Holistic Care

by Brian Grosam, PhD, LAc, ABORM

Discovering a New Path

I became a menopause expert almost by accident. In the summer of 2007, while working on my PhD in acupuncture in Jinan, China, I was learning alongside my clinical professor, Dr. Qihua Shan, at a busy Chinese medicine hospital. As I entered my second year, it was time to choose my research path. Though I was initially set on specializing in neurological acupuncture, the universe had other plans.

After proposing several topics, none of which Dr. Shan approved, she suggested menopause as a research focus. Menopause, she noted, was a growing concern globally, and her husband, Dr. Fudong Wu, had recently conducted research on acupuncture’s benefits for menopausal symptoms. She believed this would be a worthwhile topic, as it combined neurology and endocrinology. Thus, my journey began.

The Beginning of a Lifelong Journey

In 2009, I completed my PhD research on acupuncture’s effects on menopausal symptoms. While my results showed that acupuncture was moderately effective, it only worked for some patients. This discrepancy drove my curiosity and desire to understand why some women improved while others did not. For the next 15 years, I immersed myself in classical Chinese medical Read More

Questions about when to start acupuncture are easily the most frequently asked among those who call or come into our clinic seeking care as they prepare for an IVF cycle. We’re fortunate as acupuncturists to have an ever-growing body of research to refer to when making recommendations. As much as possible when creating treatment plans for our patients, we do this based on the most current research. So, when is the best time to start acupuncture to increase your chances of a successful cycle? Why is this and what if you’re starting late?

An IVF cycle consists of medical stimulation of the ovaries, an egg retrieval, and an embryo transfer, all of this hopefully leading to a positive pregnancy test. The increase in frozen embryo transfers over the past several years has led to different acupuncture treatment recommendations based upon whether somebody is preparing for an egg retrieval or the actual embryo transfer. Read More