Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

Passionately serving Pierce and King Counties: Covington, Maple Valley, Kent, Tacoma, Puyallup, and the beautiful Western Washington


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ALLERGIES

Allergy is defined as the disease of our immune system in which our body overreacts to certain substances, such as dust, pollen, grasses, mold, etc.

According to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the 3rd most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old. An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from all types of allergies (that’s 1 in 5 Americans) including indoor/outdoor, food & drug, latex, insect, skin, and eye allergies.

So, if you are one of the many people who suffer from stuffy/runny nose, watery eyes, itchy skin, allergic contact dermatitis, even sinusitis or sinus infection, we can help! At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your allergy through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques.

The general treatment approach for allergy will be to balance your immune system by strengthening the function of the affected organs such as your lungs and digestive system, as well as making sure that there is optimal blood circulation throughout your body. This is because blood contains chemicals and protein needed for your immunity (e.g., antibodies, white blood cells, interferon, complement protein, etc).

To treat your allergy naturally (without the side effects of those over-the counter anti-allergy drugs), we utilize Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and the power of healthy eating to strengthen your immunity. CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

ANXIETY & DEPRESSION

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older – reported by Anxiety & Depression Association of America. It costs our country more than $42 billion a year, almost one-third of the country's $148 billion total mental health bill, according to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60(7), July 1999.

It's not uncommon for someone with an anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression or vice versa. Nearly half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Some categories of anxiety disorder include: Generalized & Social Anxiety Disorders, Panic Disorder, Phobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

If you experience anxiety/depression that is persistent, overwhelming, and interferes with your daily activities, or have been diagnoses with the above category of anxiety disorder, we can help! At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your anxiety/depression through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques.

According to Conventional Medicine, anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, anxiety & depression are the results of functional impairment of such common organs as the Heart, Liver, and Kidney. These disorders are signals your body displays to inform you that “something is out of balance”.

We have successfully treated hundreds of patients with anxiety/depression naturally (without the side effects of the prescription drugs) by utilizing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs to improve the functions of your organs. In some cases, depending on the causes of the disorders, we also see great results through the combination of Acupuncture/Traditional Chinese Medicine and psychotherapy. CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

ASTHMA

In 2011, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 1 in 12 people (about 25 million) in U.S have asthma, and the numbers are increasing every year. Asthma costs our country about $56 billion in medical costs in 2007. Thus, greater access to medical care is needed for the growing number of people with asthma. Asthma medicines come in two types—quick-relief and long-term control. Quick-relief medicines (i.e. corticosteroids) control the symptoms of an asthma attack. Long-term control medicines (i.e., anti-inflammatory drugs, leukotriene inhibitors) help you have fewer and milder attacks, but they don’t help you while you are having an asthma attack. Unfortunately, most of these medications can cause side effects such as irregular heartbeat, chest pain, headaches, nausea, insomnia, shaking/tremor, etc. If you want to reduce your asthma attacks and improve your lung functions naturally, as well as lower the amount of asthma medications that you’ve been taking, then Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs are the answers for you. We are here to help you! At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your asthma through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques. To treat asthma successfully, we utilize the synergistic effectiveness of Acupuncture and Chinese herbs to decrease the inflammation as well as open the narrowed/blocked airways. As the symptoms improve, the treatment will focus on strengthening your lungs and immune system. So what are you waiting for? CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

COLD & FLU

How can you tell if you have Common Cold or Flu?
These two types of illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms; it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.

Common cold is a viral infection of your upper respiratory tract, affecting your nose and throat. If it's not a runny nose, sore throat and cough, it's the watery eyes, sneezing and congestion — or maybe all of the above. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Flu is also a viral infection (caused by the influenza virus), which affects the lungs and the whole body. In general, the flu symptoms are worse than those of the common cold—fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense.

With the help of the diagnostic techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we are able to differentiate between Common Cold and Flu as well as successfully treat both of them. Chinese herbs have been around for about 5000 years. They are perfected over time through human trials and the results are extremely effective. Most of the components of Chinese herbal medicine have very low toxicity compared to even common, over-the-counter Western drugs**. When prescribed correctly by certified herbalists, they should have very few or no side effects at all—only beneficial healing results.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs have been used for thousands of years to successfully help people prevent the occurrence as well as reduce the incidence of both Cold and Flu. For those who are currently suffering from Cold/Flu, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can help you strengthen your immune system and shorten your length of illness safely and effectively.

Got a cold or flu? Don’t let it linger and bring you down! We can help! CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation.

** Decongestants can increase blood pressure and heart rate, and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Antihistamines often make people drowsy and can make mucus secretions thicker, which can be a problem for people with asthma.

QUIT SMOKING

“Planning to quit smoking? You are doing the right thing!”

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for more than 440,000 Americans each year, with an estimated 49,000 of these deaths from exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking-related illness in the United States costs $96 billion in medical costs and $97 billion in lost productivity each year1.

For those of you who are non-smokers and are exposed to other people’s tobacco smoke, be careful! Each year, about 46,000 nonsmokers in the United States die from heart disease and an estimated 3,400 of them die of lung cancer each year – all caused by secondhand smoke2. In other words, for those who smoke, you are not only harming your own body, you are also killing the people around you (including your loved ones) who are exposed to your cigarette smoke.

Quitting smoking is difficult and may require multiple attempts. Those who attempt often relapse because of stress, weight gain, and withdrawal symptoms. The good news is, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can successfully help you quit smoking. Generally, one of the largest difficulties in smoking cessation is going through nicotine withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and increased appetite.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the treatment strategies for smoking cessation will be to utilize Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs to clear inflammation and repair the affected organs such as:

Lungs - Smoking interferes with your lungs’ natural cleaning and repair system as well as destroys the tiny hairs known as cilia that line the upper airways to protect against infection. Liver – Nicotine is metabolized in the liver.

We also need to improve blood circulation in the body because smoking results in the constriction of blood vessels.
So what are you waiting for? CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses—United States, 2000–2004.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2008;57(45):1226–8 [accessed 2013 Feb 21].
2. King BA, Dube SR, Tynan MA. Current Tobacco Use Among Adults in the United States: Findings from the National Adult Tobacco Survey. American Journal of Public Health 2012 Nov;102(11):e93–e100 [cited 2013 Feb 21].

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

According to The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), IBS is diagnosed when a person has had abdominal pain or discomfort at least three times a month for the last 3 months without other disease or injury that could explain the pain. The pain or discomfort of IBS may occur with a change in stool frequency or consistency or be relieved by a bowel movement. IBS is often classified into four subtypes:

  • IBS with constipation (IBS-C) – (constipation > diarrhea)
  • IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) – (diarrhea > constipation)
  • Mixed IBS (IBS-M) – (diarrhea = constipation)
  • Unsubtyped IBS (IBS-U) – (alternating constipation and diarrhea less than 25% of the time)
Do you anyone who is suffering from IBS? If yes, we can help! With Traditional Chinese Medicine, our goal is not just to suppress your symptoms. Rather, we strive to eliminate the root cause(s) of your IBS so that the problem itself can be eradicated. Traditional Chinese Medicine, which include Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs are natural, safe, time-proven, and extremely effective.

At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss the source(s) of origin of your IBS through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the most common causes of IBS include poor functions of your digestive tracts, which include your stomach and intestines. This can be caused by unhealthy diet and lifestyle, toxin accumulation, etc.

Another important factor is the poor hepatic blood flow. Research has shown that stress (which has been known to exacerbate IBS) can impair the liver blood flow, which ultimately can damage the liver1. Roughly 75% of the blood entering the liver is the venous blood returning from the intestines, stomach, pancreas, and spleen into the portal vein. So, without good blood flow, the liver is unable to filter the unwanted particles contained in the venous blood. In turn, as the liver becomes sluggish, this will affect the blood circulation in the intestines, stomach, pancreas and spleen – making the digestive tract sluggish.

Our treatment strategies will be to utilize Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs to detoxify and cleanse your digestive tracts, improve blood circulation in your liver and GI tracts, as well as calm down your mind. On top that, we will also conduct nutritional counseling with you because we believe that healthy food is your ultimate medicine.

CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Yoichi Chida, Nobuyuki Sudo and Chiharu Kubo. “Does Stress Exacerbate Liver Disease?,” Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 20 (2006) 202- 208.

MENOPAUSE

Menopause is another important phase in a woman’s life. It marks the end of a woman’s reproductive period. The definition of menopause is the absence of period for at least 12 months. During menopause, a woman's ovaries stop making eggs and they produce less estrogen and progesterone. Changes in these hormones result in symptoms such as: hot flashes, excessive sweating, heart racing, insomnia, vaginal dryness, libido changes, mood swings, etc.

Estrogen have been shown to improve serum lipid profiles, carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin sensitivity; prevent bone loss through calcium absorption; prevent the formation and development of atherosclerotic plaque; reduce blood pressure and plasma fibrinogen levels; and favorably affect overall cardiac function. So, with lower level of estrogen, the body is prone to multiple health problems as well as uncomfortable symptoms.

Some of the conventional treatments for menopause include hormone replacement therapy, anti-depressants, blood pressure medicine called Clonidine, and Gabapentin (a seizure drug which helps to decrease hot flashes), etc. Unfortunately, some of the side effects of estrogen replacement therapy include: stroke, blood clots, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gallstones, dementia, etc. Other side effects related to the drugs are restlessness, weight gain, suicidal thoughts, depression, etc.

If you are experiencing menopausal symptoms and would like to feel better without worrying about side effects, Traditional Chinese Medicine can help! In this case, Chinese Herbs are effective in treating menopause by naturally supplementing estrogen and progesterone levels, thus, reducing multiple health risks as well as alleviating the symptoms of menopause. In addition, we will also conduct nutritional counseling with you as well as provide you with healthy lifestyle and exercise tips to help your body transition smoothly through this natural phase of life.

Chinese herbs have been around for about 5000 years. They are perfected over time through human trials and the results are extremely effective. Most of the components of Chinese herbal medicine have very low toxicity compared to even common over-the-counter Western drugs. When prescribed correctly by certified herbalists, they should have very few or no side effects at all—only beneficial healing results.

Looking for natural solutions for menopause? CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Rosano, G. M. C, et al. Cardioprotective Effects of Ovarian Hormones. European Heart Journal (1996) 15-19.
2. US Department of Health and Human Services (2010) Menopause and Menopause Treatments. Frequently Asked Questions, p. 8-16.
3. North American Menopause Society (2010). Estrogen and progestogen use in postmenopausal women: 2010 position statement of the North American Menopause Society. Menopause, 17(2): 242-255.

PMS & MENSTRUATION

Why is menstruation such a big deal to women?

Your period can provide a great deal of information about your overall health. A normal period should be of regular cycle and duration as well as painless. Unfortunately, due to lifestyles, diets, stress levels, hormonal imbalance, and other factors, many women suffer from a wide variety of symptoms every month – so called Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS). Symptoms include: abdominal cramps, mood changes, bloating, fatigue, breast pain, appetite changes, acne, etc.

Medications commonly consumed to deal with PMS are birth control pills (which affects your levels of progesterone and estrogen), tranquilizers and/or antidepressants, NSAIDs, etc. Although these pills may provide relief, they can cause negative side effects such as blood clots, stroke, lethargy, depression, weight gain, etc.

If you experience PMS and find yourself dreading your period every month, there is good news for you! Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can help you regain hormonal balance and also achieve symptomatic relief using safe, natural, time-proven, and extremely effective ways. Studies has shown that the use of Chinese Herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhea has resulted in twice as much pain relief and improvement in overall symptoms when compared with conventional Western pharmaceuticals1. In addition, another study has also shown that Acupuncture is very effective in the treatment of PMS, resulting in the success rate of nearly 80%2.

At Acupuncture Center, we will investigate and discuss with you the underlying causes of your PMS using various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs will be used to balance your hormones, improve blood circulation to decrease discomfort, and naturally calm your mind as well as provide you with symptomatic relief. In addition, we will also conduct nutritional counseling with you as well as provide you with healthy lifestyle and exercise tips to help you achieve a PMS-Free life.

Keep in mind; you don’t have to live with your PMS anymore!

CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Zhu X, et al "Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhoea"Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007;3: CD005288.
2. Habek, D. et al “Using Acupuncture to Treat Premenstrual Syndrome” Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2002 Nov;267(1):23-6.

INFERTILITY

Are you facing fertility issues and feeling frustrated? There is hope!

Many couples that seek fertility treatment are now able to conceive. According to research, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can increase the chance of you getting pregnant. Pregnancy is a critical period in a woman’s life whereby so much is demanded of the body. Therefore, optimal health is the key to the well-being of both mother and child. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs have been shown to be safe and effective for many symptoms associated with pregnancy such as: anxiety and stress, back pain and sciatica, constipation, edema, mood changes, fatigue, morning sickness, heartburn, hemorrhoids.

There is a long recorded history of Chinese herbs being used in the treatment of infertility and miscarriage. The first book devoted to gynecology and obstetrics, "The Complete Book of Effective Prescriptions for Diseases of Women," was published in 1237 A.D in China. One recent study concluded that management of female infertility with Chinese Herbal Medicine can improve pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 4 month period compared with Western Medical fertility drug therapy or IVF1. But if you happen to think about IVF, supplementing the latter with Acupuncture can also help increase the success rate at which pregnancy can occur. That’s how Mariah Carey and Celine Dion became pregnant.

Doctors in China use herbs to treat both female and male infertility and have reported effectiveness in up to 70 percent of all infertility cases1. When the majority of patients in China took Chinese herbs regularly, they were able to conceive within 3 to 6 months. In the United States, Chinese herbalists tend to use a lower dosage of herbs. Therefore, treatment duration may take slightly longer—usually 6 to 12 months.

Traditional Chinese Medicine fertility techniques are relatively non-invasive and can offer a better success rate for significantly lower cost. The treatment strategies are to:

  • Increase blood flow to the uterus, which improves the chances of implantation.
  • Reduce anxiety, stress and regulate menstrual cycle.
  • Regulate endocrine system, which controls ovulation, especially in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
  • Positively affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which plays a key role in fertility.
What are you waiting for? CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Ried K & Stuart K. Complement Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in the management of female infertility: a systematic review. Ther Med. 2011 Dec;19(6):319-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2011.09.003. Epub 2011 Oct 5.
2. http://www.itmonline.org/arts/fertility.htm
3. http://www.livestrong.com/article/169613-chinese-herbs-infertility/
4.http://www.naturalnews.com/035436_Chinese_medicine_infertility_treatment.html#ixzz2sOQ9jL7i

FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia is defined as an idiopathic disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. According to National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMSD) in 2011, fibromyalgia affects 5 million Americans, age 18 or older, and 80-90% of them are women. People with fibromyalgia have “tender points” on the body. They may also have other accompanying symptoms such as: trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, headaches, painful menstrual periods, tingling or numbness in hands and feet, problems with thinking and memory.

In 2006, a study done by Mayo Clinic, involved 50 fibromyalgia patients in a randomized, controlled trial to determine if acupuncture improved their symptoms. The results showed that symptoms of patients who received acupuncture had significantly improved compared with the control group1. Another study also found that acupuncture significantly improved symptoms of fibromyalgia, and the improvement was not restricted to pain relief but was also significant for fatigue and anxiety2.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fibromyalgia is usually associated with chronic inflammation due to poor blood circulation throughout the body. What cause the latter? Just as described by NIAMSD, some factors may include stressful or traumatic events such as car accidents, repetitive injuries, and certain illnesses/diseases. When there is obstruction in the blood flow, usually areas where there is less blood flow will get affected more. For example: areas of old injuries, joint areas, and extremities – thus muscle pain, joint stiffness and numbness/tingling of extremities occur in fibromyalgia patients. Besides, when inflammation occurs, blood vessels normally dilate around the inflamed area so that white blood cells can be released to fight with the pathogens causing the inflammation. Without proper blood flow, chronic inflammation will take place and become worse over time – thus the chronic onset of pain in various affected locations.

At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your fibromyalgia through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques. The treatment strategy for fibromyalgia is simply to move the blood and improve the systemic circulation through the use of safe, time-proven, and very effective Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs.

CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Mayo Clinic. "Acupuncture Relieves Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia, Mayo Clinic Study Finds." ScienceDaily, 14 June 2006.
2. Sing, B. B, Hwang, S. H., et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Altern Ther Health Med. 2006 Mar-Apr;12(2):34-41.
3. David, P., Christopher, D., et al. Improvement in Fibromyalgia Symptoms With Acupuncture: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006;81(6):749-757.

ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN

Do you know that Americans consume 80 percent of the world's supply of painkillers – more than 110 tons of pure, addictive opiates every year?

Aside from millions of people in the United States suffering from acute pain, chronic pain affects 116 million Americans and costs our country as much as $635 billion each year, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). More and more doctors have resorted to painkillers in attempt to help patients relieve their pain – the most commonly prescribed opioid being Vicodin.

Unfortunately, the focus of painkillers is not to heal the body and get rid of the pain. Instead, they numb your pain perception so that even though the problem is still there, you can no longer feel the pain. Overtime, the body will build up tolerance towards these drugs and you have to keep increasing the dose to get the same pain relief. Other than that, because opioids cause euphoria, they have been associated increasingly with misuse and abuse. More than 50 million Americans – about one in six – have admitted to abusing prescription drugs. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reported that the number of emergency room visits attributable to pharmaceuticals alone is up 97% between 2004 and 2008.

If you or your loved ones suffer from acute/chronic pain, and you prefer effective methods that are time-tested, safe, natural, and effective, Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help you! Both the National Institute of Health (NIH) and World Health Organization (WHO) have given their formal approval of the uses of acupuncture for pain. David S. Kiefer, MD, of the University of Arizona in Tucson, told WebMD in a previous interview, "But even people who are not very open-minded and try it (acupuncture), find that they feel good during the treatments." NIH also stated that the side effects of acupuncture are substantially lower than that of many drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions.

Acupuncture involves inserting very thin (hair-size), sterile needles at specific points on the body, which in turn stimulate your central and peripheral nervous system to activate your propriospinal reflexes and neurotransmitters such as beta-endorphin, enkephalins, norepinephrine, acetylcholine to help you alleviate pain and promote healing.

We have had hundreds of successful cases of both acute and chronic pain. Not only can acupuncture treat signs and symptoms of pain and discomfort, it can also get to the root of the problem. When the initial cause of the pain is corrected, your body can begin to heal on deeper levels.

Tired of living with pain? We can help! CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. http://www.asipp.org/documents/ASIPPFactSheet101111.pdf
2. http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/pdf/poison-issue-brief.pdf
3. http://abcnews.go.com/US/prescription-painkillers-record-number-americans-pain-medication/story?id=13421828
4. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PainManagement/PainManagement/27372
5. http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/acupuncture-pain-killer
6. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/acupuncture-provides-true-pain-relief-in-study/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
7. Meinck, M, Piesiur-Strehlow, B. Reflexes evoked in leg muscles from arm afferents: A propriospinal pathway in man? Experimental Brain Research. June 1981, Volume 43, Issue 1, pp 78-86

WEIGHT LOSS

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), more than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of adults in the United States are considered overweight or obese. Among young people ages 2-19, about one-third (31.8 percent) are considered overweight or obese. In 2008, the estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion. Generally, the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. Obesity is dangerous because it can lead to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

If you struggle with your weight, yet you are aware of the unwanted side effects of diet pills and surgeries (e.g. blood clots, toxic reactions, kidney/heart problems, liver problems, infections, or even death), Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can help you!

At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your excess weight through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques. Our approach is very natural and effective. There is very few or no side effect at all.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are generally different causes of stubborn weight gain. Some of them may include: sluggish digestive system due to toxin accumulation; poor ejection fraction from the heart which decreases your metabolism; serotonin deficiency which results in uncontrollable sugar craving; excess stress which increases cortisol production leading to more belly fats; side effects from medication (e.g., anti-depressant); as well as poor hepatic blood flow which decreases the efficacy of flow in the portal vein and ultimately affecting the blood circulation in the intestines and stomach.

The treatment strategies of excess weight that we will utilize at Acupuncture Center involve the use of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, nutritional counseling, and exercise tips to remove toxin from your body, strengthen your digestion, boost your circulation, and balance your hormones. Not only are you going to lose weight, you will also feel healthier and happier.

So what are you waiting for? CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Overweight and Obesity Statistics. August 2012. p. 1-8.

DIABETES

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. It affects 25.8 million people in the US2. The American Diabetes Association (2013) reported that the total costs of diagnosed diabetes have risen to $245 billion in 2012. Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower-limb amputations, blindness, heart disease, and stroke among adults in our country. Some types of Diabetes include2:

  • Type 1 diabetes - develops when the body’s immune system destroys pancreatic beta cells, which makes insulin (blood glucose regulator). To survive, people with type-1 diabetes must have insulin delivered by injection or a pump.
  • Type 2 diabetes - a disorder in which the cells lose their ability to utilize insulin to convert sugar into energy. This disease is progressive, and usually results from unhealthy diet and in some cases, genetic predisposition.
To successfully treat it, we need to collaborate with you to manage your blood sugar. Only then, can you reverse the symptoms of diabetes. In 1997, 42% Americans had used an alternative medical therapy (such as Traditional Chinese Medicine)1 to help them reverse diabetic symptoms . In fact, the treatment efficacy is so remarkable that the total visits to complementary medical practitioners (629 millions) exceeded those of the primary physicians (386 millions)1.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, diabetes is referred to as “wasting and thirsting” disorder. “Wasting” occurs because there is too much sugar in the blood, which promotes bacterial growth and the hardening of both large and small blood vessels— cutting off blood circulation throughout your body. Without proper oxygenated blood flow, cells will die (without the ability to regenerate) and the body will waste away. “Thirsting” occurs due to the body’s attempt to lower blood glucose concentration as well as help kidney get rid of the sugar in its filter chamber.

At Acupuncture Center, Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture will be used to improve blood circulation, strengthen your digestion, and kidney functions, as well as supply your body with enough fluid so that you will not be dehydrated. On top of these, we will also conduct nutritional counseling with you because we believe that healthy food is your ultimate medicine.

CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

1. Diabetes Spectrum October 2001 vol. 14 no. 4 196-197.
2. Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention. Diabetes Facts Sheet 2011, p. 11.

CANCER MANAGEMENT

Anyone can develop cancer! The older we are, the higher the risk. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease, accounting for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths. American Cancer Society stated that about 1,665,540 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2014. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that the over¬all costs of cancer in 2009 were $216.6 billion.

In a normal cell, which the immunity and regeneration power are strong, when the DNA gets damaged, the cell either repairs the damage or it dies. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA isn’t repaired, and the cells don’t die like they should. Instead, these atrocious cells multiply and invade neighboring healthy cells. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are usually the 3 main types of cancer treatment. A person with cancer may have any or all of these treatments.

In the case of cancer, the best approach is to integrate the use of conventional medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The use of Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can successfully treat the side effects of the conventional treatments, such as: low red and white blood cells as well as low platelet counts (tendency to bleed easily), low immunity (risk of infections), diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, poor nutritional intake, weight loss and delayed growth, as well as chemo-induced neuropathy.

Our treatment strategies to help you defeat the cancer and prevent recurrence will be to strengthen your immune system by boosting the function of your digestive system, as well as making sure that there is sufficient blood counts and optimal blood circulation throughout your body. This is because blood contains chemicals and protein needed for your immunity (e.g., antibodies, white blood cells, interferon, complement protein, etc). These will be done through Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, and consulting sessions on healthy eating as well as lifestyle.

We are here for you every step of the way! CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation.

INSOMNIA

“Do you know that more than 19,000 people ended up in the emergency room in 2010 after taking Ambien or other sleeping drugs with the active ingredient of Zolpidem?” – reported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

According to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorder. Poor sleep quality have been linked to motor vehicle crashes, occupational errors and hazards, poor mental performance, increased mortality, as well as reduced quality of life and productivity. People with sleep issues are also more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, and cancer.

In order to cope with insomnia, one in eight adults in US reported using sleep aids — Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2010, reported by CDC. Unfortunately, many popular sleeping pills usually contain Zolpidem and the side effects include: hallucinations, problems with memory, excessive daytime tiredness, sleepwalking and engaging in other behaviors such as eating and even driving while not fully awake and alert.

So, how to sleep restfully without experiencing side effect(s) from your pills? We can help!

At Acupuncture Center, every patient is unique. When you come to the clinic, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your insomnia through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques. Our approach is very natural and effective. There is very few or no side effect at all.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, generally insomnia is caused by the functional impairment of organs such as heart, liver, and kidney. This is similar to the concepts of Conventional Medicine in which insomnia can be caused by some medications (which affect the liver & kidney), heart conditions such as congestive heart failure, angina (which affect the heart), etc. To correct the organ functions, we will use Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, and provide you with lifestyle tips that will help you achieve a restful and good quality sleep.

CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to find out if Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are right for you.

HEADACHE & MIGRAINE

“Do you know that approximately 47% of adults throughout the world suffer from headache?” – Reported by World Health Organization in 2012. So if you suffer from one, you are not alone!

Because it is so common, people tend to turn to over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers to self-medicate their headache. Unfortunately, these OTC pills may cause unwanted side effects. According to The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (2010), people who consume NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) (other than aspirin) such as Ibuprofen may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke than people who do not take these medications. These events may happen without warning and may cause death. Aspirin can lead to heartburn, nausea or vomiting, stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as increased clotting time for blood. Acetaminophen has relatively less side effects, but when taken long-term, it can still cause liver disease.

When someone with headache takes daily medication for symptom relief, cell adaptation occurs over time. So, when the pain returns, one has to increase the dose of the analgesics to produce the same relief as before. Eventually, this can cause overdose, which may lead to liver damage, torn stomach lining with bleeding, etc.

The good news is, we can help!

Unlike prescription drugs, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs have very few or no side effects at all. They are safe, time-proven, and extremely effective! In Traditional Chinese Medicine, not all headaches are treated the same way. Based on the root causes of your headache, our treatment goal is to get rid of it for good – instead of masking it with painkillers. So, when you come to Acupuncture Center, we will evaluate and discuss with you the root causes of your headache/migraine through various Traditional Chinese diagnostic techniques.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, headache generally can be caused by a number of factors: blockage of blood circulation in the local area due to old injury, impaired blood circulation in certain areas causing vascular dilation in the affected area, sinus problem, neck problems (spinal or muscular related), overstraining your eyes, stress, hormonal, poor digestive functions, anemia, and many more.

So, which one is yours? To find out and get effective treatments, CALL our office today at (253) 486-3839 and schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation.

OTHERS

Recognized by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), below are other health concerns that we can also treat effectively:

  • Addictions (alcohol, drugs, sugar)
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Arthritis
  • Incontinence
  • Bronchitis & Pneumonia
  • Morning Sickness
  • Bursitis & Tendonitis
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Constipation
  • Urinary Tract Infections
  • Loose Stools/ Diarrhea
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Gastrointestinal Disorder
  • Dizziness
  • Acute Bell’s Palsy
  • Prostate Issues
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia



Let's Get Started!


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What People Are Saying

I truly enjoy Shirley and Ed at the Acupuncture Center. They take the time to listen and I never feel rushed. They are atentative to listening to your body's imbalances and listening to feedback on follow-up visits.

Sherry B. on Google

Shirley had helped me so much in the past several months. It has been great to find someone who will find the root of the problem and not just put a bandaid on it.

Kat T. on Google

Fantastic! I've been going for over a year and Edward he is so thorough and extremely knowledgeable. Highly recommended.

Tara L. on Google

Shirley and Edward have shown care and patience the first time I saw them. Never have I seen people who are so meticulous with such detail!

Theo W. on Yelp

My treatment has been with Shirley. She is a very caring professional and cares about all aspects of your life, not just the reason you came in. I have had nutritional counseling, Chinese herbs, and acupuncture with her, and I highly recommend her.

Kate H. on Yelp

My first impression was a peaceful and clean waiting area, the wait was, well there was NO wait really. Ed was awesome attentive and patient while I rambled on with my "issues". He spent a great deal of time evaluating my painful ankle, and explaining my treatment plan as well as the payment and insurance process.

Paula J. on Yelp
Let's Talk About Your Comfort 253.486.3839