Mark Reinhard, an acupuncturist with more than 30 years of experience, practices in Kent, Wash. He has taught electroacupuncture at the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (his alma mater), the Seattle Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and Bastyr University. Mark is also an electrical engineer (Georgia Tech, 1981 graduate), which he says is particularly relevant since many of acupuncture's effects are bioelectrical in nature. He is currently designing and building various electroacupuncture machines, and has been using frequency-specific microcurrent in practice for the past several years.
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.