Acupuncture as a Natural Remedy for Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is a relatively common symptom of pregnancy wherein pregnant people experience nausea and vomiting when they are expecting. While the name suggests these symptoms occur at a particular time of day, pregnancy nausea and vomiting can hit at any time of the day which means it can have a significant impact on a pregnant person’s daily functioning. Generally starting in the earlier stages of pregnancy, morning sickness will begin around weeks 6 through 9 of pregnancy and usually passes by week 16. Still, some expectant people can suffer morning sickness well into their second trimester and sometimes throughout their entire pregnancy.
Not only is morning sickness uncomfortable, but it can be a serious concern especially if you are having difficulty keeping foods and liquids down especially if this results in weight loss. Always consult your doctor if you are experiencing these more serious consequences of morning sickness.
There are a number of potential treatments for morning sickness, including drug therapies. However, for pregnant people who want to try a more natural approach, diet changes can be helpful and research has shown that acupuncture can also help. Indeed, sometimes a combination of treatments is the best approach. At Lonsdale Wellness, our acupuncturists work closely with each of their clients to take a thorough history so they can provide a holistic approach to managing morning sickness.
Ultimately, many people are skeptical of drug therapies for morning sickness, particularly considering the checkered past of the drug thalidomide. While this drug therapy is not approved for treatment for morning sickness in Canada due to its connection to birth defects, expecting parents tend to look for natural treatments as much as possible. Moreover, the drug Diclectin which is the only approved treatment for morning sickness in Canada may not be especially effective for mitigating the symptoms of this condition. More recent research suggests that Diclectin may not be more effective than placebo treatment for morning sickness.
As acupuncture is supported in the literature as a treatment for nausea related to morning sickness and other etiologies, it may be an effective treatment for you. When delivered by a qualified acupuncturist, such as those at Lonsdale Wellness, it is also a highly safe treatment with relatively few side effects. Alone and in conjunction with other natural remedies, many pregnant people have found acupuncture to be very effective for managing the symptoms of morning sickness. Our acupuncturists will work with you to determine the safest approach to managing your morning sickness and also help you to monitor your symptoms so that you can feel better through every stage of your pregnancy.
