01 Jan 2011
When it’s a problem with sperm – either what’s produced is insufficient or they are not active enough – acupuncture may be an alternative for couples trying for a family.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, commonly referred to as TCM, subfertility is caused by a deficiency of what it refers to as the kidney function.
Using herbal remedies and/or acupuncture to strengthen this vital function can help improve the production and quality of sperm.
Although there have been studies, “we don’t really know how effective acupuncture is in treating male subfertility”, said Dr Yong Tze Tein, Senior Consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
This is because despite its growing popularity, TCM isn’t as well researched as western medicine, said Ms Cui Shu Li, Senior Principal Acupuncturist, SGH.
For instance, studies elsewhere in the use of acupuncture to treat male subfertility show positive results, but they can’t clearly isolate acupuncture as the sole cause of the improvement.
To explore acupuncture as an alternative for men with certain fertility problems, SGH has teamed up with Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution to study whether using acupuncture is as effective as earlier studies suggest.
The institution already treats men with fertility issues using a combination of acupuncture and herbal concoctions with some success, said Mr Chong Shaw Fong, Chief TCM Physician, Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution.
In the joint trial, eligible participants will undergo 20 hour-long sessions of acupuncture treatment, held twice a week for three months. The participants won’t be given other forms of fertility treatment during this period.
During treatment, a TCM physician or acupuncturist certified by the Ministry of Health will administer acupuncture to several acupoints at the front and back of the body, with the points electrically stimulated to strengthen the kidney function.
In TCM, the kidney is considered vital for procreation, with the kidney function seen to be governing the body’s reproductive organs.
The trial, funded by a government grant, will continue till 2012. The researchers hope to study at least 60 eligible participants.
Semen samples will be taken before, during and after the acupuncture treatment to assess the participants’ response to the therapy. Participants can receive treatment at SGH, during working hours, or in the evenings at Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution.
Men between 21 and 55 years of age who meet a certain sperm count and activity criteria, who have been unsuccessful in conceiving for at least a year, and have not undergone surgical procedures related to male fertility for at least a year before, can apply to participate in this trial.
To participate in the SGH-Thong Chai Medical Institute TCM trial or for more information, call 6326-5925.
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