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Alternative Health News

An Alternative Approach to Stretching
Clinicians, athletes and rehabilitation specialists advocate stretching as a means for injury prevention and treatment. The primary purpose of any stretching technique is to enhance pliability and flexibility in the soft tissues.

AMTA Board of Directors Disbands Council of Schools
After months of evaluation, the AMTA's Governance Committee recommended the association's board of directors (BOD) vote to remove sections of the bylaws that refer to the COS, effectively dissolving the COS as an AMTA organization.

Spinal Hua Tuo Therapy
Without question, some of the most dynamic acupuncture points on the human body are known as the Hua Tuo jiaji points. These points are extremely easy to locate and use. They respond not only to the acupuncture needle, but also to any type of percussion...

Spine Stabilization and Exercise
Spinal stabilization exercises have become very popular, and for good reason. They are commonly prescribed for a wide range of lower back and other musculoskeletal conditions.

A Few Shameless Self-Promoting Tips to Build Your Practice
Promoting your business does not need to be a huge task weighed down with labor and expense. Often, all you need is a groundswell of ideas, and then follow with a little effort.

How to Increase Proprioception and Improve Your Clinical Outcomes, Part 2
It appears that manual techniques decrease potentially destructive compensatory movement patterns, but also increase the quality and quantity of sensory information supplied to the central nervous system, which has a facilitating effect on the vestibular system and may even block a chronic pain pattern.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet, Part 3
To conclude this series on inflammation, David Seaman, MS, DC, DACBN, has been kind enough to advise us on ways to "deflame" the typical diet and comment on the science of diet and inflammation.

The Biomechanics of Spondylolysis, Part 2
Author: Arthur C. Croft. Title: The Biomechanics of Spondylolysis, Part 2. Summary: In part I of this two-part series (Sept. 23 issue), I described a rear-impact motor-vehicle crash in which a man was rear-ended by a police cruiser and pushed into an SUV.

Test Combinations in Patient Examination, Part 3: Testing by Indirect Method
Most orthopedic and neurological tests are taught as individual entities and are then grouped into regions and/or categories of pathology, rather than being taught in patterns or sequences that consider efficiency in performance or clinical use.

Clients Who Are Reluctant to See a Physician
Whenever a client comes to me with an injury or pain condition, I make sure the person goes to see a physician if they have not already. I recommend this policy to all the practitioners I have trained around the country, and believe it is one of the most important steps we can take to protect our clients, our profession, and ourselves.

Our Health Care Dilemma
Health care reform is in the air, and after trying to digest the finer points of the debate, I don't know what to say. Well, almost. Here goes. I read a report on the Canadian health system by David Gratzer, MD, in The City Journal...

The Silent Progression of Kidney Infections and Stone Formation
There is a strong possibility that the chronic or semi-acute somatic complaints of your clients may have a deeper origin than biomechanical strain. In fact, their somatic difficulties may be associated with the progressing development of kidney stones or infections.

Rehab Following Hip Replacement
Jeanne is a 67-year-old female, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 159 pounds. I first saw her for a second-opinion evaluation. An orthopedic surgeon had recommended bilateral hip replacement surgery and she wanted to know if there was anything else that could be done before undergoing surgery.

Farewell: Keep Sharing the Love
After nearly nine years of contributing as a columnist for Massage Today, Dr. John Upledger tells his readers farewell and leaves us with inspiring insight to this special field of work.

Pro-Solutions Sued for Breach of Contract
In September, a few ProAdjuster owners received an e-mail communication from Sigma Instruments, the manufacturer of the ProAdjuster equipment.

Tips From the Field: Creating a Supply Kit
"What supplies should I take with me?" I've been asked this question a lot over the years by massage therapists anticipating work in eldercare or hospice settings. This situation is far different from having an office space with all your supplies conveniently available.

Practice Building: Taking Your Massage Practice to the Next Level
Many massage therapists are frustrated by how the current economic situation has affected their practice. They are having difficulty making ends meet while trying to find or maintain continuous employment.

Is "Word of Mouse" Replacing Word of Mouth?
I know this article will be met with a variety of reactions from various readers because of the wide and diverse demographics of our profession, but I just could not help wondering if this entire "social networking" craze is causing many doctors to ignore the fact that...

Active Isolated Stretching: Empowerment through Flexibility
Massage therapists are expected to alleviate stress, help with relaxation, and relieve pain caused by injuries, repetitive use and physical limitations. A therapist's success in doing so often leads clients to view their massage therapist as a "cure-all."

Fixing Achy Hips
Structurally oriented therapists are keenly aware of the crucial role proper iliosacral alignment plays in preventing compensatory low back and SI joint pain.

Essential Oils for Pain Relief, Part 2
Essential oils that treat the nervous system and bring down swelling may be only part of the picture when dealing with pain relief. Joint pain and muscle injury or chronic stiffness may also require bringing more circulation into the area and removing toxins.

The Art of Telephone Communication
Even in this digital age, telephone communication is a very important aspect of successful office procedures because it is the first contact that many, if not most, of your patients will have with you and your office.

Massage Today T-Shirt Photo Contest Extended
Due to the recent availability of the Massage Today T-shirt for purchase, we have extended the deadline of our Massage Today T-shirt photo contest.

We Get Letters & E-Mail
Shouldn't we chiropractors be lobbying for the creation of "managed legal services," and also for federal government control of legal/attorney services? Isn't it really past time? William Shakespeare told us in King Henry VI many years ago (circa 1591-2), "The first thing we do...

AMTA Convention: Largest Attendance Ever
The 2009 American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) national convention held September 23-26 in Orlando welcomed more than 1,800 attendees and nearly 100 vendors, making it the largest annual AMTA convention ever.

Manageable Fitness Solutions
A lot has changed in the world of massage therapy since I first started practicing more than 25 years ago. While massage has been used for healing in East Asia for a long time, our attitude towards it in the U.S. has evolved from a practice that simply feels good, into a necessary part of professional sports, and a respected form of alternative healing.

Chiropractic: A Glorious Future
Kilo and Larson describe the real issues surrounding our current health care crisis. It is not purely an economic problem to be solved by altering the way health care goods and services are paid for. It is acknowledging that applying the same clinical strategies that...

Public Health Goes to College
As detailed in an Oct. 12 joint release, SCU, NYCC and WSCC have established automatic one-year memberships in the Chiropractic Health Care section of the American Public Health Association for chiropractic students beginning with the Fall 2009 incoming classes.

Horizon New Jersey Finally Held Accountable
After a substantial delay, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) has issued its final ruling with regard to the administrative action initiated several years ago by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC) against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

World Massage Conference, Nov. 12-17
Join thousands of massage therapists in the largest event in the history of massage for a live conference without ever leaving your home. The World Massage Conference is a live, web-based massage conference that will be held November 12-17, 2009.

Make the New Year a Better One
If you are like most people I know, you are more than happy to see the rest of 2009 pass by. For most of us, this has not been our favorite year, to say the least. Between our country's poor economic health and the specter of adverse health care reform, this year has been a challenge.

We Get Letters
Massage Today encourages letters to the editor to discuss matters relating to the publication’s content. Letters may be edited for space and clarity, and published in a future issue or online.

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The Connection Between Qi Gong and Massage

By Suzanne Friedman, LAc

The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon (Neijing) was compiled in 200 BC and is still considered the bible of Chinese medicine today. The Neijing discusses four major healing modalities: acupuncture, pharmacology (herbs), massage and qi gong. Qi gong was then called dao yin, which translates as "guiding and pulling" but is sometimes called "gymnastics" in translated texts. Early Chinese medicine and Daoist texts frequently grouped massage and qi gong together as the two most powerful methods of self-healing. Qi gong became an official part of Chinese court medicine by the Tang dynasty, and it is likely that massage therapists were already part of court medicine before that time.

After the Baby is Born, Continued

By Kaleb Montgomery, DTCM

I was lying in bed trying to get my two sons asleep thinking about what I was going to write this article about. The deadline for submission was two days past and I had not even started writing it yet. Worse than that, I had no idea about what I was going to write. Lying there I was cycling through the list of excuses as to why I didn't have anything written or even a topic to write about.

The First Stop on the Road to Compliance

By Marilyn Allen, Editor

In March 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved new guidelines for acupuncturists dispensing herbs. According to the FDA, Chinese herbs are classified as dietary supplements. The current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) guidelines can be difficult to understand since they are complicated by legal terminology.

The Initial Consultation: Getting to the Heart of the Matter, Part 8

By Neil Gumenick, MAc (UK), LAc, Dipl. Ac

In previous installments of this series, I emphasized the importance of questioning deeper than the superficial information or data to reach the unique individual patient and understand how, and in what way, they are in need of help and support.

All Rights Reserved, Acupuncture Today, 2009.

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