My Services



Consultation (Back to Top)

Find out how and if Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can help you! An initial consultation can be done with or without an acupuncture appointment the same day.  You may expect to spend 45 minutes in conversation about your health issues; after which time a brief Meridian Imaging scan will be done. Your own Personal Integrated Energy graph will be provided for you. Call (630) 347-4678 to schedule a consultation today! 



Acugraph Meridian Imaging (Back to Top)

Acugraph brings Acupuncture into the 21st century. AcuGraph Digital Meridian Imaging is the cutting edge of Evidence-Based Acupuncture. Based on Ryodoraku acupuncture, AcuGraph provides complete information about your meridian energy (Qi) balance. AcuGraph is like having a lab test for acupuncture.



What is Acupuncture Video (Back to Top)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXgVz4ZqAxo



Acupuncture (Back to Top)

An introduction to Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective:
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique for unblocking Qi (chi) by inserting thin, sterilized, disposable needles at particular points on the body to balance the opposing forces of yin and yang. Qi is an energy that permeates all things. It is believed to flow through the body along the 14 main pathways called meridians. When yin and yang are in harmony, Qi flows freely within the body and a person is healthy. When a person is sick, diseased, or injured, there is an obstruction of Qi along one or more of the meridians. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has identified some 500 specific points where needles are to be inserted for specific effects.

Western Medical Perspective:
Acupuncture is a scientific system that helps restore and maintain health by stimulating nerve impulses that travel via the spinal chord to the brain. This then causes the release of many different chemicals such as endorphins, muscle relaxants, and histamine that help promote a biochemical balance. All of the systems of the body including the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, the central nervous system, the immune system, and the endocrine system, are affected during an acupuncture treatment, bringing about a decrease in pain, relief of symptoms, or resolution of the illness.

Who can Acupuncture help?
Acupuncture is a primary medicine for two thirds of the world’s population. Research has shown that it can help with many problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists more than 40 conditions for which acupuncture is an effective therapy. Reflections of Life is not limited to the treatment of the conditions listed below. Some of the commonly treated ailments are:

Reproductive/OB Gyn Disorders:
• Infertility
• Morning Sickness 
• Menopause
• IVF Preparation
• Menstrual Disorders
• PMS

General Wellness and Health Maintenance:
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• ADHD
• Weight loss
• Strokes
• Insomnia
• Smoking Cessation
• High Blood Pressure
• Fatigue
• Poor Circulation
• Diabetes
• Bells Palsey
• Tinnitis
• TMJ
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Incontinence

Pain from Muscle and Soft Tissue Disorders:
• Low Back Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Sciatica
• Arthritis
• Neck Pain 
• Joint Pain
• Headache
• Migraine
• Sports Injury
• Repetitive Use Injury

Gastrointestinal Disorders:
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Hemorrhoid
• Heartburn/Acid Reflux 
• Bloating
• Cramping
• IBS

Metabolic and Immune System Disorders:
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Chemo/Radiation Therapy Side Effects

Respiratory:
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Bronchitis
• Common Cold
• Influenza
• Sinusitis
• Cough



Chinese Herbal Medicine (Back to Top)

Herbal Medicine is the therapeutic use of plants and minerals and is one of the oldest forms of health care in the world.  Depending on your specific needs, we recommend specific herbs that produce and contain a variety of chemical substances that act upon the body.  Different herbs have been effectively used for a wide range of medicinal purposes including pain relief, hormone balancing, sleep enhancement, improved digestion, skin soothing, and stress relief.

For information on the safety of my line of herbal formulas: http://www.kanherb.com/cons_pi_traditionals.asp



Cupping Therapy (Back to Top)

Cupping is a therapy in which a jar is attached to the skin surface to cause local congestion through the negative pressure created by introducing heat in the form of an ignited material. In the ancient times in China, cupping method was called " horn method. " The animal horn was used to dispel stagnation. Along with continual development in clinical practice, the materials for making jars and the methods have been greatly improved. The range of indications has been expanded, since this method is simple and the therapeutic effect is good. Cupping therapy has attracted a great deal of attention and is applied on a large scale by the broad masses, and is also used as an auxiliary method of acupuncture and moxibustion The cupping method has the function of warming and promoting the free flow of qi and blood in the meridians, diminishing swellings and pains. In clinics, the cupping method is mainly used to treat pain of the low back, shoulders, and leg, sprains and strains, gastrointestinal disorders such as stomachache, vomiting, diarrhea, and lung disease such as cough and asthma. Cupping is a great way to relieve those tight, achy, and knotted muscles.



Tui Na Massage (Back to Top)

Tuina (Tui Na) is an Oriental Bodywork Therapy that has been used in China for 2,000 years. Tuina (Tui Na) uses the traditional Chinese medical theory of the flow of Qi through the meridians as its basic therapeutic orientation. Through the application of massage and manipulation techniques Tuina (Tui Na) seeks to establish a more harmonious flow of Qi through the system of channels and collaterals, allowing the body to naturally heal itself.  Tuina (Tui Na) methods include the use of hand techniques to massage the soft tissue (muscles and tendons) of the body, acupressure techniques to directly affect the flow of Qi, and manipulation techniques to realign the musculoskeletal and ligamentous relationships (bone-setting). External herbal poultices, compresses, liniments, and salves are also used to enhance the other therapeutic methods.  Tuina (Tui Na) has a variety of different systems that emphasize particular aspects of these therapeutic principles. The main schools in China include: 1) the rolling method school which emphasizes soft tissue techniques and specializes in joint injuries and muscle sprains, 2) the one finger pushing method school which emphasizes techniques for acupressure and the treatment of internal diseases, 3) Nei Gung method school which emphasizes the use of Nei Gong Qi energy generation exercises and specific massage methods for revitalizing depleted energy systems, 4) the bone setting method school which emphasizes manipulation methods to realign the musculoskeletal and ligamentous relationships and specializes in joint injuries and nerve pain.



Gua Sha (Back to Top)

Gua Sha (gwa shaw) is an accessory healing technique that involves palpation and stimulation where the skin is pressured, in strokes, by a round-edged instrument, typically a ceramic soupspoon. The goal is to relieve stagnation and promote circulation and metabolic process.

Typically used in the treatment of acute infectious illness (i.e.: the common cold), upper respiratory and digestive problems, stiffness, fever, chills, cough and nausea. Gua Sha also provides relief from pain.



Electro Acupuncture (Back to Top)

Electroacupuncture is similar to traditional acupuncture in that the same points are stimulated during treatment. Like traditional acupuncture, needles are inserted on specific points along the body; these needles are then attached to a device that generates continuous electric pulses using small clips. The sensation during treatment is one of tingling or buzzing.

During the treatment, the frequency and intensity of the impulses being delivered are adjusted, depending on the condition being treated. Pairs of needles are used so that these impulses can pass from one needle to another and several pairs of needles can be stimulated simultaneously.