Healing from the inside out
A complete system of care developed over three thousand years. Custom herbal formulas, moxibustion, Gua Sha, and nutritional guidance work together with acupuncture to treat the root of your condition, not just the symptoms you feel today.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is not one thing. It is a system of complementary therapies, each with a specific role. At Shanghai Acupuncture Clinic, we draw from four core modalities and combine them based on what your body needs.
Custom formulas built from the Chinese materia medica to address your specific pattern of imbalance. Taken as teas, granules, or pills between visits to extend and deepen your healing.
Gentle, warming heat from burning mugwort applied near specific acu-points. Used for conditions involving cold, dampness, or stagnation, and especially effective for digestive, reproductive, and joint issues.
Smooth-edged tool strokes applied along the meridians to release muscle tension, improve circulation, and move stagnation. A powerful adjunct for pain, stiffness, tension headaches, and respiratory conditions.
In Chinese medicine, food is medicine. We offer guidance on which foods support your specific constitution and condition, which to minimize, and how to eat in a way that strengthens rather than depletes.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the oldest continuously practiced medical systems in the world. Refined and documented over more than three thousand years, it is built on a fundamentally different premise than Western medicine: instead of isolating a single cause and treating it, TCM reads the whole system and restores its balance.
What Western medicine calls a headache, digestive issue, or chronic fatigue, TCM reads as a signal. The body is telling you that something deeper is out of alignment. The symptom is the outer expression. The work of TCM is to find and resolve the inner pattern.
We read your whole system, pulse, tongue, constitution, and symptoms, to identify the underlying pattern causing your condition.
We support the body's own healing intelligence. No medications that override your natural systems. No side effects competing with benefits.
Two patients with the same Western diagnosis may receive very different Chinese medicine treatments, because the patterns behind the condition are different.
TCM complements acupuncture and extends its effects between visits. It is especially valuable for chronic conditions, long-term healing, and constitutional support where weekly treatments alone are not enough.
Addresses the underlying imbalance, not just the symptoms you feel today.
Herbs and guidance keep the healing process moving even when you are not in clinic.
Herbal formulas and food therapy that calm the nervous system and restore natural rhythms.
TCM has a long track record with fertility, menstrual health, menopause, and thyroid support.
Rebuilds a strong, resilient digestive system, the foundation of long-term health in TCM.
Addresses the exhaustion beneath the fatigue instead of masking it with stimulants.
Builds protective Qi so you recover faster, get sick less often, and respond better to seasonal change.
Addresses anxiety, stress, and overthinking through herbs and food, not just talk therapy.
Every herbal formula we prescribe is individualized. Unlike off-the-shelf supplements, Chinese herbal medicine is designed for your specific pattern, adjusted as you heal, and never one-size-fits-all.
We take your full history, feel your pulse, examine your tongue, and identify the pattern at the root of your condition.
We build a formula from the Chinese materia medica, combining herbs that work together to address your specific pattern.
Your formula is provided as granules, pills, or raw herbs to prepare at home, with clear instructions for use.
As you heal and your pattern shifts, we adjust your formula. This is not a static prescription, it evolves with you.
TCM consultations are longer and more in-depth than typical medical visits. We are gathering a complete picture of you, not just treating a complaint. Here is what to expect.
Arrive a few minutes early to complete a detailed health history including your main concerns, medications, and lifestyle.
Your practitioner asks about sleep, digestion, energy, mood, temperature preferences, menstrual cycle, and more. Everything connects.
Your pulse is read at multiple positions on each wrist. Your tongue is examined for color, shape, and coating. Both are precise diagnostic tools.
Based on your pattern, you receive acupuncture and any appropriate in-session TCM techniques like moxibustion or Gua Sha.
Your custom herbal formula is explained, food guidance is discussed, and your follow-up plan is set. You leave with everything you need.
TCM excels at chronic, complex, and stubborn conditions where conventional medicine has offered limited options. Below are the areas patients most often seek Chinese medicine for.
Chinese herbal medicine is extremely safe when prescribed by a trained practitioner. But herbs are real medicine with real effects. That is why we screen for interactions with your medications, source only from trusted pharmacies, and adjust formulas as your body changes. Here is how we keep you safe.
A few practical details so you can plan your TCM consultation with confidence.
The questions patients ask most about Chinese medicine, herbs, and safety. If you have one we have not answered, call us or book a free consultation.
Real stories from patients who added Chinese medicine to their care. Often what finally resolved a long-running issue was a combination of acupuncture, herbs, and food, not any one thing alone.
IVF had not worked after three rounds. My fertility specialist suggested Chinese medicine. Six months of acupuncture and herbs later, I got pregnant on the next round. I will never know what was the deciding factor, but I am deeply grateful.
I had been on acid reflux medication for almost a decade. After four months of Chinese herbs and food adjustments, I no longer need the medication. My doctor is cautiously impressed.
Post-COVID fatigue had me functional but half-alive for nearly a year. The formula they built for me slowly rebuilt my energy over three months. I finally feel like me again.
TCM is strongest when combined with acupuncture and the rest of the Chinese medicine toolkit. Here is how our other services pair with your herbal and constitutional care.
The foundation. Regular acupuncture sessions work on the same patterns your herbs address, amplifying both treatments.
Learn more →For chronic pain or nerve conditions, electro stim combined with herbal support produces deeper, more lasting results.
Learn more →Cupping clears external stagnation while herbs work from within. Especially powerful for chronic pain and respiratory issues.
Learn more →Hands-on bodywork along the meridians. For patients who prefer non-needle therapy, tui na pairs beautifully with herbal medicine.
Learn more →The fastest way to get started is to pick up the phone. Tell us what is going on and we will help you decide whether a Chinese medicine consultation is the right next step. Most new patients are seen within the same week.
(404) 728-8896Your first consultation is free. We will listen to your full story, assess your pattern, and build a TCM plan tailored to your constitution and goals. No pressure, no obligation.