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Acupuncture’s Role in Stimulating the Vagus Nerve
Acupuncture Techniques

Acupuncture’s Role in Stimulating the Vagus Nerve

How It Can Help Treat Chronic Inflammation and Disease

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.

Amanda Archuleta, DAOM, LAc
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Your Practice / Business
Common HIPAA Violations Every Acupuncturist Should Know
Common HIPAA Violations Every Acupuncturist Should Know

Consequences for HIPAA violations can often be quite harsh. If someone has breached the HIPAA privacy regulations – even without any malicious intent, civil penalties are applicable: $100 per violation for unawareness, a minimum of $1,000 for reasonable cause, a minimum of $10,000 if willful neglect is present and then rectified, and finally, a minimum of $50,000 for individuals who act with willful neglect and ignore the issue.

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David Bibbey, Dipl. Ac., LAc
Health & Wellness / Lifestyle
Understanding Mental Illness Through the Luo Vessels
Understanding Mental Illness Through the Luo Vessels

The luo vessels are important in the treatment of mental health issues. They are conduits of “ying qi”: blood and fluids. We believe that the shen is “housed” in the heart and circulated through the blood, making a channel system that “conducts” ying qi ideal for treatment of the mind and emotions.

Nicholas Sieben, LAc
Health Care / Public Health
A Collaborative Journey to Better Patient Outcomes: Critical Tools
A Collaborative Journey to Better Patient Outcomes: Critical Tools

As our health care ecosystem continues to evolve, I’ve found an increased emphasis being placed on an integrative approach to patient care. As an acupuncturist, you are an essential part of this collaborative system and health care team, cooperating with a range of other professionals including medical doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, and others.

Brandon Hoffman, BA
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Diagnosis  |  DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Using Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Measurements to Determine an Objective TCM Diagnosis (Pt. 2)
Using Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Measurements to Determine an Objective TCM Diagnosis

Dr. Jimmy Chang taught that a proper assessment of patients’ blood pressure and heart rate can prove to be a much more reliable diagnostic measure than the patients’ subjective complaints. Dr. Chang originally made the distinction of four different blood pressure and heart rate types. In 2018, based on a new study on blood pressure done in Taiwan, Dr. Chang discovered further systolic and diastolic blood pressure types with corresponding effective herbal prescriptions. Part 1 of this article discussed types 1-5; pt . 2 covers types 6-10.

Tina Chen, LAc
Billing / Fees / Insurance
New Telemedicine Billing Codes
New Telemedicine Billing Codes

There are 17 new codes for telemedicine. There are separate codes for live audio-video communication between patient and provider, and a revised and new set for phone calls. These updated codes were introduced in the 2025 CPT update. Although the pandemic promulgated use of telemedicine, it remains viable and though not common, it is not unreasonable in an acupuncture setting when appropriate. Note these codes represent an evaluation and management (E&M) visit and closely mirror standard E&M coding.

Samuel A. Collins
Chronic / Acute Conditions  |  DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Class 4 Laser Therapy for Ankle Sprain: Case Study
Class 4 Laser Therapy for Ankle Sprain: Case Study

Photobiomodulation has emerged as a promising modality for accelerating the healing process in various musculoskeletal injuries, including ankle sprains. Class 4 laser therapy is one form of photobiomodulation used in health care. This case study presents an assessment of class 4 laser therapy in the treatment of a grade II ankle sprain, discussing its mechanism of action, clinical implementation, and outcomes.

Phil Harrington, DC, CMLSO, FASLMS
Featured

TCM for Women’s Health: Menstruum, Fertility, and Menopause

Because traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) views the human body as an interconnected network of energy (qi) and seeks to restore balance and harmony, ensuring the smooth flow of qi and blood is crucial to nourish and regulate the reproductive system. TCM treatment aims to regulate menstruation, reduce anovulatory menstruation, help ovulation, improve egg quality, stabilize progesterone, and provide a good endometrium environment for successful implantation and pregnancy.

Christine Chang, DAOM, LAc, Dipl. OM
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Pain Relief / Prevention
Acupuncture for Neuropathic Pain
Acupuncture for Neuropathic Pain

When a new 61-year-old female patient told me 10 years ago that her primary care physician referred her to me for treatment of her neuropathic pain in her legs due to her diabetes and feet, I was puzzled. I asked the patient to show me her feet. While the patient was taking off her shoes and socks, I was thinking, Why would her doctor refer her to me for neuropathic pain?

Vladislav Korostyshevskiy, LAc, MS, MEd
Acupuncture & Acupressure
Sports Acupuncture: For the Thorax, Abdomen and Breathing Mechanics
Sports Acupuncture: For the Thorax, Abdomen and Breathing Mechanics

The thoracic spine, abdomen and rib cage are a common source of pain and dysfunction for many people. When the thoracic spine does not move properly it will influence the movement and postural dynamics of the body above and below. This area can have an impact on everything including the shoulders, neck, lower back, and how you breathe.

Christopher Chapleau, DAc, LAc, Dipl. Ac., AIT, IMT, MSHP, CES, HMS
Herbal Medicine
Post-COVID Cough: Case Study
Post-COVID Cough: Case Study

It is not a surprise when I encounter lingering cough post-viral infection in the clinic. The majority of patients commonly treat viral infections with fever-reducing over-the-counter remedies, which allow the pathogens to penetrate deeper into the body, often remaining active for weeks to months. Combined with the use of over-the-counter cough suppressants, which repress cough, yet do not clear the pathogen, the acute viral infection can turn into a recalcitrant, long-term health challenge.

Craig Williams, LAc, AHG
Chinese & Asian Medicine
Chinese Medicine’s Role in Improving Heart Failure Outcomes
Chinese Medicine’s Role in Improving Heart Failure Outcomes

Mitigating cardiac-related wear and tear has long been a therapeutic concept in the fight against heart failure. In fact, acupuncturists have used their expertise to support heart function for millennia. There remains a need for more high-quality studies, but recent research may be revealing what mechanisms are behind acupuncture’s efficacy in heart failure patients.

David Cherian, MD, LAc
Your Practice / Business
Demystifying the Use of Laser Therapy in TCM Clinics
Demystifying the Use of Laser Therapy in TCM Clinics
A Bridge Between Tradition and Technology

Laser therapy has emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This new modality fits beautifully into the toolbox of the modern acupuncturist, as it can be used as a hybrid form of stimulation to acupuncture points, meridians, organs, nerves, and symptomatic areas in a new way that blends both moxa and energetic needle-like responses.

Dustin Dillberg, DACM, LAc, PAS
Health & Wellness / Lifestyle
The Breath of Life
The Breath of Life

The body and breath (aka: chi) have a symbiotic relationship. This has been understood for thousands of years. For example, a 700 AD Chinese Taoist Canon taught, “What the bodily form depends on [is] breath (chi) and what breath relies on is form.” They cannot exist independently. The form (body) dies when breath (chi) is exhausted. The quality of one will naturally impact the status of the other. This is a fundamental human understanding.

Carol Spooner, NMD