What We Treat

Traditional Chinese Medicine employs a diagnostic system, which differs greatly from the diagnostic criteria of Western medicine.

At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, each patient will receive a thorough assessment and diagnosis based on the Chinese medical model. In most cases, there is a TCM equivalent to a Western diagnosis. We will carefully consider any diagnoses given by your allopathic physician, as well as other diagnostic measures, such as laboratory tests. It is our intention to work in cooperation with your doctor or doctors to provide an integrative treatment protocol.

Women’s Health

To put it plainly, women’s health is complex. The female body involves a complicated combination of systems that are intimately interrelated, and science is really just beginning to recognize the impact that hormonal imbalances can have on cardiovascular health, digestive health, sleep, mood and mental focus.   Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been proven effective in treating a wide variety of symptoms such as urinary frequency, hot flash, menstrual pain, and mood swings, but there is much more to women’s health than reproductive system maintenance. We support women in maintaining balanced blood glucose and lipid levels through acupuncture, herbal formulas, diet and lifestyle recommendations to improve brain, digestive and cardiovascular health, as well as regulating menstrual cycles, smoothing the transition to menopause, and optimizing fertility. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we specialize in treating complex women’s health issues, creating thoughtful treatment plans, and accompanying women one step at a time, as they seek answers, optimal health, and improved experience of life.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Women’s Health:

Auto-Immune Illness

In today’s culture, autoimmune conditions are increasingly common, due to factors such as high levels of stress, long work days, and poor diet. Very often, people may not even know they have an autoimmune condition; they only know that they’re suffering from chronic, exhausting symptoms such as headaches, low mood, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and poor digestion. Complex autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroid disease, and Crohn’s disease require treatment that addresses numerous aspects of the illness at once, in order for people to gain relief and a sense of well-being.

Depending on how advanced the autoimmune condition is, treatment may require a team effort to manage. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we will work and communicate with your doctors in order to coordinate and further efforts to relieve symptoms, halt the progression of illness, and devise a management plan that prevents future flare-ups. To this end, we have extensive experience designing treatment plans that allow for the best combination of Western and Eastern medicine techniques, in order to support your optimal health.

Acupuncture and herbal formula prescriptions have been shown to have beneficial outcomes in treating ‘flare ups’ in autoimmune conditions. On a comfort level, we often see acupuncture and herbal remedies have a profound effect in providing people relief from symptoms, in a relatively short amount of time. Furthermore, on a physiological level, clinical research has shown that acupuncture causes physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions, thereby aiding the recovery and balance of the immune system. As a final note, at LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we are committed to joining all of our clients in their continual journey of optimal health, and continuing to explore treatments and resources that will provide relief, comfort, and improved health.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Auto-Immune Illness:

Mental and Emotional Health

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Mental and Emotional Health:

Pain Management

Suffering from chronic physical pain can make almost every part of life difficult and can exhaust you physically, mentally, and emotionally. While the physical discomfort of pain can be overbearing, the indirect effects of chronic pain on the brain, hormonal systems, and stress response system, can cause further complications. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we offer pain management treatment, through acupuncture and herbal formulas, which address all aspects of the pain people are experiencing.

From experience, we know that countless clients we’ve worked with experience profound improvements in their physical pain, as a result of acupuncture and herbal remedies. From a more clinical standpoint, research from an international team of experts adds to the evidence that acupuncture provides real relief from common forms of pain. In one study, acupuncture relieved pain in patients by about 50% and the results were published in Archives of Internal Medicine. Very often, what we see is that the relief begets more relief; that is, the relief people experience from acupuncture allows them to make further efforts (perhaps such as exercise, weight loss, or even mood improvement), which equips them to continue gaining further relief.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Pain Management:

Gastrointestinal Disorders

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Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Gastrointestinal Disorders:

Cancer Support

Let us first be clear in stating that we by no means offer treatment of cancer.  With that said, as medical cancer treatment and treatment technology continues to vastly improve with time, the improvements in helping to support and manage symptoms of people with cancer, have also significantly advanced.  Many of these improvements directly relate to holistically addressing the person’s whole experience through cancer and cancer treatment, and include acupuncture and herbal remedy options.  The benefits of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for patients undergoing various cancer treatments is now well documented and at LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we offer acupuncture and herbal treatment for people with cancer.

Because the effects of cancer and cancer treatment are so wide-ranging, the acupuncture treatment we implement often depends on the particular person.  However, generally speaking, we offer support in the form of pain management, and aiding and hastening recovery from the side effects of various therapies, such as nausea and vomiting from some chemotherapeutic medicines.  Simultaneously, acupuncture often provides people some relief from the physical and mental stress triggered by the diagnosis and treatment, and can also help support sound sleep and improved mood.

For people that are currently undergoing treatment for cancer, which includes medication, we are always happy to communicate and coordinate with the person’s physician, to ensure safe and cohesive treatment.  What we see is that very often, people can gain profound ease from herbal supplements and acupuncture while on the medication, which can make the treatment process less stressful, overall.  Acupuncture has been proven successful in managing some cancer-related pain, and in reducing narcotic use, which also reduces the side effects of narcotics, such as nausea, constipation, confusion and behavioral changes.  All of our treatment providers at LA Herbs & Acupuncture are uniquely qualified to provide supplementary support to people with cancer, and have experience creating careful, precise herbal remedy prescriptions.  In addition, LA Herbs & Acupuncture owner, Trace Albrecht, has undertaken additional training at the MD Anderson Integrative Oncology Conference, as well as attending yearly training for the past six years with integrative oncology pioneer and researcher, Daniel Weber, PhD.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Cancer:

Graceful Aging

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Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Aging:

Men’s Health

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Trauma

Chinese medicine is the oldest documented medical system to recognize the connection between the body and the mind, which is crucial in helping people to make a full recovery from a traumatic experience. There are many types of trauma, and each can have significant and long-term physical, mental, and emotional effects. People are often unaware that a physical injury can have severe emotional and mental effects, and vice versa: that people who’ve experienced emotional trauma frequently suffer physical symptoms. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we treat the physical and emotional effects of trauma, by evaluating and addressing all aspects of the person’s present experience and symptoms.

In the case of physical forms of trauma, such as an automobile accident, sporting accident, or over-use injury, we provide treatment and herbal remedies to assist with physical discomfort and pain, as well as the lasting emotional and mental effects people may experience, such as fear of driving after a car accident. By thoroughly investigating where and how each patient’s trauma-related stress disorder manifests in their body and psyche, symptoms such as fear, anxiety, reactive thought patterns, and nightmares can be readily treated with acupuncture. In cases where people have suffered from intense or chronic mental and emotional stress, due to things such as natural disaster, emotional trauma, or the death of a loved one, often the people experience a cascade of physical symptoms, ranging from chronic pain, to insomnia, to stiffness and/or muscle tension, to difficulty in relationships, and difficulty concentrating. Often, these symptoms are closely linked to the person’s stress response system being overtaxed, leading to them having no resources left with which to deal with everyday stressors in their lives. In these cases, addressing these physical deficiencies, through acupuncture and herbal treatment, is key in giving the body the strength needed, to regain mental clarity and peace. To this end, what we find is that very often, the health of the body and mind are one and the same, and one cannot be treated without the other.

Although many people experience improvement in their physiological state through the treatment we offer, we do not offer psychological treatment for trauma at LA Herbs & Acupuncture. However; when acupuncture is combined with psychotherapy, especially under the care of a skilled psychologist with experience using EMDR, (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), we often see patients experience profound improvement. For people who are already working with a professional counselor or therapist, we are always happy to collaborate and/or communicate with them regarding your treatment, and for people looking for a therapist, we can provide recommendations for skilled professional psychotherapists.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of common issues or conditions associated with Trauma:

Weight Management

One of the wonderful effects of holistic medicine in general, and acupuncture specifically, is that, with the improved health of the whole body and interrelated systems, many positive effects occur, including successful weight management. It’s important to recognize that acupuncture is not a magic bullet and should only be considered as one part of a larger picture, regarding optimal weight. With that said, acupuncture and herbal remedy prescriptions can aid in weight loss or gain in a number of ways. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we provide consultations and treatment for weight management, and work with people to institute positive, supportive changes in their lives, which will support healthy weight goals. This always includes implementation of a nutritious diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and proteins, as well as regular exercise.

For many people, weight management can be an ongoing struggle, and we often consult with people who are frustrated at their lack of progress, despite considerable efforts. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we’re committed not only to providing you with treatment, but also in accompanying you to address potential road-blocks or challenges you may be facing. When moderate diet and exercise fail as a weight-maintenance program, we will join you in looking for the underlying cause, whether it be inflammation, hormonal imbalance, digestive, or other potential causes, and work with the patient to get to the bottom of it.

There are a number of ways in which acupuncture can serve to support weight management. For example, acupuncture has been proven to release endorphins, which have a calming and relaxing effect on a person; thereby counteracting the desire to overeat or under-eat as a way of coping with stress, frustration, anxiety or other emotions. Acupuncture has also been proven to reduce food cravings, giving a person time to consider whether to act on a craving before overeating begins. Notably, we find that these kinds of positive effects are often longer lasting than many weight management efforts, because they are founded in more systemic improvements, which allow the body to be under less stress, rather than more. The result is that people often experience feelings of ease and relief, as they also see weight improvement.

Another way in which acupuncture can assist in weight management is that it’s also been proven to impact the endocrine system and the kidneys, thereby reducing water retention and hormonally-driven weight gain. This is especially useful, considering the large number of people that experience weight gain as a result of hormonal imbalance, including women that suffer from thyroid-related challenges. In these instances, weight management is just one of the many positive effects which hormonal balancing creates.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Sobriety Support

Overcoming cravings is an important aspect of sobriety support, and acupuncture can be tremendously helpful. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we use classical acupuncture to support the whole body and psyche through the transition to sobriety, as well as employing the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association’s protocol, which involves ear acupuncture, using 5 acupuncture points on each ear.   This protocol has been proven to be very effective in treating alcohol and drug addiction, including smoking. In our experience, this treatment is not only useful for people who are attempting to quit a substance and/or begin sobriety, and those who are maintaining sobriety.

Acupuncture has been proven to release endorphins, which creates feelings of calm and relaxation. In this ‘window of calm,’ people are better able to reason and make informed choices, which supports them in not making quick, reactive decisions, due to triggers and/or cravings. Furthermore, people who receive this treatment often report feeling more calm, less anxiety, less stress, less anger and less fear. They also find that they are sleeping better and as a result of more rest, they can access deeper reserves of willpower. What we find is that as we holistically address people’s needs on every level, and people feel progressively better all-around, they slowly begin to transition into believing they no longer need the substances, in order to function and/or relax. This proves to be a powerful force in sustaining people’s efforts and success with sobriety, long term.

In addition to these five points on the ears, there are points that stimulate detoxification pathways of the liver, and improve circulation body-wide. Because we want to support all aspects of people’s detoxification and sobriety, our goal is to help the body and mind throughout each step of the process. With this said, it’s important to recognize that drug and alcohol cessation can be a complex medical condition, which should always be supervised by a qualified doctor or counselor. At LA Herbs & Acupuncture, we are confident in our ability to help improve people’s experience through this challenging time, but acupuncture should always be considered an adjunctive therapy to detox.

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Other Commonly Treated Conditions

Please call to speak with a practitioner if you have questions: 310-492-5185

Below is a list of other conditions that benefit from acupuncture and TCM therapies: