Want to learn more? Click here to sign-up to receive a monthly e-newsletter.
Weekend appointments are only available to existing patients at this time.
Currently accepting new patients for weekday appointments only.
Complimentary telephone consultation.
Call or Email the Acupuncturist with questions or to schedule an appointment.
(254)741-6030 Email: liveoakacupuncture@gmail.com
Office is conveniently located 1 block South of Providence Health Center.
305 Londonderry Drive Suite 3
Waco, TX 76712
All text and photos © Kristen Horner, 2007
| Today: |
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine now available in Waco!
Live Oak Acupuncture & Kristen Horner featured on KWTX 10 On Your Side!
Click here to watch the segment!
Welcome to Live Oak Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine! We are a complementary medicine center specializing in family medicine.
My name is Kristen Horner. As an acupuncturist licensed by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, my goal is to take a system of medical wisdom that is 3,500 years old and focus it on the needs of modern Americans. Men and women come to me from all over Texas for help with a range of conditions, including back and neck pain, allergies, insomnia, fibromyalgia, infertility, migraines, and menopausal complaints. Parents of children and teenagers appreciate my safe, natural, effective solutions for a wide variety of pediatric ailments, including eczema, allergies, asthma, headaches, and digestive problems. To hear more about the experiences of actual patients like you, please click here.
Chinese medicine is not one-size-fits-all. In my office you will receive careful, individualized attention and a gentle, effective treatment plan that is personally tailored for your body and your life. I am happy to work in cooperation with your medical doctors and make myself available to consult with them at any time. You do not have to choose between "conventional" and "alternative" medicine -- you can have the best of both worlds by taking advantage of my integrative medical expertise. To learn more about my background and what makes me passionate about the work I do, please click here.
Did you know that acupuncture is one of the oldest, most extensively used systems of health care in the world? In fact, more people have been treated with acupuncture over the past two thousand years than with all other health care modalities combined! According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture is utilized by over a third of the world's population.
Will acupuncture help with my condition?
Because it stimulates the body's ability to heal itself, acupuncture is a valuable complement to conventional medical treatment of almost any condition. In 2002, the World Health Organization published a review and analysis of nearly 300 controlled clinical trials on acupuncture and concluded that it is useful in the treatment of over 90 diseases, symptoms, and conditions, including:
- Allergies, asthma, and hay fever
- Arthritis
- Low back pain and sciatica
- Neck, shoulder, and elbow pain
- Knee pain
- Shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia
- Depression and insomnia
- Fibromyalgia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Headaches and TMJ pain
- Infertility and polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Nausea, vomiting, and morning sickness
- Painful periods and PMS
- Tobacco and alcohol dependence
- Many others
What is special about the treatment that you offer?
I use a unique style of acupuncture referred to as Tung's Magic Points, which is based on the teachings of Master Tung Ching Chang (1916 - 1975). Dr. Tung was the recipient of a secret acupuncture point system, refined and handed down in his family over hundreds of years. Master Tung has been referred to as the greatest acupuncture technician who ever lived. During his lifetime Dr. Tung treated hundreds of thousands of patients and gained fame for the amazing results he would obtain using just a few needles.
After fleeing to Taiwan during the Cultural Revolution in China, Master Tung began to teach his secret acupuncture point system to select students, revealing his secrets outside his family for the first time. Even now only a portion of this priceless knowledge is available in English and is transmitted primarily as an oral tradition from teacher to student. I have had the good fortune to learn directly from Susan Johnson, who is the primary student of Dr. Miriam Lee (1949 - 2009), the first practitioner to bring Tung’s Points to the United States in the early 1980s and a key figure in the legalization of acupuncture in the United States.
Tung’s Points are unique in that a smaller number of needles are used and all needles are placed in areas other the site of pain or dysfunction. For example back pain is treated with needles in the hands and feet. Advantages of this approach include faster, more thorough resolution of pain and other health problems, and the fact that the patient can be comfortably positioned in a recliner chair and can generally be treated without removing clothing. Patients find this type of treatment much less anxiety-provoking than conventional acupuncture because they are not subject to needling in areas that already feel vulnerable because of injury, disease, or pain.
I have been told by many patients that they appreciate my ability to explain their diagnosis and treatment plan in simple, common sense language. As a native English speaker, you won't have to struggle to understand me. Because I have a scientific and medical background, I will be able to work alongside and communicate with your other health care providers (if you wish). I go out of my way to make sure that all your questions are thoroughly answered during your office visits and am available via telephone or email for questions between appointments. I will carefully listen to you and will give you plenty of time to explain your concerns. I look forward to getting to know you and your family and becoming your friend!
I also offer an on-site pharmacy of over 250 super-premium Chinese herbal formulas and Standard Process dietary supplements. If appropriate, one of these formulas can be custom-prescribed for your condition. (Please note that the pharmacy is not open to the public. Herbs and supplements are available by prescription only for existing patients.)
Links to Acupuncture In the News
Acupuncture Beats Drug to Treat Hot Flashes
Acupuncture Curbs Back Pain in Pregnancy
Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability to Regulate Pain
Acupuncture Boosts Effect of Painkillers, Natural or Prescription
US Pets Treated With Acupuncture By Their Vets
Duke Surgery Patients Benefit From Acupuncture During Anesthesia
Injured Troops Turn To Air Force Acupuncture Clinic
Acupuncture May Smooth Liver Transplant Recovery
Americans Spend $34 Billion on Alternative Medicine
Study: Acupuncture Helps Ease Back Pain
Acupuncture, Exercise May Ease Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Acupuncture May Ease Heartburn During Pregnancy
Air Force to Use "Battlefield Acupuncture" for Pain Relief
Acupuncture for In Vitro Fertilization? Getting Acupuncture May Improve Odds of Success
Depressed? You Don't Need Drugs, Psychiatrist Says
The following article is compliments of www.mesothelioma.com
Acupuncture a Powerful Integrative Oncology Tool
Integrative Oncology is the combination of “mainstream” care and evidenced-based complimentary therapies to control cancer-related pain and symptoms (source: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Integrative Medicine). Complementary therapies, while not given the attention that more traditional cancer therapies may receive, are perhaps equally important while undergoing treatment for certain types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma. Patients diagnosed with difficult to treat malignancies will often use these types of therapies in conjunction with traditional treatment options, which include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiology, to form a more comprehensive and effective treatment regimen. Among the most effective alternative therapies utilized by those diagnosed with cancer is acupuncture.
Acupuncture has long been utilized as a general pain reduction method for thousands of years, originating in the Far East and gradually being utilized throughout the world. Effective cancer treatment often depends on the patient’s ability to not only defeat the cancer through various methods but to also maintain their health and mental spirit throughout the course of treatment.
Often, the symptoms and effects of the cancer itself on the body are insignificant compared to the pain and other side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation are often fatigued, experience a lack of appetite and weight loss, and may become depressed. For cancer patients experiencing these and other side effects, acupuncture is extremely beneficial. According to the ancient theories of Chinese medicine, “qi,” or “life energy,” flows through energy channels within the body known as meridians. These channels connect the body’s internal organs, and if these meridians become “blocked,” or an individual’s qi cannot flow properly, disease will set in. Acupuncture is said to relieve blockages and restore the natural flow of qi, and ultimately restoring one’s health.
Cancers such as mesothelioma, which are often unable to be removed by surgical means, are often treated with some combination of chemotherapy and radiation (the combination of chemo drug Alimta® and anti-cancer drug Cisplatin® is a popular mesothelioma treatment method). While these potent drugs can be effective in eliminating some of the tumor mass and growth, they also profoundly affect the health of the surrounding tissue. Symptoms experienced by those undergoing mainstream cancer treatments include fever, nausea, and debilitating pain.
Patients who undergo acupuncture in conjunction with mainstream cancer therapies have experienced dramatic reductions in pain and feel that their energy and mental wellbeing was restored. Cancer patients who feel energized, are pain-free and have a solid state of mind are more likely to withstand traditional methods of cancer treatment and have an increased survival rate.
Acupuncture is said to be so effective, in fact, that the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized acupuncture as a successful intervention for adverse reactions to radiation and chemotherapy. The National Institute of Health (NIH) also agreed that acupuncture may relieve nausea and pain experienced by cancer sufferers, and the organization supports acupuncture clinical trials.
While this ancient method of therapy may be extremely effective for some, acupuncture may not be recommended for all cancer patients. Those who have a history of endocarditis, neutropenia or thrombocytopenia should not undergo acupuncture. Individuals with lymphedema or those who have a pacemaker should speak with a physician before beginning any course of acupuncture therapy.
While oncologists like Dr. Anne Tsao of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas continue to work towards a cure, those who practice the ancient art of acupuncture will be working to help cancer sufferers experience a better quality of life and an increased rate of survival. And while the scientific validity of Acupuncture has been proved in many, many studies, the Medicinal Herbal Formulary of Chinese Medicine also shows promise as another resource for those suffering with various cancers, including asbestos cancer.
Jack Bleeker, Research Coordinator
July 20, 2009
Does it hurt? I'm scared of needles!
Most first-time patients are pleased and surprised to find that having an acupuncture treatment is a relaxing and pleasant experience.
Acupuncture needles are very thin and flexible - about the diameter of a cat's whisker. Some people feel nothing at all when the needles are inserted while others experience a sensation similar to a mosquito bite, followed by an aching or tingling sensation. Acupuncture does not feel like getting a shot or having blood drawn.
An average treatment involves the insertion of between six and sixteen needles in the arms, legs, hands, feet, and ears. The needles are then retained in the body for 45-60 minutes. During this rest time most patients become deeply relaxed and many fall asleep.
Non-needle treatment is available, including stimulation of acupoints with laser light, mild electrical current, heat, suction, and/or pressure massage. These options are suitable for children and for individuals who are very afraid of needles. Children under six enjoy completely pain-free treatment with my "tickle machine", which uses a tiny electrical current to safely and gently stimulate acupuncture points.
The Weston A. Price Foundation -- A diet based on refined grains and sugar, processed vegetable oils, meat from grain-fed animals, pastuerized milk, and soy products is the cause of the modern epidemic of infertility, depression, obesity, heart disease, and cancer. A diet rich in grass-fed or free-range meat, eggs, whole raw milk, butter, and organic fruits and vegetables is the way back to health. This website explains why. In additional to this informative website, WAPF publishes a quarterly journal called Wise Traditions that is packed full of valuable information about food, farming, and the healing arts.
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, Ph.D. -- A cookbook based on Weston Price principles, along with fascinating "caustic commentary" from Sally Fallon Morell.
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston Price -- The groundbreaking book written and published in 1939. No natural health library is complete without this book.
The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid, ND
Nors Raw Milk Dairy -- Family-owned certified Grade A raw milk dairy in Abbott, TX (25 miles north of Waco). Grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, and whey-fed pork are also available. The Nors are a wonderful family providing a priceless service to our community by making real, locally-produced, and nutritious food available to our community. Definitely worth the short drive!
What’s So Special About Catalyn?
Although Chinese medicine is not one-size-fits-all, Catalyn from Standard Process is the one supplement that I recommend to every single one of my patients. It forms the foundation of effective treatment of every condition, from chronic pain to allergies, infertility to menopause, and prostatitis to insomnia. I have been in the field of nutrition for 15 years and Catalyn is the first supplement I have ever come across that consistently makes patients feelbetter within days.
You may remember from high school biology that catalysts are the “sparks” that power every single metabolic reaction in every single one of your trillions of cells. Without catalysts, there is no life. You may find this easier to understand if you think of spark plugs in your car. You can have a full tank of premium gas, a brand new engine, and an expensive set of tires, but without spark plugs you are not going anywhere. Catalysts serve the same function inside each of your cells.
Catalyn was developed by nutritional genius Dr. Royal Lee in 1929. Dr. Lee was way ahead of his time in understanding that certain key nutrients are essential for the utilization of all other nutrients and the healing of all diseases. Catalyn has been in continuous use for 80 years and is the favorite supplement of many of the most progressive health care providers in the world. Although Catalyn tablets may look puny and the Nutrition Facts label on the bottle does not appear very impressive, in actuality Catalyn is an amazing food concentrate.
The vegetable ingredients in Catalyn are grown on rich, organic farmland that is far away from all sources of contamination. The fields are irrigated with artesian water, are hand weeded, and are fertilized with organic mulch. Plants are harvested at the peak of their nutrient content. Animal components of the supplement come from healthy, grass-fed, free-range animals in pristine New Zealand. The manufacturing process of Catalyn involves the careful, low temperature extraction of nutrients and tablets are bound using nothing but honey and gum Arabic. Although the amounts of nutrients on the label may seem small, Catalyn contains thousands of unnamed trace nutrients in their most potent and bio-available form.
In contrast, most other supplement makers do not grow anything at all. They purchase their synthetically generated chemical vitamins and minerals from one of a few major pharmaceutical companies, mix them together, put their label on the bottle, and then slap on a big price tag. Essentially all these products are the same. In order to make up for a lack of nutrient quality, most supplements on the market today contain mega-doses of vitamins and minerals. But more is not better when it comes to nutrition. In actuality, large doses of synthetic vitamins and minerals can create rather than curenutritional deficiencies. When it comes to nutrition it is all about quality over quantity, and remarkably Catalyn is very reasonably priced when compared to inferior products.
Depending on the severity and duration of your health concern(s), you may be asked to take anywhere from three to twelve Catalyn tablets each day. Keep in mind that Catalyn is an anti-fatigue nutritional concentrate, so you should take the majority of your daily dose with breakfast and/or lunch. You may be asked to take a small dose of Catalyn with your bedtime supplements and/or herbs, but generally your evening dose should not exceed 3 tablets.
Catalyn is also available in a cherry-flavored chewable tablet for children that provides young people with the ideal nutritional start in life. Daily chewable Catalyn is a precious gift that you can give your children or grandchildren and it will make a noticeable difference in their resistance to common childhood ailments such as colds, ear infections, and allergies. Take note that Catalyn is rich in vitamin D, the nutrient many experts believe is the key to avoiding H1N1 (swine flu) and other types of influenza.
Please note that Catalyn is not a multi-level marketing product, although it is only available through licensed health care providers.
lnk