Using Acupuncture Alongside the Doctor You Already See

One question comes up more than almost any other at Acuherb Clinic in Ellicott City: does trying acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine mean giving up on the doctor you already see? It doesn't, and Dr. Helen Liu is direct about that with every patient who asks.

The waiting room

If you're coming from another appointment, or heading to one after, the waiting room at Acuherb Clinic is a small, calm space: upholstered chairs, a wood floor, a plant by the window, and a coat rack by the door. It's not designed to make you wait long, and it's not trying to be anything other than a place to sit for a few minutes before you're called back.

Fitting it around a full schedule

Balancing more than one provider means balancing more than one set of office hours. Acuherb Clinic is open Monday and Thursday mornings, Tuesday and Friday through the afternoon, Wednesday from early afternoon into the evening, and every other Saturday morning, closed Sundays. Call ahead at (410) 313-8226 to confirm which Saturday is open before you plan a visit around it.

A licensed medical practice, not a wellness studio

Acuherb Clinic is an acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine clinic, a licensed medical practice, not a spa or wellness studio. Dr. Liu is NCCAOM certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbology and Maryland State licensed in acupuncture, nationally certified and Maryland licensed since 1995. That distinction matters if you're deciding whether this kind of care can sit next to the rest of your medical treatment. It's built to.

Yes to both

Can you continue your regular medication and keep seeing your own doctor while being treated here? Yes to both. Acupuncture treatment can be given at the same time you take other medicine, and Dr. Liu encourages patients to continue regular visits to their primary physician. The clinic's role is to work alongside your existing care, not instead of it.

Who's in-network

Dr. Liu is an in-network provider for a specific set of insurers, which matters if you're weighing cost before booking.

• Aetna
• BlueCross BlueShield
• Cigna
• JHU
• United Health
• VA Medical

The clinic also accepts personal injury and workers' compensation insurance. Because plans vary, it's worth calling your insurer directly to verify your own coverage before your first visit. Your medical insurance may cover acupuncture, but confirming it in advance saves a surprise later.

What insurance doesn't cover

One area to know about ahead of time: herbal remedies are categorized as dietary supplements, so they're not covered by insurance the way an acupuncture visit might be, even under one of the plans above. If Dr. Liu recommends an herbal formula alongside acupuncture, plan for that as a separate cost.

Why this matters for chronic conditions especially

Patients managing something ongoing, whether a chronic disorder or recovery after a bigger medical event, often find the biggest value in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine as a second layer of care, not a replacement for the first. One patient described exactly that kind of long relationship with the clinic: "Dr. Liu's treatment relieved my pain from the stroke 10 years ago. My hand function has also greatly improved. I can do many things now, such as tying my shoelaces by myself."

What other patients say

Vanna Keomisy, a Google reviewer, wrote: "Dr. Helen Liu is so helpful in her treatments. She truly cares about what's best for your health and listens to your needs. I highly recommend her for any acupuncture and medicinal herb treatments!" Reviews like that are part of why Acuherb Clinic carries a 5.0 star rating on Google across six reviews, all of them five stars.

Getting in touch

Acuherb Clinic is located at 10304B Baltimore National Pike in Ellicott City, Maryland, and Dr. Liu can be reached directly at (410) 313-8226. If you're already working with a physician and you're curious whether this kind of care could sit alongside what you're doing now, that's a conversation worth having before you book, not after your first visit.

Nobody at Acuherb Clinic is asking patients to choose between one kind of care and another. The clinic exists to work alongside the rest of your care, not compete with it or replace it.