Medical Acupuncture Clinic offers a full range of services for treatments in Chinese Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs.

Patients visit our office for many of the following treatments, if you have a special case please contact us directly at (610) 526-9598.

Pain Management Acupuncture is a safe and proven effective treatment of chronic pain. The exact mechanism of action in biomedical terms is not fully understood, but it releases endorphins (natural painkillers), interacts with the pain signals going to the brain, reduces inflammation and triggers a healing response in the body, which leads not only to decreased pain and inflammation, but healing. Acupuncture triggers the body's own painkillers, which are completely natural and don't damage the body like pharmaceuticals. You may feel a mild feeling of euphoria, and other side effects may include improved quality of sleep, improved digestion, and a general feeling of well-being. Acupuncture does not simply reduce the pain, but brings about healing of the tissues. Chronic pain comes from damage of the tissues, or perceived damage, that has not been resolved. If there is damage it can be healed, and if it is a false alarm, it can be shut off. The goal is to be pain free, for good.

Infertility Acupuncture for the treatment of infertility has been made popular by the media and recent clinical studies proving its efficacy. But acupuncture and herbal medicine for infertility have been very important aspects of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Fertility was one of the main concerns of the royal families of China, since an heir was needed to maintain the dynasty. Because of this, the royal physicians greatly advanced the science of fertility medicine, and their research over thousands of years with acupuncture and herbal medicine has produced an effective and natural treatment for infertility. In order for you to conceive, your body should be in optimal health. Most importantly your menses should be regular. We will regulate your menstruation through acupuncture, herbal medicine, and diet, and you will take you basal body temperature (BBT) and record it on a BBT chart. With this chart we will monitor the improvement of your menstrual cycle, with special attention to ovulation. After treatment for a couple of months you will be in a much better condition for conceiving and bringing a baby to term. Clinical research shows that acupuncture greatly increases the chances of success with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Scientists believe this may be due to relaxation of the smooth muscle of the uterus, making it more receptive to the implanted embryo. For women undergoing IVF treatment I follow the same protocol that has been proven effective in the clinical trials.

Stress and Anxiety Acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments for stress. Acupuncture does not simply calm the mind and relax the muscles temporarily but brings lasting balance to various systems of the body and breaks the cycle of imbalance. The mental strain and anxiety of a fast-paced work environment often leads to headaches, insomnia, muscle tension, panic/anxiety disorders, palpitations, fatigue, emotional disturbances, weight gain, digestive disorders and countless other problems. Anxiety is usually a combination of factors which, over time, lead the nervous system to remain in an over stimulated state. Some of these factors include caffeine and other stimulants, overwork, lack of sleep, excessive grief or depression, and poor nutrition, among many others. Anti-anxiety medication, muscle relaxants and pain killers can make you feel drugged, and are just masking the problem. For insomnia, drugs such as Ambien and other sleep-aids not only cause drowsiness in the morning and the occasional sleep-walking/eating episode but they also are not solving the root of the problem, they simply become an expensive and unhealthy habit. Acupuncture and herbal medicine on the other hand allow the patient to naturally fall asleep, feel calm, or be without pain, even after the treatments and the herbs are finished. This is because acupuncture does not simply treat the symptom but treats the underlying cause of the imbalance. Acupuncture causes relaxation almost immediately. In fact one of the most common effects of acupuncture, when treating any illness, is a feeling of profound calm after atreatment. When acupuncture is used specifically for anxiety, not only is there an immediate relaxation, but there is a lasting calm, a balancing of the nervous system. Acupuncture does not simply mask the symptoms. Unlike medication, every acupuncture treatment brings the nervous system closer to that ideal balance, and once this is achieved, acupuncture is no longer needed.

Herbal Medicine Chinese herbs are an important aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The history of Chinese herbal medicine dates back even before the development of acupuncture. Chinese herbs are prescribed in formulas that are specifically designed for the patients needs. The herbalist will make a diagnosis and prescribe a traditional formula that corresponds to the patient's pattern and disease diagnosis If the patient is taking an herbal decoction or tea, then a formula can be custom designed, unique to the patient's specific condition at that time. As the patient's health changes so will the formula need to change to best fit the patient's needs. Patients may also prefer to take pills, tinctures, etc.

Women's Health PMS/Menstrual Issues Many women think that they just need to learn to live with it when it comes to problems with their menstrual cycle. But nothing could be further from the truth. A woman need not have pain during her menstruation, nor does she have to endure heavy bleeding, emotional disturbances or any of the various problems she may have during her menstruating years. The women of Asia have known this for thousands of years. Acupuncture is extremely effective at regulating a woman's cycle. Menstruation is an accurate indicator of the overall state of heath within the body. If a woman's body is out of balance, it will almost always show itself as a symptom related to the menstrual cycle. And when the woman's body is brought back into balance, a healthy cycle is able to confirm that all has been made well. Menopause Chinese herbs and acupuncture for menopause have come into the spotlight recently because of the dangers of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and the search for more natural and healthy alternatives. Certain herbs and foods with phytoestrogen compounds like black cohosh and tofu can help by imitating estrogen in the body and ease the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes (hot flushes), night sweats, insomnia etc. But this in not the best way of going about it. Even using black cohosh as HRT can be harmful as it has been linked to liver damage. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs reduce and then eliminate the hot flashes etc. but they do so by going with, as opposed to against, Nature. Menopause is a transition. Menopause symptoms result from unbalanced hormones during the transition. Instead of simply trying to replace the estrogen, and keep this natural process from happening, what should be done is to allow this transition to happen smoothly and to bring about a new balance to the hormones. Acupuncture balances the hormones of the body and brings about the health and wellbeing that results. Not only are the hot flashes etc. reduced and brought to an end but the result is a healthy newfound balance.

Depression Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance that has built up over the years. The stresses of life, pent up emotions, lack of sleep, poor diet and lack of exercise are all possible contributing factors in bringing about this chemical imbalance. Acupuncture can help you break this cycle of imbalance and emerge from your depression. The World Health Organization (WHO) has determined that acupuncture has been proven through controlled clinical trials to be an effective treatment for depression. What is unique about acupuncture for depression, is that you don't need to take it forever like depression medications. Acupuncture is not a crutch to prop up the imbalance, it is a tool that brings about lasting and genuine balance, so that after a course of treatment, you will need no help leading a happy and healthy life. Once you have emerged from your depression, you will want to live in a healthy and well-balanced way in order to prevent getting depressed in the future. This means eating and sleeping well, getting exercise, and learning how to manage your stress. These things are very difficult to do when you are depressed, as depression often makes you not want to exercise, may disturb your sleep and cause you to crave and eat bad foods. But after you have emerged from your depression, you will find joy in these activities, you will feel good after exercising, and appreciate the taste of good food. I will help you regain your balance, and keep it.

Arthritis Acupuncture is best known for its treatment of pain, and one of the most common applications is arthritis. But it must be stressed that acupuncture does not simply mask the pain like painkillers, but helps to heal the arthritic joint at the same time that it takes away the pain. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage of the joint has been worn down, increasing friction, which causes pain and inflammation. In this case acupuncture is used to maintain the health of the joint while reducing pain and inflammation. At the same time dietary and lifestyle habits may also need to be modified so that the body may heal and preserve what is left of the cartilage in the joint. The importance of diet and lifestyle in the health of the joints cannot be overstressed. There is an old Chinese proverb: "The patient who takes their medicine but neglects diet, wastes the skills of the physician." Although acupuncture has been proven effective in reducing the pain of arthritis, it should not be used alone. Herbal medicine and dietary therapy are very important to reduce inflammation and bring about lasting joint health.