Specialties

Northridge Acupuncture’s specialties include treating back pain, sciatica, gout, migraines, depression, and fibromyalgia. You can find more information on each specialty treatment below. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us for more information.

Body Pain & Headaches

Using acupuncture and Chinese medicine & herbs, we are able to treat any part of your body that you are feeling pain in, whether that be shoulder, back or neck pain. If you are experiencing slight headaches, then acupuncture is best. The needle stimulates the nerves to release hormones to trigger responses from your body. This response leads to the relief of any migraines or tension headaches.

Infertility

We can significantly increase your chances of conception if your infertility is due to Amenorrhea, Endometriosis, Irregular, and Anovulatory Menstrual Cycles, Luteal Phase Defect LPD, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease PID, Premature Ovarian Failure POF, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome PCOS, Stress, Poor Egg Quality, Thin and Unresponsive Endometrium, Cervical / Uterine Factors, Immunological Factors, Fallopian Tube Factors, or Ovulation Factors.

Acupuncture is able to increase the chances of pregnancy through natural conception, IVF, IUI, and other ARTs because it has been clinically shown to regulate and stabilize hormone levels, help produce more follicles, increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries by lowering impedance, thicken the endometrial lining, reduce the chance of miscarriage, strengthen the immune system and the overall health of the body, reduce stress, absorb nutrients and maintain an ideal weight, facilitate relaxation, improve the quality of sleep, or have no side effects - does not introduce toxicity to you and your baby.

Below are some frequently asked questions regarding acupuncture and infertility. If you still have questions, please reach out to us.

  • Absolutely. Acupuncture is extremely effective in preparing the uterus for pregnancy. We believe that much of our success in treating infertility arises from our techniques for increasing blood flow and nutrients to the uterus and balancing hormone levels. These treatments benefit not only those who suffer from a thin uterine lining, but every woman who is trying to become pregnant.

  • The answer depends on the cause of the blockage. If the blockage is due to chronic inflammation or scarring from infection, then acupuncture treatment may take several months or even years to be effective. On the other hand, if there is no physical blockage of the tube, but rather a decreased tube diameter due to stress or cramping, then acupuncture will have a much better and faster effect.

  • Absolutely. We have seen many cases of infertility that were caused primarily by poor egg quality. These patients often have other signs of poor circulation, such as cold extremeties and low energy. In these cases, the root cause of the poor egg quality is most often due to decreased circulation to the uterus and the ovaries. If we find that is the case, our treatment will be focused on increasing blood flow and nutrients to this area. Western studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly alter blood flow to the uterus.

  • Yes. There are many causes of high FSH, but in our experience, it is often falsely attributed to old age and written off as a natural decline of ovarian function. We have observed that many women suffering from high FSH may also have one or more of the following symptoms: 1) poor circulation (cold hands and feet), 2) neurological disorders, and 3) endocrine disorders. If we find that poor circulation is the cause, our treatments will be aimed at improving blood flow and nutrients to the uterus and ovaries, as Western studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly alter blood flow to the uterus and regulate hormone levels. If we find that a neurological disorder is the cause, our treatments will be aimed at improving neurlogical function. And lastly, if an endocrine problem is the root cause of the infertility, our treatments will be directed towards improving endocrine function.

  • Yes. Endometriosis causes infertility because of endometrium-like tissue growth on the ovaries and its connecting ligaments and blood vessels. Not only does this restrict blood flow to the reproductive organs, but it can also cause immense pain and discomfort. Our treatments will thus be directed at 1) reversing the root cause of the endometriosis 2) improving blood flow to the ovaries and 3) reducing any associated pain and discomfort.

  • Ovarian cysts can arise when there is a hormonal imbalance that disrupts the normal female menstrual cycle, leaving an unruptured egg inside the ovary, which can then grow to become a cyst. The majority of ovarian cysts are benign and do not cause any symptoms. However, when they do become enlarged and multiply, a condition called PCOS, they can interupt the normal functioning of the ovaries.

    For women who have benign cysts, we recommend receiving acupuncture treatment to reduce the chances of developing further complications. For women who are already diagnosed with PCOS and PCOS-related infertility, we can help by treating the root cause of the PCOS. Treatments will be focused on balancing and regulating important hormones related to PCOS. We have also noticed that many of our patients who suffer from PCOS also have back/spine related problems, and hence, our treatment will focus on improving spine and back function. Once these problems are addressed, we will focus on re-establishing and increasing blood flow and nutrients to the uterus and ovaries. Patients will observe more regular menstruation, less pain, and increased fertility.

    Acupuncture is also extremely useful for reducing the pains and discomforts associated with PCOS and the side effects from drugs used to treat it.

  • If this is your first IVF cycle, we recommend you start at least a month before embryo transfer. With one or two sessions per week, we can help you prepare your body for pregnancy. However, if your previous IVF cycles have failed, you must come in as early as possible before undergoing another cycle. In most of our patients who have experienced failed cycles, there is a major disorder in the body that needs to be treated before they can successfully conceive.

  • Your doctor prescribed you medication for a reason. Many infertility drugs are given to alter hormone levels to induce productive ovulation. We do not hold negative opinions on Western medicines. In fact, we believe the right combination of acupuncture and medication can achieve results that either alone cannot match. To that end, we will always adjust our treatment to complement the drugs / injections that you are currently taking. We believe that this can greatly increase the effectiveness of the drugs while decreasing their side-effects.

  • If this is your first IVF cycle, we recommend you start at least a month before embryo transfer. With one or two sessions per week, we can help you prepare your body for pregnancy. However, if your previous IVF cycles have failed, you must come in as early as possible before undergoing another cycle. In most of our patients who have experienced failed cycles, there is a major disorder in the body that needs to be treated before they can successfully conceive.

  • Yes, we will prescribe herbs for infertility.

  • This is a question we hear very often, but there is no umbrella answer. The length, frequency, and effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for infertility depends heavily on the patient's specific disorder, lifestyle, and overall health. We do understand most of our patients live busy lives and will help you create a schedule based around your menstrual cycle that will optimize the effectiveness of your treatments.

  • Yes. Acupuncture can help decrease the chances of miscarriage, help you better your overall health, and prevent postpartum depression.

  • Based on your specific condition, we will make recommendations for how you can proactively increase your chances of conception.

  • Many of our patients who successfully had babies were over 40. Acupuncture can help with many of the effects aging can have on a woman's reproductive system. However, acupuncture cannot help if a woman has already reached menopause.

  • Absolutely, in our experience, acupuncture is just as effective for women who are trying to conceive naturally. The reason why there is a relatively small amount of literature for natural conception is because IVF clinical trials are easier control and run.

Postpartum Depression

Many clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is significantly effective in treating postpartum depression (see below for links to journal articles). Many of our patients who successfully conceived after acupuncture treatment for infertility remained with us through their pregnancy to receive acupuncture to prevent miscarriage and to improve nutrition. Some of these patients developed postpartum blues and/or postpartum depression. Our treatments have helped nearly all of these patients quickly and successfully overcome their depression.

Our treatment for postpartum depression borrows many of the principals and techniques that we use to treat other types of depression. However, because the mother is often depleted of nutrients and energy after birth, we also focus on increasing nutrition uptake, increasing energy, and strengthening the immune system. We have found that this approach to be extremely successful in helping new mothers regain the energy they need to take care of their newborns

Qigong and Taichi

Qigong is the ancient art of health maintenance and healing that originated in prehistoric shamanic times. Qigong, pronounced "chee gung", embodies two principles: (1) Qi, the vital energy of the body and (2) gong, the practice and training of the Qi. A person practices Qigong by a combination of exercises including meditation, visualization, breathing and movement. The ultimate goal of Qigong is to improve the balance of the functions of the body.  In western medical terms, this balance is referred to as homeostasis. Beginning about 1980, extensive clinical and experimental research on medical applications of Qigong was carried out by scientists in China. Most of these studies were reported only at international conferences, and only a few were published because suitable scientific journals are not available in China. The Qigong and Energy Medicine Database™ is a compilation of references to most of these studies as well as to reports in scientific journals, books and Medline. Most of the references contain abstracts in English that may be several pages in length with tables of data and statistical analysis. The Qigong and Energy Medicine Database™ provides the only record in English of the vast amount of research on Qigong from China as well from other countries. The Database contains reports of therapies that have been tried and claimed to be effective. These reports can be used as a guide for improving health and for deciding what further research may be required to confirm promising applications of Qigong. While few research studies on Qigong conform to strict scientific protocol, the collection of research is too large and significant to be ignored.

The Qigong & Energy Medicine Database™ provides information in English which records the vast clinical and experimental research on Qigong and Energy Medicine. The Qigong & Energy Medicine Database™ contains references not only to Qigong but also to other energy-based research, therapies, clinical trials, and practices. While the emphasis is on scientific reports, reviews are provided in some cases. The Database contains abstracts in English from international conferences, scientific publications, The National Library of Medicine and PubMed.

Abstracts range in length from a paragraph to several pages and may contain information on methodology, controlled experiments, results summarized in tables, and statistical analysis. Using any key word(s), you can search all abstracts and citations to learn how a given therapy has been applied in clinical and experimental research to treat chronic conditions. Although some of the research does not conform to strict scientific protocol, the considerable volume of research and the favorable outcomes suggest that there are many ways that Qigong and Energy Medicine can complement Western healthcare. The Database has been used as source material for at least nine books, seven dissertations, and many research studies. Medical practitioners, scientists and the public also find it informative. This tool is intended to provide valuable research data that would otherwise be unavailable, however, it should not replace the advice of a doctor. 

Northridge Acupuncture
Dr. Yongjun Lu D.AC.
19231 Victory Blvd, Suite 450 Reseda, CA
(818) 886-8883