KATY BRADSHAW ACUPUNCTURElet’s talk about male fertility
Posted on October 24, 2020
Like many of you I was deeply moved by the BBC programme on male fertility ‘Me, my brother and our balls’. This was a heartfelt and informative documentary following the challenges faced by two brothers with fertility issues resulting from testicular cancer and varicoceles.
The message was clear – male fertility issues affects millions of men but because of the stigma associated with opening up about these issues, many men are only finding out about these life-changing problems when you decide to have children. And even when you do, you often feel isolated and struggling to work out what options are available to you.
Whilst I was incredibly impressed with the BBC show I was disappointed to see that the only option presented to the younger brother was a course of the testosterone boosting Chlomofene to prepare him for an invasive sperm extraction procedure.
I’m not saying he didn’t need to take that approach Read More
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Posted on June 3, 2018
Chinese Medicine is particularly interested in women’s health. The classic texts that date back over thousands of years dedicate a great deal of time to the study, diagnosis and treatment of women’s health. As a result of this long history acupuncture is hugely beneficial in treating gynaecological issues. In particular acupuncture can benefit:
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Short/long cycles
- Painful, heavy periods
- Lack of periods
- Spotting, bleeding outside period time
- Ovulation pain
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Fibroids, cysts, polyps
- Endometriosis
- Hormonal imbalances eg: PMS, migraine, skin eruptions, emotional issues
Fertility
Acupuncture is of great benefit in the treatment of fertility. It can support couples to conceive naturally and during the assisted reproduction process. It is a physical and emotional support during what can be an extremely challenging time. Read about how acupuncture can benefit fertility for both men and women here.
Menopause
The menopause often brings disruption and misery to a woman’s life. It can involve one or more of a range of symptoms, which women experience to varying degrees and levels of distress. These can include night sweats and hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, headaches, aches and pains, palpitations and genital and urinary problems.
Acupuncture supports the body to alleviate these symptoms in a natural and long-lasting way, without the need for Hormone Replacement Therapy. For women who want to continue with HRT it is still beneficial to receive acupuncture as it will treat the hormonal imbalance that the medication is masking.
You can read more about acupuncture and the menopause in the blog post ‘Acupuncture – an effective alternative to HRT?’
FERTILITY
Posted on May 25, 2018
Acupuncture can be of great benefit for anyone wanting to start a family by ensuring you are in the best health possible to maximise your fertility.
For couples who have been trying to conceive for a while acupuncture can also provide the extra help needed to increase your chances of success. It is especially beneficial to the 20-30% of cases of ‘unexplained’ infertility. This is because acupuncture treats the person rather than the disease, which makes it particularly good at dealing with fertility issues that don’t have a medical diagnosis.
Furthermore research has shown that acupuncture can regulate the menstrual cycle; lower raised levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), relieve symptoms of endometriosis; induce ovulation in women with polycystic ovaries (PCOS); improve the quality and motility of sperm and release endorphins that reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Treatment helps couples to make changes to their diet and lifestyle as well as helping to resolve underlying emotional or physical imbalances that can affect fertility. You can read more about women’s health issues here.
Male Fertility
Lifestyle factors such as stress and obesity and environmental factors such as pesticides and chemicals are all thought to play part in men’s rapidly declining fertility – up to a fifth of men now have low sperm count.
However there is a lot that can be done to improve its function and research has shown particular benefit on sperm quality and quantity. Acupuncture can benefit men’s:
- Sperm count – morphology, motility, antibodies
- Immune system issues
- Low libido
- Erectile dysfunction/impotence
- Testicular health
Because it takes 60 – 90 days to develop mature sperm, for the best results treatment is ideally given over a 3 to 6 month period prior to conceiving.
Assisted reproduction
There are many studies that show that acupuncture administered at certain points during the assisted reproductive cycle (ICSI/IUI/IVF) can increase the chances of successfully conceiving and support couples emotionally and physically along the way.
A recent study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) showed that acupuncture may increase the success rate of implantation and pregnancy during IVF by as much as 65%.
- During IUI – improving thickness of lining of uterus
- Downs Regulation – reducing side effects such as hot flushes, headaches and mood swings
- Up regulation & ovary stimulation – helping to thicken the lining of the uterus and preventing ovary hyper-stimulation
- Prior to egg collection – helping to soften the cervix and encouraging relaxation
- Day of transfer – increasing pregnancy rates from 26.3% to 42.5%
- Post-transfer – improving blood flow to the embryo and providing emotional support to the couple
For more information on research into acupuncture, ART and fertility please visit the BAcC
Top tips for preparing for your first acupuncture session
Posted on May 11, 2018
If you’re thinking about booking in for an acupuncture treatment there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the most out of the experience.
ASK SILLY QUESTIONS
Trying something new for the first time can be daunting and you may have questions that you feel awkward about asking. Firstly – don’t worry about asking ‘silly’ questions! I for one welcome anyone’s questions about acupuncture as it gives me a chance to talk about my favourite subject. It’s easy as a practitioner to forget how much we know compared to our patient and we sometimes gloss over things that you need to know more about. So before you book in, have a think about what questions you have and ask them on the phone or during your initial consultation.
CHECK YOUR PRACTITIONER’S CREDENTIALS
Your first question should be whether your practitioner is a member of a regulatory body. The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) regulates the majority of acupuncturists in the UK and ensure that we are suitably trained, qualified, insured and that we keep our continuing professional development up to date. Acupuncturists should carry the logo on their website and you can check directly with the BAcC for registered practitioners in your area. If you are visiting someone who isn’t BAcC registered you should make sure that they are regulated by an organisation that is listed on the Public Standards Authority (PSA) register.
REFLECT
Once you’ve booked in it’s worth spending a bit of time thinking about where you are now and where you want to be following treatment…. Read More
Transform your health
Posted on February 27, 2014
Welcome to Katy Bradshaw Acupuncture. You are in the right place if you are:
- Fed up with feeling tired, unhappy or in pain
- Longing to be parents but need help to conceive
- Unable to manage your health due to a busy and stressful life
- Suffering with ill-health but have been unable to find the cause or a solution
- Think that there may be an emotional cause to your illness
- Want a natural approach to managing your health
- Would like a treatment that is supported by a strong evidence-base
- Expect to feel listened to, supported and understood
My name is Katy Bradshaw and I am the acupuncturist behind hundreds of transformational health stories from people who have experienced issues just like these.
When we’re not well we can feel like we’ve been let down by our bodies. Looking for support but with nowhere to turn, we are often left feeling confused, overwhelmed and frustrated. At times like these I wonder, if our bodies could speak to us, what do you think they would say? Because when things go wrong our bodies are trying to tell us something.
Stop. Slow down. Make a change. Move on. Take care. Change direction. Let go. Get help…
If we listen carefully, we have an innate body wisdom that will guide us in what we need to do to heal. It takes patience, compassion and a different way of thinking that makes important connections between all our symptoms, as well as our emotions and our life experiences.
I’m here to help you do this.
I create a safe space for you to pause, listen and reflect so that you can tune in to what your body is telling you. We will have the unique conversations that you won’t be having anywhere else, where you will gain new insights into what’s really going on and ultimately get to where you want to be – feeling good, functioning well and in control of your well-being.
What people are saying:
