Meet the TCM Doctor: Serena Yang
Serena received her degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), majoring in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. She specializes in gynecological disorders, dysmenorrhea, PMS, menopausal symptoms, uterine myomas, PID, and infertility. Serena also specializes in acupuncture that deals with all sorts of body pains and traditional Chinese internal medicine for conditions such as insomnia, headaches, anxiety, digestive disorder, etc. She uses a combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture to more effectively treat her patients.
Tell us about your journey to becoming a TCM doctor and joining Body & Soul.
I’m originally from Shanghai but have lived and worked in several countries including the U.S., Vietnam, Hong Kong, and a few places in South America. I studied management at Jiaotong University, but I began to gain more interest in traditional Chinese medicine and culture as I got older. I started with a six-month course at Shanghai University of TCM. I also took a two-year British course on aromatherapy and got my certificate from the IFA (International Federation of Aromatherapists). My studies motivated me to want to understand TCM more and use this knowledge to help people, potentially all around the world. So, I enrolled in the full five-year international program at Shanghai University of TCM.
During my studies and after completing my degree, I studied and practiced with a TCM national master in gynecology and several experienced specialists in various internal medicines. Body & Soul seemed like a good fit to continue my professional development, given my international background. I enjoy being able to help diverse patients to discover the benefits of TCM.
Tell us about your background in gynecology.
I studied and practiced with national gynecology master Zhu Nan Sun at Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Medicine. She is the third generation of the famous Zhu Shi gynecologists and has been practicing gynecology for over 70 years. Her grandfather came to Shanghai and formed the New China Medical School. She and her father became renowned for their expertise in treating gynecological problems. Under her guidance, I treated patients with issues such as dysmenorrhea (period pain), PMS, menopausal symptoms, uterine myomas, and infertility. I was fortunate to learn in-depth prescriptions and decoctions for treating various conditions. Professor Zhu taught me that using a small amount of the right mixture and grouping of herbs is always better than using large amounts of medicine to treat a patient.
What types of issues can you help patients with?
Period pain, PMS, PID, and menopausal symptoms can be treated effectively with TCM. Patients often suffer from these issues and turn to medications such as painkillers when there are actually natural solutions that will resolve the symptoms long-term. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture is also very effective at reducing size of uterine myomas. Additionally, couples who are dealing with infertility concerns can benefit from acupuncture. It helps to boost the body’s fertility and create a healthy body for pregnancy. TCM can also be used in combination with western medical treatments such as IVF. In addition to these specializations, I can create a TCM treatment plan for patients suffering from all sorts of pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive problems or seasonal illness.
Serena Yang offers TCM evaluation and treatments in the Hongmei Road (Minhang) , Downtown (Xintiandi) clinics. Click here to make an appointment with her.