Does Acupuncture Services of Central New York Cover Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs for Kidney Stones?

Updated

Yes. Acupuncture Services of Central New York lists "Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs for Kidney Stones" as one of the articles in its Articles section, alongside related topics such as colds and flu, the Lung in Chinese medicine, and the Gallbladder's role in decision-making. The site is the practice of Joyce, a licensed acupuncturist in Central New York, and its content is organized around basic theory, specific conditions, and practitioner-written articles. If you are looking for whether the site addresses kidney stones specifically, the answer is that it does — as an article topic within a broader library of Chinese medicine conditions.

What the site covers on kidney stones

The kidney stones article sits in the same Articles index as pieces on:

  • Acupuncture for common colds and flu
  • Chinese herbal formulas for the common cold (by Dr. Jake Fratkin)
  • The Lung in Chinese medicine
  • Decision-making as a function of the Gallbladder

This placement matters. It tells you the site treats kidney stones as one condition among many that Chinese medicine addresses, rather than as a standalone specialty page. The article is written from a Chinese medicine perspective, so expect discussion of pattern differentiation and treatment approach rather than a conventional urology breakdown.

How Chinese medicine typically frames kidney stones

The site's other articles give a sense of how it explains organ function. In the Gallbladder article, for example, it states that in traditional Chinese medicine every organ has both a physical and a mental function, and that organs are paired by yin and yang — the Liver and Gallbladder being one such pair. The Liver governs planning and direction; the Gallbladder governs the courage and conviction to carry out that plan.

Kidney stones would be approached with the same logic: the Kidney in Chinese medicine is associated with a distinct set of functions, and a stone pattern would be differentiated according to the person's overall presentation rather than the stone alone. The article on the site is the place to read the specific reasoning the practice uses.

What acupuncture and Chinese herbs are used for here

Based on how the site describes its scope, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are presented as complementary approaches for the conditions listed. For kidney stones, the general Chinese medicine rationale is:

  • Acupuncture is used to address the pattern of imbalance associated with the condition and to support the movement of qi and blood.
  • Chinese herbs are selected as formulas matched to the individual's pattern, not to the diagnosis label alone.

The site's cold-and-flu content makes this explicit: it notes that many Chinese herbal formulas exist for colds and flu, and advises consulting a licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine to determine which formula should be used in any given situation. That same caution applies to kidney stones — formula selection is individual.

What to do if you want to pursue this

  1. Read the "Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs for Kidney Stones" article on the site to see the practice's specific framing.
  2. Check the site's Basic Theory and Diagnosis sections if you want background on how patterns are identified.
  3. Use the Contact page or the listed phone number, (315) 601-6187, to ask whether kidney stones is a condition the practice currently treats and what an initial visit involves.
  4. If you are under care for kidney stones, coordinate with your treating physician before adding acupuncture or herbs.

A note on what the site does not tell you

The site does not publish pricing, insurance details, or session length on the pages reviewed here, so do not assume any of those from the article listing. It also does not present the kidney stones article as a substitute for medical evaluation. The consistent message across the site's content is that a licensed practitioner should determine the appropriate formula or treatment for an individual case — which is the right next step if the topic applies to you.