The Small Business Association’s Vermont district office recently announced the Vermont Small Business Person of the Year for 2024: Dr. Kerry Boyle, a doctor of acupuncture and the owner of Integrative Acupuncture in Montpelier, Vt. She is also the founder of Chi Chi Wellness, “a chocolate company that infuses Chinese herbal medicine into organic chocolate bars.”
“We congratulate Dr. Kerry Boyle on her award,” said Darcy Carter, district director of the Vermont SBA office, in a release announcing the 2024 recipient. “Dr. Kerry sees an opportunity in every day to make her vision a reality and to make a difference in the world. Through her several businesses, she seeks to improve the health and happiness of Vermonters. She truly enjoys the challenge of building a new business and is an inspiration to others seeking entrepreneurship.”
Dr. Boyle graduated from Bastyr University with a master’s in acupuncture in 2003 and later completed a doctorate in acupuncture from Pacific College of Health and Science.
One of the longest nerves in the body is known as the vagus nerve (VN). The VN is the 10th pair of cranial nerves that originates at the brain stem in the medulla oblongata. This nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is a part of the ANS. Research suggests ear acupuncture can activate the VN.
Migraines are unilateral, throbbing headaches, often with concurrent nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. Approximately 10% of the global population suffers from migraines, with women more than three times as likely as men to experience them. Medication remains a mainstay treatment option, making nondrug alternatives critical to safer practices. New research suggests auricular acupuncture may be one such alternative.
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How much training in gua sha did you get in acupuncture school? If it was not much more than an introduction, now is the time to revisit this powerful healing modality. I’ve found gua sha to be one of my go-to skills to address myofascial dysfunction, all sorts of pain, limited range of motion, and even to promote general well-being. Let’s discuss the keys to effective gua sha treatment, which I hope will get more acupuncturists using it in the clinic.