 women from group 4. Promethazine was given to 1 woman from group 2, 1 woman from group 3, and to 3 women from group 4. The efficiency of the HG treatment with AP of the point Pc 6 was 90%, with APr of the Pc 6 63.6%, with placebo AP 12.5%, and with placebo APr 0%.

Conclusion: Acupuncture (p less than 0.0001) and acupressure (p less than 0.1) are effective, nonpharmacologic methods for the treatment of HG.

Read What People are Saying About Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs:

"I've struggled with my weight since I was a child. For the last seven years and, for the first time in my life, I have been successful in losing and keeping off over 60 pounds. I hit plateaus every now and again, but the slow and steady progression of weight loss has been the best solution for me. It's been a long process that involved a lot of changes in my eating habits, but I eventually found something that worked for me: acupuncture, Chinese herbs and Chinese nutritional therapy at Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs.

Earlier in this year, I decided to take another big step, and in June 2006 I quit smoking. I was nervous about the risk of weight gain and other withdrawal symptoms, but knew it was time, so I stopped cold turkey. It was not easy and I felt horrible. I was not a heavy smoker (I averaged 2 cigarettes a day) so was very surprised at how significant the physical effects were. I was tired, cranky, constipated and suffering from congestion, sometimes severe, that would worsen after almost every meal. To make matters worse, in August I had what I believed to be an allergic reaction to something I was ate. In addition to the congestion, my feet swelled so much I was unable to get them into my shoes. Making matters worse, I couldn't connect a specific food to the attacks, and the battery of allergy tests performed by my doctor all came back negative.

I was successfully treated for an inner ear problem with acupuncture years earlier so, having exhausted my options with traditional treatments and not wanting to resort to continued steroid use, I decided to try it again. I found the Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs on the internet and hit if off with its founder, Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac. on the phone when we first spoke. My first visit was on August 31, 2006. It included a very comprehensive exam and began treatment to rid my body of the remaining toxins from years of smoking and the water retention causing the congestion and swelling.

In addition to an acupuncture session and prescribing herbs, Juliette instructed me to write down everything I ate, which I did diligently for over three weeks. Juliette evaluated my dietary habits and suggested a few minor changes that were compounding my water retention problem. Since making those changes, I've lost weight, noticed a marked increase in my energy level and no longer suffer from congestion.

Before seeking treatment at Aiyana Acupuncture, I was unaware of Chinese medicine's approach to nutrition. Juliette educated me about the different energetic properties of food and the effects it can have on metabolism. I can honestly say that I've never felt better and now find it easier to manage my diet, giving me renewed confidence in my ability to keep off the weight I've lost."
- Fran M. Female, Age 39