Chinese Medicine is utilized to treat a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from acute and chronic ailments. At Ivy Heath, we specialize in:

1. Variant pain related conditions: headaches & migraines, neck pain (cervical spondylosis), shoulder pain (frozen shoulder), tennis elbow, tunnel syndrome, back pain (muscle strain, lumbar sprains), piriformis syndrome, hip pain, bodily aches & pains, sprains and strains, arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, gout, etc.

2. Gynecological disorders: menopause syndrome, irregular menostration, abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic inflammatory disease, amenorrhea, polycystic overian syndrome, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome

3. Infertility: impotence & nocturnal emission, abnormal semen, varicose vein in the testicles, infertility due to immune factor, ovulation dysfunction, pelvic disease (blockage of fallopian tube), endometriosis (abnormal uterus), cervical problem.

4. Others:

cold, flu, allergies (sinusitis & asthma), chronic cought

gastritis, ulcer, colitis, crohn's disease, constipation, chronic diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome

hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, overweight

prostatitis & prostate enlargement, urinary tract infection, bladder infection, urinary incontinence, hematurina

depression & anxiet (panic disorder), fatigue, insomnia, stress

addictions (alcohol, drugs, cigarette),

supporting of cancer recovery,

stroke recovery, nerve damage recovery

Inherited or environmental factors alter the gene expression pattern, induce the cell growth out of control and develop to the cancer. In this process, DNA repair systems and immune system are major protect systems of the individual cell and the whole body.

The treatments such like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and etc. can eliminate some or most of the cancer cells, but in the meanwhile, they will strongly reduce the ability of the body protection systems. How could we reduce the recurrence and enhance the life quality?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) including acupuncture and herbal medicine is a very useful method. Through thousands of year’s exploration, TCM takes the “tumor” as a result caused by the existence of body’s internal weakness and the exceeding pathogen. Improving the weakness becomes the principle treatment in TCM and receives good clinical benefits. Current studies found these techniques can activate immune functions, such as increasing blood cell count and enhancing lymphocyte and natural killer cells. The symptom targeting treatments are especially well known in the world, like the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Today in China, the combination of chemotherapy and radiation with TCM is encouraged by every doctor for the treatment of the cancer. One good thing at least, no severe side effect was observed in the clinics.

For more information about acupuncture and herbal medicine, please contact Dr. Xia at 949-722-7088 to arrange a free consultation.

A. Basic concept you should get from your medical doctor:

Infertility is the inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after repeated intercourse without contraception for 1 year.

Rate: About one of five couples in the United States has the problem with infertility. It is becoming increasingly common because people are waiting longer to marry and to have a child. The goal of treatment is to reduce the time needed to conceive or to provide couples who might not otherwise conceive the opportunity to do so.

Cause may be due to problems in the man, the woman, or both. Problems with sperm, ovulation, or the fallopian tubes each account for almost one third of infertility cases. In a small percentage of cases, infertility is caused by problems with mucus in the cervix or by unidentified factors.

Affect factors during the treatment:

1. Age is a factor, primarily for women. As women age, becoming pregnant becomes more difficult and the risk of complications during pregnancy increases. Also, women, particularly after age 35, have a limited time to resolve infertility problems before menopause.
2. Fertility drugs: Discuss with your medical doctor about the medication and their side effects possible on you. The woman, who no cause of infertility can be identified, may be given drugs to stimulate several eggs to mature and be released—so-called fertility drugs. Examples are Clomiphene (Clomid, Serophene) and human gonadotropins. A woman's chances of becoming pregnant are about 10 to 15% with each month of treatment.
3. Fertilization techniques: (In vitro fertilization (IVF), Intracytoplasmic sperm injection and Gamete intrafallopian tube transfer (GIFT)): The chance of producing a full-term baby are only about 18 to 25% each time by using these techniques. Artificial insemination selects only the most active sperm may be tried.
4. Psychal factors: One or both partners may experience frustration, emotional stress, feelings of inadequacy, and guilt. Feeling isolated and unable to communicate, they may become angry at or resentful toward each other, family members, friends, or the doctor. The emotional stress can lead to fatigue, anxiety, sleep or eating disturbances, and an inability to concentrate.
5. Financial burden and time commitment involved in diagnosis and treatment can cause marital strife.

B. How Chinese medicine, included acupuncture can help?

1. Background: Possessing descendants were the most important factor for a Chinese in the tradition. Chinese doctors have faced the infertility and explored this problem for thousands of years and accumulated the particular techniques. The obstetrics and gynecology (included fertility) are most important part in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Until current day, their amazing efficiencies still cannot be replaced.
2. According to the theory of Chinese Medicine, fertility is a normal physiological function of human body. The normal pregnancy and labor can only occur under the condition that the energy  (in common name Qi) in all meridians of the body is in perfect balance and harmony. Deficiency, excesses or irregular flow of Qi is considered as the reason of the infertility. Chinese herbs and acupuncture are the most used techniques to adjust this imbalance in a nature way without serious side effects and become much attention in whole world.
3. Evidence in science: Scientific studies have showed the acupuncture stimulation can significantly increase the blood flow in uterus. This increase blood flew is recognized as the sign of the opportunity of the pregnancy. A new study on infertility has found that having acupuncture before and after the IVF increases the chance of pregnancy for women by 62%. More reports have showed that the Chinese herbs can help fertility by adjusting the period regularity, promoting the ovulation, and improving the hormone balance and immune status. Dr. Xia is very happy to chare these information with you in his office.
4. Trust experience: The gynecology, included infertility in Chinese medicine is the most challenging part. Not every acupuncturist can easily handle it. He must be very well trained under a good teacher and has own experiences in the practice. Dr. Xia has inherited the extended knowledge from the family and practiced it for more than 20 years in china. The pregnancy rate in his practice is about 40%. If combination with IVF, the rate is even higher.

C. How many treatments do infertility patients need?
The time is arranged by the patient condition. Bring your medical record; I will perform the initial exam, including history taking, general physical examination, pulse and tongue diagnosis (but no pelvic exam and breast checking in the office). I will determine the outline of the treatment and adjust it according the patient response. Some patients need only several treatments, can reach the optimal balance, some may need two or three months. During this time, customized safe and effective Chinese herbs are recommended to accelerate the normalization process. 

If you plan to have IUI or IVF, I suggest you to have the acupuncture treatment one or two month before the operation. This will bring you optimal status to reach the best result. An additional 3 treatments are given between ovulation and the subsequent pregnancy test.
After positive test, acupuncture can be used to strengthen the pregnancy and prevent the miscarriage, about once a week for first three month. (Miscarriage could be 50% if the woman is over 40.)

D. Things to concern:

1. You told me that Chinese herbs are very effective. But are they safe?

In China, the herbal formulations have created for thousand years. Through this long term, only these safe and efficient remedies remained and inherited to the next generations. The remedies are mostly formed from a group of the herbs to avoid the possible toxic or side effect and reach the maximum affect, and used to treat the root cause of an imbalance of an individual as determined by an experienced practitioner, and are never intended as an over the counter self-determined supplements nor as a symptoms oriented commercialized product. 

The safe herbs can become unsafe when it is misconstrued and mis-promoted by herbal companies for the use by the general public.  Such as the ephedra (containing ephedrine), it is extremely safe when it is used in the Chinese formula in small dose with other herbs for Colds and Flu. But it could cause serious side effect by misuse in a single large dose for weight loss.

In very infrequent case, the adjustments in dose or discontinuing of a herb may be necessary if the adverse reactions occur, like dry month, flatulence, or temporary change of bowel movements.

3. Are Chinese herbal medications contain hormones?

There are reports that some plants contain trace amount of hormone like estrogen or progesterone. Dr. Xia uses only the hormone-free herb extract. These herbs have been extracted at the manufacture to destroy its hormones.  They can be taken before or even during (if needed) IUI and IVF cycles.  It will not off set any blood tests such as FSH, Estrogen or Progesterone levels. 

3. I am a vegetarian, is there any animal part in the herbs?

Only pure plant remedies will be prescribed and prepared.