10 Questions To Keep In Mind When You Are TTC

10 questions to keep in mind when you are TTC

• Hot, Cold and Fever, Chills
• Sweat
• Head & Face
• Pain
• Urine, Stool
• Thirst, Appetite, Taste
• Sleep
• Thorax, Abdomen
• Gynecological
• History
• Discuss Acupuncture Theory

https://theory.yinyanghouse.com/theory/chinese/questioning

When working with a practitioner of Eastern medicine, we have a group of questions that help us create a custom treatment keeping in mind your overall well being.

This allows us to keep track of your improvements and ask follow up questions to make sure we are supporting all of you.

But you may be surprised to know that your cycle is not all that we will ask you about. Nope. Hardly, it’s important for sure, but we will want to know about when you started your initial period, gynocological health from an early age, as well as digestive function, and so much more. 

Here is a peek at the main focus areas and why we ask them.

If you are curious to learn more, check out these blogs or better yet, send me an email and I will answer you back! [email protected]

Temperature and Sweating

Our temperature tells us how our body is hormonally doing. For example, if our temperature is lower, or we feel colder than others, we may need to support the kidneys by eating warm, cooked food, keeping extra layers on and remembering to wear socks too. 

On the other hand, if you tend to get hot at night and feel sweaty - you can have a yin imbalance and need to hydrate more, eat foods like pears, coconut, and millet. You can also trying taking herbs like shan yao-Japanese yam

Head and Face

We ask about your symptoms for all 5 sense organs, history of allergies, asthma, head or neck pain, and if you experience any headaches. We also look at the dental health and any sensitivity you might experience.

If you answer yes, we will go into detail about the who, what, when, why, and how they occur. Often, women have hormonal symptoms, such as, a headache which is relieved at the onset of a period. This tells a practitioner the organ system that is affected and what helps you feel better. Also, if you get them within the cycle and the location, quality, and intensity of headache. 

Pain, the intensity, duration, location, and time of day are all important to truly getting to the bottom of why you are in pain. Often, there are patterns we see. If you like lots of pressure, heat, or massage that tells a lot about how to treat you. On the other hand, if you tend to like movement and have relief with bleeding, then that indicates your qi or energy is stuck or stagnated and needs to move.

Thirst

Do you feel thirsty? What do you typically drink and how often? Big sips, small, or barely feel thirsty? Cravings for super hot or cold beverages? These all help us unravel what is happening inside you. Does water make you feel nauseous? Do you drink alcohol, caffeine, or carbonated drinks??

Appetite

Do you skip meals, need snacks, or do intermittent fasting? Do you eat quickly, slowly, or just pick at your meals. Do you love hot food, warm food, or cold things. Any taste in your mouth? Do you crave salty, sweet, sour, pungent, or spicy foods? If so, when in your cycle is that? Hungry just after you have finished a meal?  

Digestion

Any issues with gas, bloating, acid reflex or feeling tired after meals? If your input of liquids is equal to your output? If not, when do you feel swollen and where? Whole body? Face, hands, and feet, or abdomen? 

Urination

Frequency is important, as well as volume. If you pee often and feel like your urine output is greater than your input, that tells us we need to support your kidneys and help to increase your internal fire. If you wake often in the night to use the restroom, it may be due to drinking too much before bed or if you have a kidney weakness one of the common symptoms is frequent urination at night.

Any uncomfortable symptoms with urination or urgency? Frequent urination with discomfort can be an indication of an infection or associated with Interstitial cystitis. In traditional medicine we would work on regulating urination, moving dampness, and stagnation to stop pain and urgency.

Bowel Movements

These tell us so much about how your body is doing absorbing nutrients, your ability to separate out pure food from waste, and so much more. Color, constancy, size, and odor are all helpful to tell your practitioner. We don’t want you to have pain or discomfort with elimination and may recommend seeing a western specialist as well. 

Sleep

Sleep is important because it tells us whether or not you are getting an opportunity to restore your kidney energy at night. Are you woken up easily or need the covers removed - i.e. night sweats or feeling hot? This can tell us about your hormones and that if you are ttc we need to nourish and balance your yin, especially just after your period so you can be cool and comfortable until your next cycle.

Chest and Abdomen Breathing and Respiration

Does your breath feel rooted and strong. Are you able to feel centered or do you breathe shallowly and inefficiently? This tells us that your lungs and kidneys need some TLC to connect and help you convert energy from breath to resources for later use. Any palpitations, anxiety, or tightness in the chest? Blood pressure and pulse are also asked about. Do you have any concerns about cholesterol etc?

Emotions

This is a big area. We all have connections between the mind and the body to be certain, but sometimes life and stress disconnect us and cause stress to show up in our physiology. Where stress shows up helps your practitioner know how to help you relax and feel your best. We have lots of points for specific types of physical and emotional stress. Acupuncture is amazing. 

Gynecological Age

When you started your cycle, regularity, ovulation, any pain at ovulation, frequency of cervical mucus, and length of cycle. What do you feel during your period and what changes in energy level, digestion, skin, and oh so much more do you have? We will ask about your history of pregnancy, miscarriage, and all the symptoms  pre, during and after your period. If you have been pregnant what was your conception journey like? If you have children, what was your pregnancy like, delivery and postpartum? If you breastfed or had postpartum depression concerns.

Each of us has a unique journey and we as practitioners want to know you and how we can best support you with your goals, health and emotional, wellbeing. Mind and body connected and feeling stronger is always our hope for everyone we work with.