Brea Forry, a doctor of acupuncture, practices at Active Balance Health Centre in Okotoks.Amy Jaquish / Western Wheel

Brea Forry, a doctor of acupuncture, is keeping the 3,000-year-old tradition alive right here in Okotoks.

She's using her training to aid patients through fertility, conception support, menstrual cycle, hormone support, nervous system support, and physical discomfort.

Forry’s acupuncture journey began with her own pregnancy. She struggled getting pregnant so her mom suggested she try acupuncture, which she did while also balancing her hormones and eating healthy. Nine months later she was pregnant.

She then acquired her diploma at the Alberta College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, and now practices at Active Balance Health Centre in Okotoks where she helps other women through their fertility journeys.

“It's nice to just be there and kind of understand what everybody's kind of going through and how frustrated people are. So I love it, it's really great if I can give back anything. I think it's just nice to be able to support somebody like that,” said Forry.

Unlike dry needling, which targets the muscles, acupuncture targets the nervous system.

By targeting the nervous system, acupuncture can then be used to treat headaches, digestion issues, fertility, and menstrual problems. According to Forry, it does so by influencing norepinephrines, dopamine, and serotonin.

“Acupuncture is like really super chill. A lot of people fall asleep in it. (It) doesn't hurt at all usually, and if it does, we obviously don't want it to be, so we just have to take it out and kind of move it along,” said Forry.

She said acupuncture works on a neurotransmitter level, working to create blood flow and diminish pain.

“If there is pain, there's no flow, and obviously we kind of want to make sure that blood is circulating. And just with acupuncture needles, like on a scientific level, if you put something in your body, you're creating micro trauma. With the micro trauma, blood flow is going to go to that area. So, essentially, it's kind of targeting and allowing blood to kind of flow to that area where there is an issue,” explained Forry.

Specifically for fertility issues, it targets blood flow to the reproductive organs, and helps promote healthy egg and sperm development, as well as making sure cycle phases are regulated.

The placement of the needles is based on meridians, which Forry explained is where energy flows. She went on to add that a lot of issues can be targeted through the arms, legs, hands, and feet. Forry also explained that with fertility treatment, often the needles are put right over the uterus and abdomen.

While acupuncture can be useful in helping women with fertility, Forry suggests doing the treatment alongside going to a fertility doctor for the best results.

“I always suggest go to your medical doctor and fertility doctors. I think they have a very, very important place in this. Definitely it's great to work alongside people because I mean, most people don't just respond to one thing and everybody's so different,” she said.