What We Treat

Chinese medicine offers health benefits for virtually any type of ailment.

Many patients have discovered that standard medical care alone does not offer satisfying solutions to their health problems. Chinese medicine’s approach—focusing treatment on the person and not just the disease—provides satisfying and long-lasting results. Chinese medicine understands and incorporates the interrelation between physiological signs and symptoms as well as our emotional state. This perspective provides a complete way of treating each unique patient and not just the disease. As patients begin to understand these patterns, they learn to participate actively in their healing and/or self-care. From pain relief to fertility issues, our practitioners guide your healing process by using the most effective Chinese medical approaches available. Read about the vast scope of health problems that we treat in order to find out how acupuncture can benefit you and your family.

Pain

Acupuncture is proven to alleviate pain in a variety of contexts.

The American Pain Foundation estimates that approximately 23 percent of American adults suffer from pain at least once in their lifetime. Approximately $560 to $630 billion dollars was spent in the United States in 2010 for medical costs associated with pain. For centuries, Chinese medicine has been successfully treating pain by using acupuncture and herbal medicines without the side effects that many pain medications have. Western science has found acupuncture to have specific physiological effects such as increasing endogenous opiates, endorphins, and enkephalins that help reduce pain and inflammation, and help speed recovery time.

  • How many treatments will it take?MORE

    The number of treatments needed tends to vary significantly. The most current research on chronic pain and acupuncture has found that chronic pain sufferers benefit from two to three treatments per week. A typical course of treatment is 8–10 biweekly visits with a gradual reduction in frequency of treatments as symptoms improve. A treatment plan will be discussed and developed as part of your first visit. Diet and lifestyle will also impact your treatment and your practitioner will talk with you about these as well.

  • Will herbal medicine be useful?MORE

    Yes. There are numerous herbal formulations that can be administered orally or topically that effectively treat pain and the associated symptoms such as redness, swelling, and bruising, when present.

    .

  • What type of herbs may be useful?MORE

    Traditionally, herbs are prepared as teas. However, there are also many pill formulas, plasters, liniments, and ointments that are available. You may discuss the best options for you with your practitioner.

  • Can acupuncture treat acute sprains and strains?MORE

    Yes. Acupuncture is exceptionally effective at treating acute and chronic conditions. Sprains and strains tend to resolve within two to four consecutive treatments.

  • What other pain issues can acupuncture treat?MORE

    Acupuncture has proven effective in treating TMJ, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, digestive pain, gynecological-related pain, and many other conditions.

  • Can acupuncture treat my migraine headaches?MORE

    Yes. Acupuncture is very effective in treating all kinds of headaches with the exception of cluster headaches.

Fertility enhancement

Chinese medicine offers real hope for individuals struggling with fertility issues.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can lower medical costs and improve the chance of achieving a pregnancy. Chinese medical treatments can be used alone or in conjunction with conventional fertility treatments. The Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic has assisted many women in achieving full pregnancies—some who had been previously told they would never be able to conceive.

The benefits of acupuncture for conception and fertility problems are plentiful. Not only does Chinese medicine strengthen the probability of becoming pregnant in the first place—it also serves to enhance the function of the whole body in preparation for conception. Some patients choose to take advantage of all the resources that Chinese medicine has to offer, including dietary and lifestyle modifications. Others choose to just use acupuncture and still have an improved chance of achieving a pregnancy. This holistic approach provides a key to unlocking the body’s unlimited potential for health and wellness. For people over 40 who wish to conceive, this approach is especially important, as it stimulates overall health along with reproductive health.

  • How long will it take to get pregnant?MORE

    Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are gentle, yet powerful therapies that can balance the body’s hormones, reduce the physical impact of stress, and enhance the regenerative process that occurs during deep sleep.

  • Can my husband benefit from treatment?MORE

    Yes. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can also help improve sperm quality and motility.

  • Can I do IVF, IUI, or Clomid in combination with acupuncture?MORE

    Yes. Acupuncture will not interfere with conventional reproductive therapies. On the contrary, research has shown it can improve the efficacy of conventional reproductive therapies.

  • Do I need to use herbal medicine with acupuncture to help if I get pregnant? MORE

    Combining herbs and acupuncture with dietary and lifestyle changes takes advantage of all the fertility enhancement resources acupuncture and Chinese medicine have to offer. We highly recommend using a combination of these therapies.

  • If I am combining conventional reproductive therapies with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, should I wait until my conventional reproductive therapy begins before starting acupuncture?MORE

    No. Utilizing Chinese medicine before starting conventional reproductive hormone therapy can improve the chances of achieving a pregnancy. Using Chinese herbal therapies requires our licensed acupuncturists to carefully consider the individual and all treatments he/she is receiving, whether pharmaceutical, Western interventions, or other complementary care, in order to properly formulate a plan for treating infertility for the patient and his or her family.

Respiratory Conditions

Acupuncture: A breath of fresh air for respiratory patients.

Over the centuries, Chinese medicine has focused on the dynamics of the lungs and their ability to bring “Qi” (breath) into the body.

Chinese Medicine has a long history of treating those day-to-day respiratory infections that impact our lives. It has become common practice to “hand out” antibiotics for every upper or lower respiratory condition. Unfortunately, many of the common respiratory conditions are viral or fungal rather than bacterial, and this unnecessary overuse of antibiotics is impacting your and your children’s health.

Chinese medicine has the ability to treat viral, bacterial, and fungal conditions that affect our respiratory system. If you present a condition such as this at the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic, we will assess you and the presentation of the illness, and create a treatment plan that will address the condition. Your condition should begin to improve immediately.

  • Can Chinese medicine help asthma?MORE

    Asthma can be a response to a local pathogen, whether bacterial, fungal, or viral, that could lead to asthma if not treated properly. When this occurs, it is common to have chronic asthma. Chinese medicine can successfully treat childhood as well as adult asthma. Acupuncture has a written history of successful treatment of this condition for more than 2,000 years.

  • What about seasonal allergies?MORE

    Chinese medicine has been shown to effectively treat seasonal allergies. Patients who come to the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic for other conditions often remark that their allergies have improved, even when this was not the focus of the treatments. This illustrates that the effects of acupuncture are not limited to the chief complaint; Chinese medicine impacts one’s health overall. Allergy treatments are addressed differently, depending on whether one is experiencing acute distress or is in between seasonal episodes and exhibiting symptoms at a given point in time.

  • What about someone with constant respiratory illnesses?MORE

    When the lung Qi has been compromised, our body’s ability to ward off illness has been compromised. Our first level of defense against illness lies in the lungs.

    If something has impacted your lung Qi, or you are constantly being exposed to a pathogen, this can lead to poor health. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help to strengthen the lung Qi in order to bring balance and to prevent the recurrence of these conditions.

Cancer

Chinese medicine serves as an adjunctive therapy in cancer patients.

Acupuncture is being used more frequently to manage the side effects of cancer treatments, which include chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and also the extreme fatigue that accompanies the modality. Acupuncture is also being used to treat symptoms that affect the patient’s quality of life, such as weight loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and poor appetite.

  • Will acupuncture negatively impact my chemotherapy treatments?MORE

    Acupuncture will not interfere with one’s chemotherapy treatments. It is important to share with your licensed acupuncturist every pharmaceutical drug that you are taking, along with any supplements. At your first visit, we will evaluate any supplements that you have been taking to ensure that they complement your other treatments.

  • I have developed peripheral neuropathy. Can acupuncture help with this side effect?MORE

    Acupuncture is used for treating all types of peripheral neuropathy. Please mention this immediately to your licensed acupuncturist if you begin to experience the effects of peripheral neuropathy. The sooner you begin treatment with acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy, the better your results will be.

Menopause

What is menopause, and how can acupuncture and Chinese medicine help?

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been used for centuries to treat the symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, irregular or excessive uterine bleeding, poor memory, weight gain, and migraine headaches. From a Chinese medical perspective, as estrogen levels decrease, our bodies naturally direct yin energy back to the kidney in an attempt to preserve vitality. This can mean that we may move into a temporary imbalance of yin and yang energies as our bodies adjust and compensate. Acupuncture and herb supplements can redirect yin and yang in order to alleviate symptoms associated with this transition.

  • How many treatments will it take? MORE

    Menopause is a complex process that occurs differently for each woman. Some suffer with strong symptoms and others barely notice the change as they transition through. A typical course of treatment is 6 - 10 weekly visits with a gradual reduction in frequency of treatments as symptoms improve. A treatment plan will be discussed and developed as part of your first visit. Diet and lifestyle will also impact your treatment and your practitioner will talk with you about these as well.

  • Will herbal medicine be useful?MORE

    Yes. Because menopause is associated with a temporary and relative deficiency of yin and yang in the body, it is helpful to treat the conditions with acupuncture and herbs.

  • What type of herbs may be useful?MORE

    Traditionally, herbs are prepared as teas. However, there are also many pill formulas available. You may discuss the best options for you with your practitioner.

PMS

Experience the relief that you need to thrive.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been used to treat symptoms associated with menstrual cycles for centuries. The language of Chinese medicine describes the monthly cycle in relation to the organ systems most closely associated with the production and movement of Qi and blood. These are the liver, spleen, and heart. PMS symptoms of breast tenderness, irritability, cramping, fluid retention, headaches, and depression are treated by identifying patterns of disharmony between these organ systems and rectifying these imbalances. Treatment strategies change throughout the cycle to reflect the physiological changes that occur throughout the month.

  • How many treatments will it take? MORE

    A typical course of treatment is 6–10 weekly visits with a gradual reduction in frequency of treatments as symptoms improve. A treatment plan will be discussed and developed as part of your first visit. Treatments are often timed to coincide with your cycle, perhaps emphasizing treatment in the two weeks leading up to menstruation. Diet and lifestyle will also impact your treatment and your practitioner will talk with you about these as well.

  • Will herbal medicine be useful?MORE

    Yes. Chinese herbal medicine is particularly effective in the treatment of PMS, with some of the mostly widely used and effective formulas being employed for this purpose. Herbs are useful for allowing free movement of Qi and blood. Herbs can help relieve pain and tension associated with PMS.

  • What type of herbs may be useful?MORE

    Traditionally, herbs are prepared as teas. However, there are also many pill formulas available. You can discuss the best options for you with your practitioner.

Pediatrics

Safe and effective solutions for children.

There is a Chinese proverb that says, ”Children’s yin and yang are clear and spirited. They easily and quickly regain their health.” This proverb illustrates the observation that children respond rapidly to treatment and can quickly recover from illness. Children respond well to acupuncture and herbal medicine. Additionally, they often become excited about having treatment and develop a sense of self-confidence through the process of receiving treatment.

  • How do you perform acupuncture on children?MORE

    Children’s acupuncture treatments are different from adult treatments; fewer acupuncture points are needed and the retention of the needle is not as long. For children under one year old, the acupuncture point may just be stimulated by the needle and removed. Needles are typically retained in accordance with the child’s age. The treatment can occur with the child in the parent’s lap, sitting in a chair, or lying down.

  • What age children do you treat?MORE

    We treat newborns to teenaged children.

  • How frequently will they need treatment?MORE

    Frequency of treatment depends on the severity and duration of the illness. Treatments are more frequent for more severe or acute illnesses. A treatment plan, including the frequency of treatments, will be determined at the child’s first visit.

  • How do you get kids to take herbal medicine?MORE

    Our clinic provides a liquid, tinctured concentrate of herbal medicine, which is the most convenient method for children. In some cases, custom tinctures are made for individual children. Pills, powdered formulas, and teas are other forms of herbs that are appropriate for children. Essential oils that are used internally and externally are an additional method of providing herbal medicine to children.

  • What kind of conditions do you treat in children?MORE

    Our clinic treats a wide range of pediatric conditions including early childhood infectious disease. Common conditions we see include digestive distress, hyperactivity, autism, allergies, and frequent colds. We also treat children that do not have a primary complaint. Acupuncture is an effective way to promote optimal health in both children and adults.

  • How do children react to acupuncture?MORE

    Children respond rapidly to acupuncture. Typically, the child will experience relief of symptoms, have a more even temperament, and benefit from more restful sleep. Children frequently walk away from the treatment feeling proud about the experience.

  • Is there any research that supports the safety of acupuncture for children?MORE

    Yes. In November 2011, The American Journal of Pediatrics published a systemic review on the safety of acupuncture for children. The conclusion was that acupuncture is safe when performed by an appropriately trained practitioner.

    “The Safety of Pediatric Acupuncture: A Systematic Review
”

    Denise Adams, PhD, Florence Cheng, MD, Hsing Jou, MD, Steven Aung, MD, PhD, Yutaka Yasui, PhD, and Sunita Vohra, MD, MSc

    Pediatrics Nov 21, 2011.
 doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1091

Insomnia

Rethink sleeplessness.

Sleep is a critical element of our health. Insomnia, or the inability to sleep well, can have a major effect on a person’s emotional, mental, and physical health and well-being. Insomnia can present itself in different variations, including being unable to fall asleep, as well as not being able to stay asleep through the night. Sometimes an individual can also sleep through the night but not wake feeling rested and renewed. Chinese medicine can help to promote restful sleep and can address chronic insomnia, nightmares, or even sleep apnea. Insufficient or poor quality of sleep can contribute to irritability and exhaustion as well as impaired mental function, muscle aches, and other significant health problems.

  • What if I am always waking up at the same time?MORE

    From a Chinese perspective, the time that one awakens during the night is an important clue about overall health. All the meridians and organ systems have peak times of the day and night when they are most active or most quiet. The times that you awaken can point to an imbalance in certain meridian systems. For example, many people wake between one and three o’clock in the morning. This is a time when the energy of our liver meridian is active. By addressing the energies of the liver system, or the system that is regularly impacting our rest, sleep can be improved.

  • How can lifestyle affect one’s sleep?MORE

    Stress impacts not only our emotional body, but influences our physical health and our sleep as well. When we sleep at night, our body actually rests best if we have adequate resources for it to draw upon. So a practitioner will ask about your lifestyle, stressors at home, activity levels, and nutrition.

  • Are there herbal medicines that can help me sleep?MORE

    Yes. Herbal medicines can often help with sleep. Once the nature of the sleep imbalance has been identified, herbs can be prescribed that address the underlying imbalances. Used alongside acupuncture treatments, sleep can often be improved dramatically.

Digestive Health

Find digestive balance through acupuncture.

Common disorders of the digestive system include nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea, as well as abdominal discomfort. Digestive disturbances constitute one of the most common health concerns addressed by both Western and Chinese medicine in the United States. Digestive complaints often result in prescriptions of over-the-counter medications. Yet, there are more effective and natural ways to address many of these conditions. A number of disharmonies can contribute to digestive conditions. Stress is a major influence on our stomach’s disharmony. In Chinese medicine, we describe stress as impacting our Earth element, our stomach/spleen, and we call this “Liver overacting on Earth.” A common treatment plan involves a comprehensive analysis, including collecting history on the social and psychological stressors in one’s life, as well as determining the imbalances that have led to the gastrointestinal complaint.

  • How often do I need to have treatments?MORE

    Digestive conditions can often be addressed through weekly treatments of acupuncture. Once a diagnosis is made, herbs may also be prescribed. Also one’s nutrition plan, as well as stress factors in an individual’s life, can be areas of focus. As all of these are brought into awareness and addressed, changes occur within the body. These changes may occur immediately, and you will begin to notice changes in the presentation of your symptoms. Your body will become more harmonious while eating and processing food. You should begin to see a difference no later than the third treatment.

  • Will your practitioners direct dietary changes?MORE

    What we eat has a huge impact on how our body processes nutrients. There are many different diets or ways of eating based on culture, philosophy, and taste. You will be asked to fill out a food journal of what foods and drinks you take into your body. Some of your diet may need to be modified for your body type, from the perspective of Chinese medicine. We will advise you on foods and work with you on finding a diet that supports your overall health and well-being.

  • I have never had a good appetite. Are there treatments that can help to improve my appetite?MORE

    Food and eating are complex issues. They often involve our feelings about food, the patterns we developed as children, and how we have assimilated these beliefs in our adult lives. Our culture and religion can influence our food choices. Our eating habits—whether we eat on the go or sitting down at a table—as well as stress levels are all factors that affect our feelings around eating and our digestive health. So your appetite is actually the result of a complex system, involving a lot of different elements. By looking at these elements, and getting treatments to harmonize the body systems, your appetite can often change significantly.

Men’s Health

More often than women, men fail to seek treatment when necessary. This reluctance may lead to increased illness.

Until recent years, men’s issues, such as prostate conditions, male infertility, and erectile dysfunction, were not commonly discussed. It is important for men to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for these conditions. Chinese medicine can effectively treat a number of men’s health concerns.

Prostate Conditions:

The prostate is a reproductive gland located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It wraps around the urethra, a tube that carries urine from the bladder. The prostate produces most of a male’s semen.

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland, resulting in swelling, pain, and urinary difficulties. Most men who seek acupuncture treatment for prostate conditions already have a diagnosis by a doctor, or have a specific set of symptoms.

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), or an enlarged or swollen prostate, is generally considered a normal part of the aging process. When the prostate gland becomes enlarged, it can cause problems with urination because it squeezes the urethra or presses on the bladder. Not all men with prostate enlargement show symptoms. Symptoms of BPH include frequent, urgent, or painful urination, urinary hesitancy at the beginning or dribbling at the end of urination, or weak urine stream.

Conventional treatments for prostate conditions may include medications such as antibiotics, hormone therapies, or medications that regulate blood flow. Surgery may be recommended for certain prostate conditions to improve urine flow or to remove the prostate completely. Because these treatments can have varying side effects, many men seek more natural alternatives.

  • How does Chinese medicine address prostate conditions?MORE

    Chinese medicine can help relieve symptoms associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostatitis by removing the underlying causes of symptoms. Although many energetic patterns can be involved in these conditions, Chinese medicine often focuses on two main channels.

    The liver channel flows through the lower abdomen and genital region and greatly affects reproductive health. Stress, poor diet, alcohol, recreational drugs, and lack of exercise can cause the liver Qi to become stagnant, resulting in a lack of necessary circulation to the organs. The kidney energy governs sexual and reproductive functions. Kidney energy can decrease due to the normal aging process, overworking, and excessive sexual activity, resulting in fluid retention or decreased function and blood flow.

  • What does treatment for prostate conditions involve?MORE

    As part of your medical intake interview, your acupuncturist will discuss not only the symptoms you are having related to the prostate, but also about your health in general. Although a Western diagnosis is helpful, your practitioner will be treating you based on your individual patterns of disharmony (i.e., your Chinese medicine diagnosis). Based on that diagnosis, your practitioner will design a treatment plan that may include acupuncture, herbal formulas, and diet and lifestyle changes.


    Your practitioner will assess your overall health and determine the number of treatments needed. Typically, it is recommended that a patient come for treatment once or twice per week while symptoms are obvious. After symptoms begin to resolve, the visits will become less frequent.

  • Should I continue to have regular PSA screenings and check-ups?MORE

    The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test measures the levels of PSA in the blood, a substance the prostate secretes. High levels of PSA—usually 4.0 ng/mL or higher—can indicate the presence of prostatitis, enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer.

    The PSA test can provide a measure of how well you are responding to acupuncture treatment, but we know the PSA screening is not perfect. There has been long-standing debate surrounding its use in routine testing. The PSA test often produces false-positive results, sometimes misses cancer, and sometimes it finds something suspicious that turns out to be harmless. Also, the PSA test is unable to determine the difference between aggressive and benign prostate cancers.

    All things considered, we are most concerned with how you are feeling and how your signs and symptoms are improving. However, the PSA test can provide us with additional information that can be helpful in guiding your treatment.

Common Conditions

Pain:

headaches, migraine, back pain, shoulder pain, arthritis, hernia, joint pain, post-surgical pain

Women’s Cycles:

PMS, menstrual disorders, fibroids, cysts, endometriosis, menopause symptoms, fibrocystic breasts, vulvodynia

Infertility and Pregnancy:

fertility enhancement; complementary care for IVF, IUI, and other Western infertility treatments; prevention of miscarriage; morning sickness; breech fetus; labor induction; postpartum care; nursing issues; mastitis

Digestive Complaints:

irritable bowel, acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gallstones, food allergies, colitis

Lung and Immune Health:

cold, flu, asthma, cough, sinusitis, sinus pain, frequent illness

Skin:

eczema, hives, acne, dry skin, scars, rashes, psoriasis

Sports Medicine:

performance enhancement, sprains, strains, broken bones, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, tennis or golfer’s elbow, rotator cuff injuries, back pain, shin splints

Men’s Cycles:

prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, BPH, men’s fertility, testicular pain

Heart & Circulatory Health:

atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, palpitations, benign sinus tachycardia, angina, anemia

Emotional & Psychological Issues:

depression, stress, anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, ADHD and ADD, PTSD, bipolar

Liver Health:

hepatitis, detoxification, drug dependence, cirrhosis

Pediatrics:

colic, earaches, teething, rashes, frequent illness, 
autism, allergies, night terrors, bed-wetting, cradle cap

Sleep Disturbances:

insomnia, nocturia, restless leg, sleep apnea

Eyes:

iritis, retinal detachment, macular degeneration, conjunctivitis, dry eyes, styes

Urinary Health:

incontinence, nocturia, bladder prolapse, frequent urinary tract infections, kidney stones, interstitial cystitis

Extraordinary Conditions

Adjunctive Cancer Therapy:

chemotherapy support, lymphoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, blood disorders

Fibromyalgia / Chronic Fatigue

autoimmune conditions: Crohn’s disease, Sjögren’s syndrome, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Raynaud’s syndrome

Children’s Health:

cerebral palsy, autism, Down’s syndrome, childhood infectious diseases

Neurological:

vertigo, Ménière’s disease, tremors, neuropathy, shingles, post-herpetic neuralgia

Endocrine:

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, andropause, adrenal fatigue