Prof. Lixing Lao, PhD

Professor Lixing Lao, president of the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine, is also the current vice president of the World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies. He is the former director of the School of Chinese Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (2013-2019), and served as a professor of family medicine and director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Program in the Center for Integrative Medicine of the School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), until 2013. Prof. Lao graduated from the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in 1983 and completed his PhD in physiology at UMB in 1992. He has served as the principal investigator / co-investigator of more than 20 clinical trials and preclinical studies in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense (DoD), and the Medical and Health Research Fund (MHRF) in Hong Kong.

Previous Articles

Can Acupuncture Treat COVID-19 Symptoms? Discussion of Possible Underlying Mechanisms
July 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 07)
Trending
Billing / Fees / Insurance
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S. (Pt. 3)
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S.

Whether you accept it, avoid it or live somewhere in between, insurance coverage has become a defining issue for our profession. Patients increasingly expect to use their benefits, practitioners want to be compensated fairly for their time and expertise, and the system itself remains – at best – fragmented. The encouraging news is that coverage has expanded in meaningful ways. The challenging news is that reimbursement, across the board, remains inadequate.

Clasina (Sina) Leslie Smith, MS, MA, LAc, MD, Dipl. Ac., FAAMA
Chinese & Asian Medicine
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations

While the formation of erythema and ecchymosis is an anticipated skin response to cupping therapy, the appearance of post-treatment vesicles remains less discussed in clinical literature. This article presents a case study of vesicle formation following cupping therapy, explores underlying pathophysiology, and offers management guidelines to support practitioners in addressing this phenomenon safely and effectively.

Roman Slavinskiy, LAc
Acupuncture Techniques
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics

Facial movements are essential for communication, expression and function. But when these movements become involuntary, they can lead to conditions that are not only physically uncomfortable, but also socially and emotionally distressing. Today, we’re taking a closer look at three common facial motor disorders – blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm and facial tics – and how both Western medicine and TCM view and treat them.

Michelle Gellis, AP, Dipl. Ac.