Morning sickness and nausea is a common symptom of early acupuncture. Luckily acupuncture is an effective, safe and relaxing treatment!
What is Morning Sickness?
Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, often referred to as morning sickness, is one of the early struggles of pregnancy. According to the National Institute of Health, 70-80% of women will experience some nausea throughout their pregnancy.
Despite the name morning sickness, many women experience nausea at times throughout the day and night. It’s usually worst during the first trimester, but occasionally there is excessive nausea throughout the entire pregnancy. Morning sickness is not only unpleasant, but it also makes eating difficult at a time when a woman’s body needs more calories and nutrients.
If you are pregnant and experiencing nausea, speak to your primary care or OB/GYN to rule out a more serious condition like hyperemesis gravidarum, which is characterized by extreme nausea and frequent vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss and electrolyte imbalance.
Causes of Morning Sickness
Early pregnancy causes many changes to a woman’s physiology. There might not be a baby bump yet, but hormones are coursing through the body in higher quantities and to different places than usual. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is a primary pregnancy hormone; it helps thicken the uterine lining and tells a woman’s body to stop menstruating. Doctors believe that the sharp increase of hCG, along with other hormones in early pregnancy is related to nausea and vomiting.
In Traditional Chinese medicine, the explanation for pregnancy related nausea and vomiting is more intuitive. The stomach and intestines are located above the uterus and have a downward flow of energy. As food is digested, nutrients are absorbed into the body at various stages along the digestive tract until the waste products are expelled from the body. The sudden increase in blood flow and activity in the ovaries interrupts and redirects the normal flow of energy, resulting in what is called “counterflow.” Counterflow results in nausea, vomiting, and indigestion, which is a common symptom of later pregnancy.
Can you treat Morning Sickness with Acupuncture?
Acupuncture can be very effective at reducing the intensity and frequency of nausea during pregnancy. It is safe for pregnancy and has no adverse side effects. One study shows that pregnant women in their first trimester experienced significantly less nausea and vomiting when treated with acupuncture over a four week period. An exhaustive review of current scientific studies shows similar results.
Acupuncture relieves nausea in the following ways:
Stimulating hormones: Acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins and adrenocorticotropic hormone from the pituitary gland. These hormones inhibit the vomiting center in the medulla oblongata of the brain, decreasing nausea and vomiting.
Stimulating the Vagus Nerve: Acupuncture, especially the point Neiguan on the forearm near the wrist, has been shown to increase vagal modulation. The Vagus Nerve is related to nausea and vomiting. Stimulating this nerve during episodes of nausea can bring about significant relief.
Decreasing acid production in the upper GI tract: Acupuncture effects the upper GI tract to reduce the amount of acid secretion, which reduces feelings of nausea.
Correcting counterflow: Certain points along the stomach, spleen and other channels realign the correct energetics of the digestive system, counteracting feelings of nausea.
How often should you get acupuncture for morning sickness?
Acupuncture treatments often help relieve morning sickness very quickly, usually during the treatment. Benefits of acupuncture can last from a few days to up to a week, so we suggest treatments one to two times per week depending on the severity of symptoms.
Diet tips for Morning Sickness
- Eat small portions of food frequently throughout the day. Nausea is often worse on an empty or a full stomach and can be brought on by modulations in blood sugar.
- Ginger has been used to sooth nausea and upset stomach in many cultures since ancient times. It aids in digestion and increases gastric motility. Ginger is available in many forms, including tea, hard and soft candies, and capsules.
- Miso soup is another ancient Chinese remedy for nausea. It helps settle the stomach and it’s mild flavor makes it a good way to replace electrolytes when it is hard to keep food down.
Acupuncture for pregnancy is not just for morning sickness. We can help with back pain and energy issues related to pregnancy as well. Contact us or call at 973-984-2800 to find out more!
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15844844/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113464/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/
