Can Acupuncture Enhance Your Sexual Wellbeing? Interview With Acupuncturist Angela Chambers
Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash
At the dawn of the new year, we met with Angela Chambers for an inspiring chat about Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and what these ancient practices can do for your sexual and reproductive health.
For those not in the know, acupuncture is one of the most ancient existing forms of healthcare! It dates back to 3,000 years as part of traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy. The word acupuncture means "using a needle to puncture the skin" and is done by inserting very fine needles to stimulate points that lie along pathways of energy, called meridians.
Acupuncturists seek to release the flow of the body's vital energy, or qi, to restore one's overall harmony. When the qi is deficient and/or stagnant, pain and illness may occur.
Angela is a licensed Acupuncturist, Chinese medicine practitioner, teacher of qi cultivation, who is also passionate about essential oils. She currently works at her own clinic, Meridian Flow, an integrative Chinese medicine practice in La Tour-de-Peilz, nestled between Vevey and Montreux on the Swiss Riviera.
Having to heal herself from a young age led her towards healing others, and she has a great deal to say about it!
Green Condom Club: How did you get into Chinese medicine?
Angela Chambers: I began being aware of my attraction to Chinese medicine very early. From about the age of two, a childhood illness attacked my vocal cords which kept me in and out of hospital for various surgical procedures for over five years. I am grateful that the condition healed itself when I turned seven.
Then, I found a book in a second-hand bookstore: Tao Te Ching, a classic of ancient Chinese philosophy. I was around fourteen years old, and even though I didn't understand everything back then, I already felt a deep connection with the thought of Chinese culture.
After that, I kind of forgot all about Chinese medicine until I was brought to Sydney for modeling at the age of nineteen. There, I became conscious of the possibility of studying Chinese medicine at university, whereas it was not really an option in Switzerland. Fast forward five years, I completed my degree in Australia and my internship in China a few months before my daughter was born!
GCC: What is your approach in your clinic?
AC: I studied traditional Chinese medicine, but today, I use the Balance Method acupuncture in my clinic, developed over 30 years ago by Dr. Richard Tan. It's a comprehensive system of acupuncture based on meridian diagnosis, which is about establishing harmony in the energy flow within the body using the major meridians.
I do consultations in the clinic and online. Besides, I also teach patients other healing techniques to extend the treatment effects. That's why my practice is called Integrative Chinese medicine because it incorporates different healing modalities such as acupressure, essential oils and therapeutic movement for people to get well on physical, emotional and energetic levels.
GCC: How do you use herbs, essential oils, nutrition, yoga as complementary tools?
AC: I am so busy at the clinic that my goal is to support people by teaching them ways to heal themselves and become more self-sufficient, so they aren't dependent on my treatments. To do so, I introduce them to acupressure, essential oils, yoga postures, or qi gong.
Acupressure is a great tool to get started. Plus, it's free and super accessible! I truly enjoy sharing how easy it is to practice on a daily basis.
During a consultation, I suggest a few essential oils selected according to a patient's type, some yoga postures to prevent chronic pain, for example.
Since COVID-19 hit, I also began to post videos on social media. Quite frankly, I was surprised by how popular they became! So I created online courses for those interested in empowering themselves and taking their healing journey further.
GCC: For those who have never received acupuncture treatment before, what's a session like?
AC: Before anything else, I spend time exchanging with my patients to understand their needs, why they came to see me, and their medical history. I create a holistic experience combining scent, warmth, and acupuncture treatment to allow the nervous system to relax and activate the body's self-healing response. Everything works in synergy!
If my patients are open to it, I pour one drop of essential oil - selected according to their type - on a tissue that will rest on their chest for the whole experience.
After inserting the needles, they enjoy a rest on the treatment table to relax deeply. Some people like to listen to guided meditation, while others prefer calming music.
The meridian flow method always includes patients in their healing journey, meaning that they get lifestyle advice, essential oil guidance, and self-care instructions to enhance the treatment effect.
GCC: Are there any persisting misconceptions that people have about acupuncture?
AC: Some people have bad experiences, like being forgotten in the treatment room! [laugh] But the number one myth would be that the needle insertion is painful, which isn't usually the case.
People are often surprised that the needle has already pierced their skin without realizing it. They may feel a tingling sensation, warmth, or heaviness in the limbs, experience tiredness, total relaxation, or a sense of calm within. That's because acupuncture doesn't only affect you on a physical level, it also has an impact on the emotional and energetic bodies.
GCC: What can you treat with acupuncture?
AC: Acupuncture works great for anything due to or worsened by stress. It often has solutions for conditions that Western medicine finds difficult to treat, such as autoimmune issues, chronic pain, or women's health.
But if you break a leg, please go to a doctor, not an acupuncturist! [laugh]
GCC: What are the most common issues your patients face?
AC: Chronic pain, stress, anxiety, insomnia, women's health concerns - which is one of my specialties. Nowadays, I also receive people for long COVID issues!
GCC: Do people come to see you for sexual concerns?
AC: Yes, it happens. While it's not rare, it's not super common either because people don't often know that acupuncture can be helpful for sexual and reproductive matters.
GCC: This leads to my next question. According to Chinese medicine, what is the cause of sexual issues?
AC: Sexual health belongs to the water element and is treated through the kidney and bladder meridian systems - among others. It is associated with the life force energy, which also correlates with creative energy.
Chinese medicine always treats the whole being. And so, a sexual issue is related to the strength of the water element and the overall health of a person. For example, stress, illness, lack of sleep, and emotional issues can all affect our sexual health.
For every person, there is an individual solution to strengthen their sexual energy in whichever way they need it. Vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and insomnia can be signs of kidney yin deficiency, for which Chinese medicine has methods to support women through these symptoms.
One tip I always give patients who want to enhance their sexual health is to support their water element with sufficient rest and restoration!
GCC: What kind of sexual issues can be treated with Chinese medicine and acupuncture?
AC: While it tends to be more taboo in our society, sexuality is a significant part of Chinese medicine because it perceives sexual health as part of our overall health.
Acupuncture can be a great support when someone experiences infertility, impotence, low libido, erectile and other sexual dysfunction, or women's health-related issues.
Over the last 25 years, I have worked with countless patients to re-establish a healthy energy flow in their bodies and improve their general wellbeing to discover their own healing capabilities.
GCC: What is your opinion on the way people get treated regarding their sexual health? I think about Viagra for erectile dysfunction, medication for low libido, etc.
AC: I don't judge anyone for any choice they make regarding their health. However, I don't believe that a pill can fix a low libido, for instance. It may cover symptoms, but it can't cure the root of sexual dysfunction or enhance a person's overall health.
Low libido can come from many sources, such as an issue in the relationship or repressed emotions. It can also be worsened by a general feeling of not feeling sexy or physical causes like vaginal dryness or recurring bladder infections. Unconsciously, it doesn't make you want to have sex!
For me, Western and Chinese medicines are complementary.
GCC: Did you observe a change in people's attitude towards acupuncture?
AC: In the two decades I have been in the field, I have noticed more interest and openness towards Chinese medicine because an increasing number of people realize that we have to prioritize our health by taking it into our own hands.
GCC: So, do you think acupuncture is well-recognized today? I haven't seen many studies about the relation between acupuncture and sexual health.
AC: Unfortunately, there isn't much money in the field. Who would benefit from research on the benefits of acupuncture? Certainly not the pharmaceutical industry, so it's a bit dormant.
GCC: What's your next project, Angela?
AC: I will launch my next course, the Five Qi, in March! It will focus on ways to integrate the principles of the five elements into your daily lives.
Where to find Angela?
You can head to her website to learn more about what she does. She is also very active on Instagram, where she shares tips, meditations, and information about essential oils, acupressure, mindfulness techniques, and much more.
If you are ready to delve deeper into the wisdom of Chinese medicine, have a look at her online courses - they don't require any particular experience!
The Power Of The Five Elements
Beautiful You: Facial Acupressure And Gua Sha For Glowing Skin
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