JANUARY, 2019 | The HEALTH
WOMEN
Bringing back
fertility through
traditional treatment
Traditional Chinese medicine
is one way to help women with
menstrual issues
knows about it, are the ones who are looking to have
a child.
“We have women coming in who are doing IVF
treatment, and would like to supplement their
chances through our methods. And there are also
who found success just through our treatment alone.
It really goes to show the effectiveness one can expe-
rience with traditional Chinese medicine,” says Lau.
Lee also advices, “The treatment we offer is an
option for women with menstruation issues to
receive help without the use of Western medicine,
or minimal consumption of it. And we encourage
women with irregular menstrual cycle to get help,
especially if they are planning to have children.”
– The Health
T
HERE is a widespread condition in many
younger Malaysian women, around 20
to 30 years of age, some may not know.
A condition that affects their menstrual
cycle, and therefore overall fertility.
This pressing matter resonates more
among younger women looking to have
children, as they might face difficulty in doing so.
The condition is called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
(PCOS), and the physicians from Xi Women’s Health
TCM Centre offers a more traditional method to
manage the condition.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is a hormonal disorder common among women
of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have
infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess
male hormone (androgen) levels.
Physician and Acupuncturist Jade Lee Yu Jie
explains the condition, “In Chinese medicine, we
do not have the term PCOS. We identify the same
condition as delayed menstruation, amenorrhea, and
infertility. We focus on these issues, and treat them
through traditional methods.”
Yali Lau, also Physician and Acupuncturist of Xi
Women’s Health weighs in, “To us, the condition that
grips these women is caused by the imbalance of Yin
and Yang.”
“We categorize the treatment of the condition into
several causes, mainly deficiencies of the kidneys,
spleen, and liver system through traditional Chinese
medicine approach. Therefore we have to repair the
functions of these systems first; balance out the Yin
and Yang, then only we are able to improve menstrua-
tion,” Lau adds.
The traditional means of treatment
The principle of Chinese medicine, according to Jade
Lee, is to regulate the Yin and Yang, and the Qi and
blood circulation. “We need to first find out what type
of imbalance they have, and then we treat accordingly.”
Acupuncture
There is acupuncture, where fine needles are inserted
into multiple ‘acupoints’ to help stimulate the func-
tions of any particular system in the body. “It can help
stimulate the hormonal secretion, help to regulate
hormonal levels, and ultimately improve the men-
strual cycle. This will then help with better ovulation,”
says Lee.
Moxibustion
On top of acupuncture, patients can also receive addi-
tional treatment called moxibustion. Moxibustion is
a therapy which consists of burning dried mugwort,
a type of herb, on particular points on the body and
make use of the heat emanated.
The therapy acts as a supplementary treatment as
it can make acupuncture more effective through the
warming of the meridians.
Herbal remedies
“Herbal remedies are considered a direct interven-
tion of the treatment,” says Lau. “The herbs are in
powdered form, which can be consumed by mixing
with warm water or in tablet form. The type of herbs
prescribed are based on the type of imbalance the
patients are experiencing.”
The improvement
Lee and Lau both vouched for patients who were suc-
cessful after receiving the treatments. As mentioned,
most of the women who has the problem, or only
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Jade Lee (left) and Yali Lau are both physicians and acupuncturists specializing in traditional
Chinese medicine.