ADRIAN — Prescription Earth Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine has a new home on the north side of Adrian.
Melissa Anderson, who owns the practice, opened in Tecumseh in 2021 and moved into her new location at 1018 N. Main St. in Adrian in May.
Moving to Adrian wasn’t something Anderson was planning on doing, but she decided that she needed more room to expand the services she offers by adding more staff.
“I was looking for a downtown building in Tecumseh with more treatment rooms so that I could grow and hire a second acupuncturist, and I found this space,” she said. “I fell in love with the building.”
Anderson initially trained to be a chef by attending culinary school and worked in that field for 11 years. After deciding she was ready for a career change, she studied to earn a master’s degree in acupuncture and Oriental medicine with a focus on herbal medicine. In addition to her education and an internship experience, she is also nationally board certified, and is certified through the state of Michigan as well.
Her practice focuses on treating patients with a variety of medical concerns.
“Anything that you would go to your normal doctor for, you can come here for,” Anderson said.
She said that the ancient Chinese mapped out how energy flows through the body. With her practice, Anderson studies where energy is “stuck,” or where there may not be enough energy in locations in the body.
Keratin needles are inserted in points of the body called meridians, which are points that are close enough to the surface of the body that they can be manipulated, she continued. This process redirects the energy flow in the body.
“When energy is flowing correctly through the meridians, the body will heal itself,” she said.
A typical treatment session may last an hour, but the initial session is more involved. This session starts with a diagnostic session that lasts a few hours, she continued, during which time she will ask questions, take the patient’s pulse, and examine the tongue.
“That’s how I choose which acupuncture points to use, and which herbs to put in your custom formula,” she said.
Anderson said that the acupuncture treatment is “totally unique to the person.”
“Some people only need to come once,” she said. “Most people become lifelong patients because they enjoy it so much.”
Anderson offers a free half-hour consultation session to discuss the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine for patients who are interested in learning more about these treatment options. And, as a community service, Anderson is planning on adding a Monday evening session in June that will allow people to come in and get a five-point “general feel good” needle protocol. These sessions will be free and will take place between 4 and 6 p.m.
Anderson is planning to add a kitchen and tea room in 2026.
Prescription Earth Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine is located at 1018 N. Main St. in Adrian. The practice can be reached at 517-618-1772, online at prescriptionearth.com, or on Facebook at facebook.com/PrescriptionEarthWellness. Hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
