While thousands of women try unsuccessfully each year to become pregnant, there are a number of therapies available today to help women conceive. Alternative or complementary therapies, especially, are gaining more awareness due to their effectiveness.
Reproductive Organ Massage (ROM), known as Chi Nei Tsang (CNT) in Eastern medicine, is one of these complementary therapies. Unlike other invasive and sometimes painful therapies, ROM is quite literally a massage of your abdominal organs, usually done by a CNT certified practitioner, certified acupressurist or acupuncturist. The goal of the massage is to cleanse, balance and relax the woman’s body, making it an ideal environment for conception.
It worked for Jennifer Johnson. At 32, she had been trying unsuccessfully to become pregnant for more than two years. After suffering an ectopic pregnancy that nearly ended her life and left her with only one fallopian tube, she turned to an acupuncture clinic in California’s South Bay, where the practitioners recommended CNT.
Eastern Medicine Offers Solution
“I had already seen Western doctors and they had no explanation for my problems. They said that my infertility was 'unexplained' and that the ectopic was 'a fluke.' I wanted to know more. So after visiting an acupuncture clinic and discussing my problems, they recommended CNT. It was one of the first treatments that I underwent.”
The practitioners treated Jennifer using a number of natural, alternative therapies. CNT, however, is the therapy that she believes allowed her to naturally conceive.
“After each session I felt incredibly relaxed, lighter and more clearheaded. It was like a burden had been lifted,” continued Jennifer. “After just a few months of treatments, herbal remedies and diet changes, I was shocked to find out that I was pregnant. I’m due in October now and it seems like a miracle. I never thought I would have the chance to be a mother.”
It is difficult to offer national statistics on success for CNT right now, as it's a fairly new practice for helping women conceive. But Jennifer's practitioner shared what she has seen first hand.
“From my experience with hundreds of patients, reproductive organ massage is very effective,” says Judith Tognetti, MTCM, L.Ac Clinical Researcher, Harmony Acupuncture. “I’ve seen many women get pregnant right away. For others it takes time, but we can still help them make progress towards their goal, whatever it is. From regulating cycles to conception, this therapy is one of the most effective.”
CNT’s Ancient Origins
According to the Chi Nei Tsang Institute’s website, the CNT technique came into being millions of years ago in the mountain ranges of Taoist China. It was "used by monks in monasteries to help detoxify, strengthen and refine their bodies in order to maintain the high energy required to perform the highest levels of spiritual practices."
Mantak and Maneewan Chia explain in their book, Chi Nei Tsang, Internal Organs Chi Massage, 1990, that in its simplest form, CNT is a massage of the spleen, stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart. When practitioners apply the CNT technique to their patient’s reproductive organs – the ovaries, uterus, and uterine tubes – it helps the organs function properly again. Often, when women have problems in any of these organs, it is due to reduced blood flow, tension and stress. By using CNT on the reproductive organs, the organs can open up again and return to a healthy, reproductive state, thus promoting a good reproductive environment.
“Integrating abdominal organ massage with other services, including acupuncture, diet counseling and herbs all makes a big difference,” concluded Judith. “But the success that my patients have been having with CNT is inspiring. We’ve opened blocked tubes, removed endometriosis clots, increased blood flow and generally relieved blocked stress in the body. This is an incredible treatment that can really make a difference for women who are struggling to become pregnant.”
Judith Tognetti and her team at Harmony Acupuncture work in conjunction with a number of reproductive/infertility clinics and ob-gyn's in California’s South Bay area to achieve success for patients.
