Adam Schreiber

Acupuncture is a safe medical procedure and any adverse effects are generally mild and short-lived. The most common side effects are minor bruises at the site of needle insertion or soreness post treatment, while more serious side effects are extremely rare.
 
Transcript: "Is acupuncture safe? The answer is that yes, most definitely, it is a safe medical procedure, especially when we compare it to other so-called invasive medical procedures, acupuncture has a very strong track record when it comes to safety. Any adverse effects from acupuncture tend to be mild and very short lived, that could be something like a bruise at the site of the needle insertion, which usually isn't painful but it looks like a bruise. Or you may have some soreness post treatment, typically, it doesn't last more than 24 hours and then it just fades away. Other more serious side effects are extremely rare, very unlikely to happen but there have been instances of them something such as a nerve injury. The effects of that while uncomfortable are generally temporary and they will go away sometime within a few weeks, usually. So all in all, acupuncture is a very safe procedure and most people tolerate it quite well. This is what an acupuncture needle looks like. You can see how thin and flexible it is. Thanks."
 Acupuncture

Chinese herbal medicine (also known as traditional Chinese medicine or TCM) is a long-standing tradition of using plant and animal products to treat diseases. Chinese herbs are usually prepared and consumed as medicinal teas, with multi-herb formulas used to treat a disharmony or disease. There are three main methods of administering Chinese herbs: using the actual herbs, powdered extracts, and prepared medicines such as pills, tablets, tinctures, and topical products.
 
Transcript: "What is Chinese herbal medicine? Chinese herbal medicine, also known as traditional Chinese medicine or TCM, refers to the long history of using plant and animal products to treat disease in China. There are hundreds of different herbs used within the tradition of Chinese herbal medicine and most often they are prepared and consumed as medicinal teas. Unlike some other herbal traditions which tend to use a single herb to treat a symptom or disease, Chinese medicine almost always uses multi-herb formulas to treat a presenting pattern of disharmony or disease. There are different methods of administering Chinese herbs. I tend to use one of three in my practice which I'll show you right now. The first method of administration and the most traditional one would be to use the actual herbs themselves as seen here in these two examples. This is actually licorice root, okay, and this is the petals of safflower flower. These would be combined in a formula and boiled in water for a certain amount of time and then consumed as a tea. The second method that I use are these powdered extracts, okay. This happens to be chrysanthemum flower. I would mix these extracts into the proper formula for the patient. They would dissolve this powder in hot water and then drink it like a tea. The third method would be utilizing prepared medicines, pills and tablets and tinctures and topical products to treat a symptom or disease."

Acupuncture can be used to treat a wide array of conditions such as pain, gynecological issues, respiratory issues, digestive problems, neurological conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, stroke rehabilitation, stress and anxiety, insomnia, fatigue and depression.
 
Transcript: "What kinds of conditions can acupuncture treat? Actually, a really wide array of medical conditions acupuncture can be helpful for. Many people know that acupuncture can be used to treat pain. I'm talking about all kinds of pain, whether it's musculoskeletal related, or whether it's chronic headaches, whether it's pain related to cancer or cancer treatments, acupuncture really excels at treating pain. But that's not all it does. It can be used for, as I said, a wide array of medical conditions such as gynecological issues, respiratory issues, digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome or constipation or indigestion. Acupuncture can be used to treat neurological conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, stroke rehabilitation. Acupuncture also is excellent at helping with conditions such as stress and anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, even depression. I'm not saying acupuncture is going to cure all of these conditions necessarily, but it can be a great tool for helping people manage some of these conditions, especially when those conditions are chronic. Thank you."
 Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be used to treat acute injuries such as ankle sprains, AC joint sprains, muscle strains, hip flexor strain, hamstring strain, calf muscle strain, tendon injuries, biceps tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, and Bursitis.
 
Transcript: "Can acupuncture be used to treat acute injuries? While acupuncture excels at treating chronic pain and chronic injuries, it most definitely can be used to treat acute injuries as well. What are some examples? One of my favorite examples, because it responds so well to acupuncture, is treating an acute ankle sprain. With acupuncture and some topical herbal remedies, we can see the swelling, bruising, and limited range of motion of an ankle sprain start to improve within a treatment or two. Other examples of injuries, other sprains, AC joint sprain, finger and thumb ligament sprains, muscle strains, hip flexor strain, hamstring strains, calf muscle strains, all respond really well to acupuncture. And that's because acupuncture is excellent at treating inflammation and muscle spasm, which is usually a part of those muscle strains, and helping improve circulation in the local area, which is going to help healing of the injury. Ligament injuries, biceps tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, bursitis even respond well to acupuncture treatment. So for sure, acupuncture can be used to treat acute injuries."

I'm Adam Schreiber and I've been practicing acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for over 20 years. My specialty is treating orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions and I have also participated in clinical research at the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work, I'm an avid mountain biker and Gardner.
 
Transcript: "Hi, my name is Adam Schreiber. I've been studying acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for over 20 years, and I currently practice in the Philadelphia area. My practice specializes in treating orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions, which I've been studying extensively for the past 15 years. I've also had the opportunity in my career to work with some amazing teachers and mentors. I have participated in clinical research at the University of Pennsylvania, studying acupuncture's benefit for cancer patients. I've also had the opportunity to edit a textbook of one of my teachers on sports medicine acupuncture. When I'm not in the office, I'm an avid mountain biker and gardener. I look forward to answering your questions here on Any Question. Thanks."