Dr. John Rybak is the medical director and acupuncturist at The WellBridge Clinic in Portland, Ore. (www.wellbridgeclinic.com). He spent seven years working on health care policy and advocating for the acupuncture profession at the Oregon Acupuncturists Association; has served as a faculty member of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine; and recently gave a TEDx talk at the University of California, Davis on the science of acupuncture.
In the tradition of the Five Elements, the spirit leads us to the source of function or dysfunction. As a pelvic health specialist, I have found that the spirit of the points on the pelvis are particularly important in supporting our clients, as they connect deeply with the spirit. Working with the points on the pelvis is often pivotal for the client and thus requires a well-designed foundation.
To plateau and profit or release and replace is an ethical dilemma we clinicians will face sometime during our career. In work situations in which oversight ranges from limited to excessive, we navigate our practices, businesses and/or positions between the poles of profit and loss, moral and legal. The question is: What do we do when the patient's clinical progress becomes stagnant, yet they will freely continue to receive treatment?
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Long COVID has challenged conventional medical paradigms. There is certainly a growing need for therapies that bridge traditional pharmacology with integrative strategies. Among the more unconventional options, nicotine – delivered via low-dose transdermal patches – has surfaced as a potential tool. While the idea may sound wacky, emerging evidence and clinical anecdotes suggest it warrants exploration.
