LOS ANGELES ACUPUNCTURE WITH DR. LAURIE BINDER

JUST WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?

Blending ancient Chinese medicine with current scientific support for the treatment of modern problems, acupuncture treatments may just be the perfect adjunct to your current health care regimen, and may even help you to attain previously inexperienced levels of health and well-being.

History

The word “acupuncture” is actually European in origin, coined by a Dutch physician who observed the practice on a trip to Japan. To the Chinese practitioner, it’s represented by the character “chen”, which means, literally, “to prick with a needle”. With a documented history of around 2,000 years, some practitioners claim acupuncture’s history is closer to 4,000. In fact, the Chinese believe the practice began during the Stone Age.

Acupuncture remains heavily influenced by its roots in Chinese philosophy, which, in turn, is permeated with the ideals of balance and flow within the context of your body, lifestyle, and world around you. At it’s most basic, acupuncture is based on the belief that illness and pain are caused by blockages in the body’s energy flow, qi (pronounced “chee”) through its pathways, called meridians. By inserting small needles into the skin at various points along these meridians, the blockages are removed and the flow of qi restored.

Science

Many of us living in this modern technological age might be surprised that acupuncture actually does have corresponding measurable effects examined by science. There are several studies using ultrasound and acupuncture which demonstrate increased circulation / blood flow where the needles are placed. Neuroimaging studies, for example, have revealed that acupuncture relaxes areas of the brain associated with pain and activates the areas associated with rest and relaxation. Many of the acupuncture “points” used correspond to nerve bundles and muscle trigger points. Even several of the meridians, along which practitioners believe qi runs, correlate to major arteries and nerves. Also, according to ultrasound studies performed, it appears that connective tissue wraps around acupuncture needles when they are inserted and rotated, producing an effect much like massage or yoga on those tissues.

Uses

Due to its overall effects and health benefits, acupuncture is ideal for a wide range of physical and emotional ailments. One popular use of acupuncture is to alleviate pain, whether from back pain, headache, migraine, or any other condition which produces discomfort. It’s also been used effectively for women’s health, including fertility, PMS, menopause, and even for help with discomfort during pregnancy and delivery. Additionally, many have found it to be ideal in overcoming smoking and other addictive behaviors. Emotional issues such as depression and anxiety have found themselves amenable to acupuncture treatments.

Of course, acupuncture is really ideal for overall health maintenance and well-being. Many people find that regular treatments with a knowledgeable and experienced acupuncturist helps to maintain balanced energy, contribute to weight loss, decrease stress, and increase overall feelings of happiness and well-being.

Minimally invasive and virtually without side effects, acupuncture is the perfect blend of ancient Eastern medicine and cutting-edge scientific evidence for the treatment of most ills and ailments.

Contact us today for more information on how acupuncture, herbs, and a comprehensive lifestyle evaluation can help you to optimize your health.

Laurie Binder is a Doctor of Acupuncture, Ob-Gyn Nurse Practitioner, Certified Health Consultant and Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. She has over 20 years experience in health care. She began her journey as an RN working in oncology and intensive care. She moved to same-day surgery and then as a labor and delivery nurse in New York, where she became passionate about birth and women’s health.

Moving home to the West Coast, she taught childbirth classes at Santa Monica – UCLA hospital for over 10 years. She expanded her knowledge and became an OB/GYN nurse practitioner specializing in fertility and women’s health. She served two very different populations; a large fertility practice in Beverly Hills and a women’s community clinic in Santa Monica.

It was during her work in women’s health that she discovered Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. She has had her acupuncture practice for over 15 years. She skillfully combines her Western medical background with her great knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine for optimal patient care.

Read Laurie’s complete CV here and her bio here.

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Read Patient Testimonials

Sample Acupuncture Fertility Testimonials

Dear Laurie, acupuncture fertility Los Angeles baby

This is long overdue! thank you for everything.

I want to first say that I truly believe Laurie is a miracle worker. She is magic and anyone that has the privilege of working with her is so lucky. I started seeing Laurie after I had a very tragic stillbirth. I lost my baby at 26 weeks and the grief and trauma were very viscerally trapped in my body. It was the most difficult time in my life and I came to see Laurie at some of my darkest moments. I felt that the only way I could regain hope was by having the courage to try again and hold on to my hope of having a healthy baby.

Laurie approached me and my story with love, kindness, and compassion. She first did acupuncture pressure points to treat the trauma and grief that was stored in my body. As badly as I wanted to be pregnant again, I had so much healing to do, and my body was not ready to carry another child. She helped me take the steps to heal and we then progressed to the fertility treatments. I became pregnant again within 3 months of working with her. She supported me throughout my entire pregnancy- helping to treat my anxiety and talking with me before each treatment to check in with where I was with my doctor’s appointment and answered any questions I had. I never felt rushed. I cried with her. Laughed with her. She just made me feel so nourished and supported. She feels like a second mom.

I had my rainbow baby 2 months ago and he is healthy and thriving. I saw Laurie for a postpartum appointment and it gave me energy and support to take care of a newborn while my body was going through a tremendous amount of healing. She is truly an angel and I would not have survived this journey without her. I never thought I could get through this subsequent pregnancy. She is simply the best. I attached a picture of my sweet little miracle.

– Zahabiyah

Thank you Laurie!

I came to Laurie after a very upsetting doctor appointment where I was told that my options for having children might be very limited. I was not ready to conceive yet, but had my OB-GYN run a few tests on me because I was 33 and being able to have children in the future was something that was extremely important to me. I was told that my FSH level was 3, but that AMH level was .56. My OB felt like the tests results didn’t add up, so she had sent me to a fertility specialist for a consultation. The fertility specialist informed me that my options were to try and start conceiving right away or to freeze my eggs with my husband’s sperm in order to create frozen embryos, that could potentially be out future children. This was also going to involve putting my on hormones and was going to cost between $12,000-$15,000. I was also told that if I did not do either of these things, that I could try to have children in a year, which was the timeline that I felt comfortable with, but that my fertility window may very well have closed. I felt depressed, scared and very anxious about the future.Laurie was such a warm, safe and supportive space for me to discuss my fears as well as create a solid plan about what I could do about it on my own. She was a HUGE source of knowledge about what I could do to increase my fertility and I immediately changed my diet and started taking the herbs that she felt would work best with my body. We both felt that I could work hard to get my body healthy and to prepare myself to have a baby, even though I was not planning to start trying to conceive for a year.

A year later, I became pregnant within the first three months of trying. My husband and I were of course thrilled and I felt an enormous sense of relief that I had been able to get pregnant. We were both very disheartened when I miscarried at 8 weeks, but I kept reminding myself to have faith in my body and all of the hard work that I had done. The first month I was able to try again after the miscarriage, I became pregnant again and am now 5 months pregnant with a baby girl. I feel very grateful for all of the kind words and steady support that Laurie provided me to get me to this point. I also have so much gratitude that I never lost hope, even when things felt so scary and uncertain.

– Camille