Fertility, Pregnancy, and Postpartum
Dr Michelle specializes in acupuncture for women's health and fertility. A large part of her practice is devoted to holistic care for preconception, pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Research has shown that acupuncture can be beneficial to women that are having difficulty conceiving. It can be used on its own and with IVF treatments to improve outcome. Dr Michelle will often prescribe vitamins and/or nutrient therapies, botanical medicine, and Bio-Identical Hormones with acupuncture as part of her individualized treatment plans for preconception care and fertility management.
During pregnancy, acupuncture can be a useful treatment for nausea, stress, fatigue, pain and overall emotional wellbeing that can be beneficial to your baby as well. Women often use acupuncture throughout their pregnancies as preparation for their birth process as it is a way to also work on deep breathing, visualization, and meditation which can serve expectant Mamas (Papas and Partners) during the labor and delivery. Dr Michelle also provides labor stimulation treatments for women that are post dates.
Postpartum acupuncture treatments can help to restore vitality, assist in hormonal transitions, decrease pain and aid in breast milk production. For more information, please see the "Services" page.
Other Therapies used with Acupuncture
Moxibustion (Moxa) utilizes the herb Artemisia to access Qi, warm a point or area, and support Yin. It can be applied directly to the skin or the handle of an acupuncture needle.
Cupping is used to increase the circulation of Qi and blood. Glass, bamboo, or plastic cups are used with either heat or an air vacuum to create suction on the surface of the skin. This releases tension in the fascia layer of tissue and can provide both physical and emotional relief.
Gua Sha is a scraping technique that is done at specific acupuncture points or along a meridian. It is typically used for acute illness and can be very effective.
Needle Stimulation is done during treatments according to an individual's diagnosis. Needle stimulation is done by turning the acupuncture handle with varying direction and force. It is also done with gentle electrical impulses to have greater effect on pain issues.
