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Why Chinese Herbs

During your time at MCA your acupuncturist might have brought up adding Chinese Herbs to your treatments. Why? The simplest answer is, sometimes acupuncture isn’t the only or best way to address various health concerns.

Chinese herbs are the medicine that makes Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM as it is commonly referred to) a complete system of healthcare. It is the yin to the yang of acupuncture. There are thousands of traditional formulas of herbs, all of them based on a system of understanding that combines taste (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, & bland) and temperature (cold, warm, hot) of a plant material (leaves, twigs, bark, roots) to create a desired effect on the chemistry of the body. An easy analogy for Chinese herbs is food. We eat certain foods to have certain effects inside the body. For example, lemons are bitter and sour and create the pucker that helps to create saliva, while bone broths would be considered sweet and bland and help to repair tissue after illness. Chinese herbs are used to help the body to repair itself over time instead of masking the symptoms like an over the counter medication would.

Chinese herbs can be used to address a variety of symptoms and conditions. They are not recommended for everyone, especially those on certain medications like blood thinners, but in the right circumstance herbs can help improve conditions faster than acupuncture alone. At MCA we like to use acupuncture first and then add herbs as needed (or desired) on a patient by patient basis. All of our acupuncturists are board certified in Chinese Herbology, and during their training spent many hours studying Chinese herbs and formulas. All of the Chinese herbs at MCA are tested for safety and efficacy, and come as a pill similar to a supplement. We carry a wide array of formulas that address everything from constipation and menstrual issues to the common cold and sinus congestion. Chinese herbs range in price, and can cost anywhere from $10-15 for a two week supply.

So the next time you see your acupuncturist, ask how Chinese herbs could benefit you!

Two questions we are often asked are: “What does community acupuncture mean?” and “How are you able to offer treatments on a sliding scale?” We thought we’d spend time on these two questions since their answers tend to go hand in hand.

POCA describes community acupuncture as providing acupuncture “within a context of accessibility created by consistent hours, frequent treatments, affordable services, and lowering all the barriers to treatment that we possibly can, for as many people as possible, while continuing to be financially self-sustaining.” This means we want to treat as many people as possible for as little cost to you as possible while still being able to pay the bills!

Those of you that have been to our clinic know this access to affordable acupuncture means we have multiple treatment chairs in two rooms. We often have two acupuncturists working at the same time. We also allow you to CHOOSE what you will pay since we want acupuncture to be affordable for as many people as possible. What you may not know is that our acupuncturists see patients EVERY TEN MINUTES! You may wonder, “Am I still getting the best treatment I can?” The answer is, “Yes! We truly believe you are!”

Before you even arrive for your appointment your acupuncturist has reviewed your chart. This includes going over notes from your previous treatments and the types of treatments that were administered. By the time you are snuggled into your favorite recliner your acupuncturist has a good idea of your progress and treatment plan. After you fill your acupuncturist in on how things have been progressing they administer the treatment as efficiently as possible. By the time you are settling in for some quiet, your acupuncturist is probably already talking to their next patient.

So how can you ensure you get the most out of each appointment? Turning off your cell phone when you arrive and speaking softly are great ways to prepare yourself to relax. It is also crucial to arrive at or before your appointment time. Being late means you might not get the attention you want from your acupuncturist, someone else will have to wait to be seen, or we may not be able to treat you at all!

To clarify we have updated our lateness policy to ensure everyone gets the most out of each appointment.

Lateness Policy

If you miss your appointment time (10 or more minutes late) you can be seen by the same practitioner with whom you had your original appointment, if they can fit you in. If they are fully booked you may be able to see another practitioner if there are openings. If no appointments are available you will need to reschedule your appointment.

Clinic Updates!

Donate to MCA

Donations to MCA help fund our pay-it-forward program and are tax deductible. For every $20 donated to MCA, we will give 1 free acupuncture treatment to a community member.

New Patients

Please call to schedule your first visit. You will be able to schedule subsequent appointments online.

Acupuncture for Veterans

MCA is a Community Care Network provider through the VA. Veterans can request a referral from the VA and receive acupuncture treatments at no cost to them with an active referral.

COVID-19 Appointment Guidelines & Illness Guidelines

Masking is optional

We provide surgical and KN95 masks at the front desk free of charge

Patients can request that their acupuncturist wear a mask while treating them

Please reschedule if…

You feel ill or have any symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, or new loss of taste or smell. Even if you have tested negative, please wait until your symptoms have subsided to come in for an appointment.

You currently have allergies and can’t control coughing or sneezing.

At your appointment:

Check in with the receptionist.

If you are new to our clinic, please fill out our online paperwork before your appointment time or arrive early to fill it out in the office.

Pay for your appointment before heading back to the treatment room.

Sliding scale is $20-$50.

Enter treatment room, choose a chair with a Ready sign in the seat.

Blog

Your Role in Community Acupuncture

Milwaukee Community Acupuncture

Clinic Updates!

Donate to MCA

New Patients

Acupuncture for Veterans

COVID-19 Appointment Guidelines & Illness Guidelines

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