TCM Healing Center

YES, ALL THE DRS. THERE DO CUPPING & Traditional Chinese Medicine. There is a person who does body work there, but don't know what method. The center is wonderful!!!

Menopausal syndrome is not a disease. It is a natural transition in a woman’s life that indicates the cessation of ovarian function resulting in permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle. Usually, a healthy woman can go through this physical transition without much suffering. However, some women do experience menopausal related symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, sleeping disorders, mood swings, irritability, generalized or intellectual fatigue, vaginal dryness, painful sexual intercourse, and a decrease in bone density, which leads to loss of height and fragile bones that are more prone to breaking (osteoporosis). Usually, these symptoms will not appear simultaneously but gradually at differing times, and some symptoms may be worse than others.

If you lean toward hot and prefer a cooler environment, we suggest that you do not take hot baths. If you are a cyclist, we recommend that you do not wear tight-fitted pants or biker shorts, and that you keep your riding to a minimum.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) views your body as a whole and treats the body in its entirety. Because of this, you will begin to feel an increase in energy, your sleep will be more restful, your mind will feel more focused, clear and sharp, you will feel an overall sense of well-being and relaxation, and any depression, discomfort, and anxiety you might have felt will be gone. Most importantly, you will be able to see positive changes in your semen analysis report. Eighty percent of patients report that their bodies tend to over-heat, their hands and wrists are warm and clammy, and they perfer cooler environments. Twenty percent of patients report the exact opposite, they are cold all the time, and their hands and feet are cold and clammy. This is related to an imbalance in your reproductive system. Once this imbalance is addressed and treated using TCM, you will feel a noticeable difference.

If the patient follows the advice well by making appropriate changes to his diet, taking the herbal formula as prescribed, and receiving regular acupuncture treatments, he will see results. Discipline is key. Keep in mind that you only need to strictly follow our instructions for a short duration of time - not years - so you can do it!

It is imperative to receive treatment from an acupuncturist who specializes in male infertility. The typical traditional Chinese medical treatment for treating male infertility is to tonify the Kidneys, assuming that the infertility is due to a Kidney deficiency. However, in our clinical experience we find that most male infertility cases do not respond well to this treatment protocol.we have discovered that we usually have to clear what is known in Chinese medicine as heat, wind, cold, dampness, phlegm, and/or toxins out of the body before we can begin tonifying the Kidney energy. Otherwise, patients may get worse rather than better. It is equivalent to pouring clean water into a dirty container. Getting rid of toxins from the body is not easy. Each patient is like a unique lock - the right key must be found. Our specialized training in male infertility allows us to find just the right key for each patient in an effective, efficient manner!

Again, every practitioner produces varied results. In our clinic, if a patient receives regular treatments for a duration of 3 – 4 months and follows the professional practitioner's advice, he will almost always see significant positive results on his next semen analysis report.

Acupuncture is subtle, gentle, and comes with almost no side effects. We combine a group of single herbs to create a formula, rather than a high dosage of one single herb. This approach allows the individual herbs to work synergistically together and balance each other out. With the proper dosage and combination of herbs, patients rarely experience any negative side effects.

The results vary from practitioner to practitioner. Acupuncture treatments are like art work, the same point can be utilized by many acupuncturists, but the technique can produce completely different results. Plus, proper traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis is very refined and takes years of clinical experience and specialized training to learn and understand. Not all TCM practitioners get trained in the area of male infertility.

Not at all. The same presenting condition may have a completely different root cause. Our treatment plans are based on a highly individualized approach. The treatment you receive depends on the traditional Chinese medical diagnosis, not only on Western diagnosis. For example, low sperm count may be the result of more than twenty diverse causes. Hence, each individual's treatment plan will vary.

We recommend getting an acupuncture treatment twice a week for the first couple of weeks, then once a week for the remaining treatment plan. However, in some cases, patients can only come once a week. Although this is not optimal, a patient can still get good results.

Each person’s response varies, but normally it takes 2 – 4 months to see a noticeable change. In some cases, it only takes 4 weeks to see results.

It is estimated that men are responsible for up to 40-50% of infertility among couples. There is little to no Western medical treatment available for men suffering from infertility. IVF is currently the only option. In our practice the majority of women pursue IVF because of male factor infertility. Acupuncture and herbal medicine have a great success when semen analysis shows decreased sperm count and motility, poor or slow liquification, and low or abnormal morphology. Recently, studies show that acupuncture, when directed at motility and morphology, can improve semen abnormalities. If you are unwilling or reluctant to receive acupuncture treatments, we highly recommend that you come in for herbal and nutritional consultation. Although this approach is not as effective as when combined with acupuncture, taking a customized herbal formula can improve sperm abnormality a great deal.

Yes, acupuncture combined with moxibustion can definitely help turn breeched babies (especially when there are no structural obstacles). Studies confirm that moxibustion has more than a 70% success rate when used to turn breeched babies. This technique has been used for centuries in China. Moxibustion involves burning an herb close to your skin on a specific point that is known to stimulate the baby’s movement. The best time to apply this method is during week 29 – 34. The point and channel selection are key when attempting this treatment protocol, and if the practitioner is experienced, this modality will not cause an early labor.

Acupuncture can help to restore the mother’s energy level after the stress of birth and can help with the following conditions: • Post-partum depression and anxiety • Post-partum abdominal, vaginal, and back pain • Post-partum fatigue • Insufficient lactation or excessive milk production • Mastitis • Post-partum constipation and hemorrhoids • Post-partum carpel tunnel syndrome, wrist pain, and joint pain

The majority of pregnant women experience some degree of morning sickness. This is a normal process and is the body’s way of communicating to you that you are pregnant and your body is beginning to change. In addition to morning sickness, hormonal changes can cause physical discomfort, fatigue, chills, sleepiness, sinus congestion, nausea, lack of concentration, irritability, et cetera. Acupuncture is a great treatment modality that continually keeps the central nervous system and hormone levels in balance during pregnancy. It helps blood flow to the uterus and helps the body become stronger so as not to miscarry. Acupuncture can work on special meridians (Stomach and Spleen) to increase the vital energy to the body and help alleviate most, if not all, of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with pregnancy.

Chinese herbs have an experiential history that spans thousands of years. As with any other medicine, single herbs do have side effects and contraindications that are well documented, especially during pregnancy. If the herbs are prescribed by an advanced traditional Chinese medicine gynecological specialist, who is highly experienced, there should be no side effects at all. The goal is to create a specialized formula that continues to balance the body’s hormonal levels, while maintaining a normal pregnancy, and avoiding any potential risk factors related to medical conditions. The end result is having a healthy baby and mother. The prescription of Chinese herbal medicine is based entirely on the patient’s body type, symptoms, signs, a correct pulse finding, and proper diagnosis. Usually the customized herbal formula is safe for the specified condition during the specified time.

Acupuncture, as a form of holistic medicine, does have precautions and contraindications. If performed properly by a highly experienced practitioner, acupuncture is an extremely safe modality. There are virtually no potential complications or side affects, even in children and during pregnancy. Not only does acupuncture not have any harmful affects on the baby or mother during pregnancy, it can improve blood flow to the uterus, thereby nurturing the fetus and creating an easier pregnancy and healthier baby.

We highly recommend that you begin receiving acupuncture and herbal medical treatment 3 months prior to beginning IVF. In women, this will help improve the egg quality and regulate hormone levels. In men, this will improve the semen quality and quantity. During the IVF procedure, acupuncture can increase the quality of follicles and improve the quality of uterine blood circulation, creating a thickening of the uterine lining, and ultimately enhancing the ability for implantation. If successful conception occurs, emphasis is on preventing miscarriage and minimizing 1st trimester symptoms such as nausea and morning sickness.

Acupuncture has a balancing effect on the body. It stimulates the normal regulative center of the brain, thus only influencing those hormones that are out of balance and helping them fall within their proper homeostatic range. Acupuncture, therefore, helps regulate the hormonal imbalance and alleviate the side effects caused by IVF medication.

We highly recommend that you begin receiving acupuncture and herbal medical treatment 2 or 3 months prior to the IVF procedure. This will allow your body time to attempt to reach homeostasis by making your central nervous system and hormonal system balanced. Many patients can require several months to 1 year of treatment before receiving IVF. The recommended treatment schedule varies for each individual and is based on a variety of factors. You are recommended to come once or twice per week until your egg retrieval and embryo transfer.

A number of patients that we currently treat have been receiving acupuncture while undergoing IVF or IUI treatment. Our special training allows us to competently enhance the Western treatment you are receiving, while minimizing any side affects you may be experiencing from the treatment, thereby increasing your success rate!

Stimulates brain function to regulate hormonal release and aids overall reproductive health Improves blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, allowing for increased amounts of quality follicles and a thickening of the uterine lining which nourishes and enhances implantation. Increases endorphin production, which in turn promotes the release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GNRHR ) to regulate reproduction. Decreases the affects of stress on the adrenal glands to enhance the hormonal balance for fertility. Normalizes plasma hormone levels to promote fertile cervical mucous: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone. Normalizes the Hypothalamic – Pituitary – Ovarian Axis, a key component in fertility. Combats polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). (Source: New Hope for Couples with Infertility Problems, Theresa Fox and Dr. Paul Gindott – 2002 Dec.)

If you are not presently taking hormones, we recommend that you record your basal body temperature (BBT) every morning when you first wake up. The BBT chart is not the best method available to detect ovulation, but it is an excellent method to get an idea of your hormone fluctuation pattern (including estrogen, progesterone, ovulatory, even thyroid function, etc.) By observing changes in the BBT pattern from month to month, it can be used as an index to measure your progress. Regular acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment focuses on improving overall health. Therefore, as a patient receives a series of acupuncture treatments, many will experience easier menses, less or no PMS symptoms, increased energy, decreased anxiety, and better quality of sleep – in other words improved general health. When good health comes, conception is not too far behind.

The acupuncture treatments and customized formulas are unique to each person and also differ during each stage of the cycle. For example, during a woman’s menses, the acupuncture treatment is geared towards clearing stagnation, releasing congestion like premenstrual tension syndrome, and preparing for the primordial follicle to grow. During the ovulation stage, we balance the hormones in order to promote the release of eggs in a timely manner. During the luteal phase, a treatment protocol is established and maintained to lower stress levels and support embryo implantation by thickening the uterine lining.

You can begin receiving treatment anytime during your cycle. One time is not better than another. Once you begin treatment, acupuncture should be received on a regular basis throughout your cycle. Compared to many of the fertility medications, that provide a powerful affect for a short duration, acupuncture, in general, is very subtle. However, the cumulative affect from consistent acupuncture and herbal treatments can produce significant long lasting results.

The problem is that most of the studies are conducted utilizing a Western medical modality, which means that certain conditions are treated by the same group of points and/or herbs repeatedly for a set length of time. This does not correspond well with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In TCM, the same illness or symptoms can have varying root causes, which require different treatment approaches. This is why only a small part of a large group will get positive results. The beauty about Chinese medicine and what sets it apart from Western medicine is its unique diagnostic and treatment method that is specified and catered to the individual. Even the smallest of symptoms such as headache or no headache, chills or no chills, sweating or no sweating, body aches or no body aches, fever or no fever, can have an enormous impact on the treatment protocol.

It is better to focus on one complaint at a time. Keep in mind that in many instances, all of your various symptoms are most likely derived from the same root cause. If this is the case, a long-term approach is ideal. For specific symptomatic relief, your acupuncturist should concentrate on one thing at a time. Your body will respond better to this type of treatment because it knows exactly where to focus. It can be likened to driving a car – you can’t turn right and left simultaneously. If you ask for more, often times you get less

Chinese Medicine is a holistic paradigm. The philosophy of this medicine considers what a person does and does not do on a daily basis to greatly impact their health. Chinese Medicine works best when patients are dedicated to their own healing. It is essential to adopt healthy daily habits such as balanced and informed nutrition, exercise, and stress management techniques. Additionally, it is important that patients maintain consistent care by keeping regular appointments and drinking herbal teas as prescribed.

In general, acute conditions require fewer treatments, and chronic conditions often require a longer commitment to regular treatment. Since every patient’s health condition and constitution are unique, the number and frequency of treatments varies. Typically, the recommendation is 1-2 treatments per week for a month or even several months. Many patients experience some relief after the first few treatments. Some conditions many require 9 to 12 months to completely change the body’s energy flow and restore balance. Pain syndromes may require multiple treatments each week, tapering off as the pain is reduced. Fertility issues often require only once-a-week treatments, but the treatments may require 3-12 months to regulate the hormonal balance. Just like the seasons, healing occurs in cycles. Recovery may include periods of change and then may plateau. While undergoing therapy for one aliment, other problems may resolve and over time, general health will be enhanced.