Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, LAc

Jake Fratkin, OMD, LAc, has been in the practice of Oriental medicine since 1978. Following undergraduate and graduate training at the University of Wisconsin in Chinese language and philosophy and pre-medicine, he pursued a seven-year apprenticeship in Japanese and Korean style acupuncture with Dr. Ineon Moon and a two-year apprenticeship in Chinese herbal medicine with Drs. Zhengan Guo and Pak-Leung Lau in Chicago. He also spent a year in Beijing hospitals interning in advanced herbal medicine, specializing in gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders, and pediatrics.

Dr. Fratkin is the author of several books, including Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines: The Clinical Desk Reference, and is the editor-organizer of Wu and Fischer's Practical Therapeutics of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 1999, he was named the "Acupuncturist of the Year" by the American Association of Oriental Medicine.

Previous Articles

To the Class of 2018: Graduates of Southwest Acupuncture College
October 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 10)
Making Sense of Liver Regulation
April 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 04)
Building Kidney Yang and Jing
January 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 01)
Pediatric Asthma: A Case Study
November 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 11)
Infertility: Managing Irregular Menses
September 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 09)
Insuring Quality Control in Herb Importation: An Interview with Wilson Lau
July 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 07)
The Japan 6 Tour: Highlighting the Mystery of Japanese Acupuncture
April 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 04)
Boosting Bone Marrow and Immune Function During Cancer Treatment
January 2016 (Vol. 17, Issue 01)
Environmental Toxins: Cause of Modern Illness, Part 2
February 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 02)
Environmental Toxins: Cause of Modern Illness (Part I)
May 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 05)
Important Combination Tonic Formulas
January 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 01)
Treating Vertigo
September 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 09)
Three Essential Herbal Products For Your First-Aid Kit
July 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 07)
Treating Infertility with Chinese Herbs
March 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 03)
The Miracle Cure for Losing Weight
January 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 01)
Treating Musculoskeletal Disorders With Chinese Herbal Formulas - Part II: Chronic
October 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 10)
Treating Musculoskeletal Disorders With Chinese Herbal Formulas - Part 1: Acute
September 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 09)
Concerning "Chinese Herbal Nephropathy"
May 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 05)
Going Beyond The Classics
October 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 10)
Lab Tests: An Essential Tool For Herbalists
July 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 07)
Making Chinese Herbal Formulas Into Alcohol-Extracted Tincture
April 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 04)
An Interview with Herbalist, Acupuncturist and Scholar Charles Chace
January 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 01)
Getting Off the Antibiotic Merry-Go-Round
October 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 10)
Broadening Strategies in the Treatment of Insomnia
July 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 07)
Treating Complex Multilayered Cases, Part 2
April 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 04)
Treatment and Prevention of H1N1 Swine Flu
January 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 01)
Treating Complex Multi-Layer Cases, Part 1: Diagnosis
October 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 10)
In Praise of the Lowly Clinician
July 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 07)
Ovarian Cysts and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
April 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 04)
The Price of Western Medicine and the Promise of Eastern Medicine
January 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 01)
Managing a Patient with Multiple Complaints
July 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 07)
Treating Metabolic Syndrome
April 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 04)
Two Cases of Hyperthyroidism
January 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 01)
Treating Infants and Small Children With Chinese Herbal Medicine
September 2007 (Vol. 08, Issue 09)
Plotting Acute Cough
May 2007 (Vol. 08, Issue 05)
New Chinese Herbal Formulas for Treating Depression
January 2007 (Vol. 08, Issue 01)
The Treatment of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) With Chinese Herbal Medicine, Part Two: Risks and Benefits of Vaccinations
September 2006 (Vol. 07, Issue 09)
The Treatment of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) With Chinese Herbal Medicine, Part One
July 2006 (Vol. 07, Issue 07)
The Potential Avian Flu Epidemic
April 2006 (Vol. 07, Issue 04)
Stunning Herbal Formula Wins Recognition in the Western Medical Community
December 2005 (Vol. 06, Issue 12)
Improved Outcomes When Combining TCM With Western Interventions for Cancer
September 2005 (Vol. 06, Issue 09)
Modern Applications for Antiviral Therapy
March 2005 (Vol. 06, Issue 03)
Scientific Criticism of Traditional Oriental Medicine: Reflections Following Conversations With My Twin Brother
August 2004 (Vol. 05, Issue 08)
Trending
Health & Wellness / Lifestyle
Cultivating the Empowered Patient: Help Them Commit to Their Own Process
Cultivating the Empowered Patient: Help Them Commit to Their Own Process

The most important relationship I seek to nurture in the treatment room is the one a patient has with their own body. We live in a culture that teaches us to override pain, defer to outside authority, and push through discomfort. Patients often arrive hoping I can “fix” them, but the truth is, we can’t do the work for them. We can offer guidance, insight and support, but healing requires their full participation.

Aiden Jakob Seraphim, DACM, LAc
Senior Health
TCM’s Potential in Preventing and Treating Cognitive Decline
TCM’s Potential in Preventing and Treating Cognitive Decline

In the U.S alone, approximately one in nine adults (11.1%) report experiencing subjective cognitive decline. A comparable percentage will go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. As researchers and clinicians seek integrative solutions outside of conventional pharmacological approaches, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) emerges as a promising, multimodal strategy in the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline.

Regina Robles, LAc, DAOM
Evidence / Research / Science
Acupuncture and Moxibustion for IBS-D
Acupuncture and Moxibustion for IBS-D

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) causes chronic diarrhea and abdominal discomfort that significantly impacts quality of life. Current pharmaceutical treatments have limited efficacy. Recent research highlights the role of gut microbiota in IBS-D development and recovery. This study compared how acupuncture and moxibustion at a single acupoint perform against pharmaceutical treatment in restoring bowel function and rebalancing gut microbiota.

Simone Ormsby, BSc, BHSc, PhD; Sandro Graca, MSc, Lic TCM, FABORM