Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine | How We Treat

At Well Woman Acupuncture, we practice TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)…

Acupuncture is a more than 2,000-year-old system of healing that involves placing hair-fine needles into specific points on the body. Stimulation of these points is associated with many health benefits, including endorphin release, reduction in pain & inflammation and improved hormone signaling to name a few. Acupuncture is effectively used for many complaints, from the common cold to more complex issues such as infertility & endocrine dysfunction. There are a multitude of studies correlating acupuncture to improved reproductive function, from menstrual issues & infertility to menopause.

At Well Woman Acupuncture, we use only sterile, disposable needles and practice gentle manipulation of each needle so that you remain comfortable and relaxed during your treatment.

Other modalities that we may use in conjunction with acupuncture include: electrical stimulation (e-stim), cupping, gua-sha or moxibustion.

E-stim is the application of mild electrical currents to acupuncture points via probes placed on acupuncture needles. This technique is often used in treatments to increase uterine artery blood flow & to stimulate labor, as well as reduce inflammation in acute & chronic pain.

Cupping & Gua-sha

Cupping & Gua-sha are both techniques that stimulate blood circulation and promote muscle relaxation by applying suction (cupping) or surface pressure (gua-sha) to local areas on the body.

Moxibustion (moxa) is a technique that involves burning dried mugwort on or near acupuncture points to warm or activate the point. This technique is often used in infertility and menstrual disorders. We also use moxa to turn a breech baby.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Most women’s health conditions benefit from the use of Chinese herbs, especially when used in conjunction with acupuncture. These herbal remedies are designed to address your specific TCM diagnosis and can often significantly speed up your response time when compared to acupuncture alone.

Singly, Chinese herbs have individual medicinal properties, but they assume different properties when combined with other herbs. This is called an herb formula. At Well Woman Acupuncture in Boulder, we house over 350 different single herbs that are then made into customized formulas that address your specific needs, according to your condition, your age, and/or the different stages of your menstrual cycle. The use of Chinese herbs also depends on whether of not you are undergoing IVF / IUI and at what stage you are in the process. As your condition improves, the herbal formula will continually be modified to address your changing health.

When practiced correctly, Chinese herbs are relatively inexpensive and safe to use with few, if any, side effects. However, they are powerful medicines, as such, must be practiced by well-trained, qualified Chinese herbalists. You can rest assured that each practitioner at Well Woman Acupuncture has completed the requisite training necessary to sit for the National board exams in herbal medicine (NCCAOM) and have advanced study and experience in the use of herbs for women’s health and fertility, as evidenced by inclusion in the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM).