Licensed Acupuncturist, Oriental Medical Doctor

Jenny Jin, L.Ac, OMD, has been practicing acupuncture for the past 20 years. A graduate of Nanjing Medical University in China and University of Southern California, she began her career working in the Pain Management Clinic at USC. When evaluating for treatment, Dr. Jin goes through a four-step process:

  1. She first observes the patient’s complexion, eyes, tongues, nails, and physical appearance.
  2. Next, she listens to her patient’s voice and breathing and looks for any specific odors emanating from the body and breath.
  3. She then takes history which includes questions relating to pain, sleep, appetite, digestion, bowel movements, bladder, family life, work environment, living conditions, and emotional state.
  4. Lastly, by touching and taking the patient’s pulse, Dr. Jin can determine temperature, pain, and sensitivity to hot and cold. In doing so, she can ascertain which organs are not functioning correctly.

Acupuncture relies heavily on the principles of internal balance and harmony, and once that is achieved, health can be restored to the organs and systems in the body. As Westerners, we have been introduced to a generic explanation of Yin and Yang, as two opposing energies. Sometimes we think of it as male/female energy. Yin is characterized by cold, dark, stillness, weakness, and emptiness, whereas Yang is considered heat, light, activity, strength, and solidity.

Per Dr. Jin, “Yin and Yang will not always be in perfect balance as there are times when stress or sadness takes over, and other times when relaxation and joy might dominate. Illness occurs when there are prolonged periods of imbalance where the co-existence of Yin and Yang does not return. It is my task to identify the disparity, taking into consideration all the many external and internal forces at work, and then return the body to a state of harmony.”

Dr. Jin treats a range of problems, including sciatica, menstrual cramps, morning sickness, infertility, menopausal symptoms, impotence, prostate issues, digestion, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, cystitis, high blood pressure, insomnia, migraines, poor circulation, varicose veins, asthma, arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, weight loss, allergies, tension, and depression. Aside from the use of needles to stimulate the organs, she also uses herbs to complete the healing process and return each patient to good health and wellbeing.