Elizabeth Mastropierro, L.Ac. is a board certified licensed acupuncturist, nationally certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbology. She uses skilled, compassionate care in her practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Richmond, VA.

WHAT IS Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been in use for over 2,300 years. It is a sophisticated system of healing based on patterns found in nature and the network of meridians that course like a map through our bodies. Through a combination of acupuncture, moxabustion (a form of heat therapy), herbal medicine, Tui Na (massage therapy), Qi Gong (breathing exercises, pronounced “chee kung”), diet, and lifestyle adjustments we can gain and maintain health and well-being.

How does TCM work?

TCM emphasizes the relationships between all things: between human beings and all other facets of nature at every moment. The greatest principle of TCM is balance. When some part of us gets out of balance our body gives us signals, and sometimes we become ill. TCM practitioners take into account the multitude of underlying factors, including physiological, mental-emotional, and environmental influences in order to make a diagnosis, thereby treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms.