In my last article, I addressed treatment of hip osteoarthritis with acupuncture point protocols. In this installment, let’s discuss herbal patent medicines that are also effective in treating hip OA. This is a condition I treat extensively with both herbal medicines and acupuncture. While the focus of this article is OA of the hip, the herbal medicines discussed can be highly effective for a wide array of OA issues.
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.
In prior issues, Neil discussed the Gallbladder Official as a whole (March 20 including points 17 and 24); points 37-41 (June 2013); points 1, 16, and 20 (May 2021); and points 2-3, 8-9, and 12-13 (April 2024). This article focuses on GB points 7, 10, 14-15, 18-19, 21, and 23.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability, often managed with pharmacological and surgical interventions. However, acupuncture has long been used as a non-invasive treatment for knee pain, and recent research provides new insights into its underlying mechanisms.
How often do you see a patient with that allusive pain between the shoulder blades with the catch-all name “rhomboid pain”? That nagging ache or stabbing, knife-like pain that when once activated, likes to be persistent and hang around for a while, disturbing sleep and disrupting pretty much everything. I see a few patients a week with this “rhomboid pain.” The bigger question is, what exactly is the source of this pain?
As a practitioner, it’s understandable that most of your time is spent treating patients, rather than developing your social media presence. However, just like diagnosing and treating a patient’s condition depends on their symptoms and individual needs, leveraging social media as a marketing tool requires a similar approach.
I was motivated to write this article after hearing yet another story of a male practitioner in our field making inappropriate comments about sexual behavior in his treatment room. Over the years, I’ve gathered stories about various men practicing in our field who have exhibited inappropriate behavior toward female patients. As health care practitioners who hold a unique role of body touch and emotional processing, we owe it to our profession to bring this to light.
Typically, when we think of organizations and people who support the growth, integrity and sustainability of any profession, our minds go to schools, practitioners, regulatory and credentialing organizations, and policy advocates. However, a new coalition is emerging from an unexpected corner of our profession: companies that have chosen collaboration over rivalry. Many of the companies you know and support that provide your needles, herbs and practice supplies have joined forces to form the Acupuncture Herbal Vendor Coalition (AHVC).
Mark comes to see you for his first acupuncture treatment. He aggravated his lower back two days ago after lifting his toolbox out the back of his truck. During the initial interview, you discover that Mark has two kids. His two children, 5 and 8 years old, are always bringing bugs home from school, and while his wife seems to remain unscathed, Mark is always getting sick. In fact, he hasn’t been able to shake this awful, phlegmy cough that he’s had for nine months now.
In cases of chronic pain and chronic insomnia in which the standard protocols of differential diagnosis provide only temporary relief of symptoms, I use a three-point acupuncture prescription, inspired by my practice of Zhan Zhuang Qi Gong, which has shown to provide significant improvement.
Low back pain is defined as pain the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), and it can be acute or chronic, localized or radiating. It is a common ailment for adults in the United States, with a lifetime prevalence as high as 65-80%. Whether or not an MRI is available to provide definitive knowledge of a structural issue, acupuncture can be an effective treatment for low back pain.
Pelvic pain has a prevalence of >25% in women and >15% in men, and up to 50% of cases are undiagnosed, demonstrating that there is a definite need for pelvic care awareness among health care practitioners. As holistic practitioners, acupuncturists offer a safe space for clients and are often the practitioners clients seek out when nothing else has worked. Thus, acupuncturists are presented with an opportunity to serve an underserved population.
In seven years of post-graduate practice, I have had the privilege to give 675 people their first acupuncture treatment (as of mid-2024, when I wrote this article). Not included in that number are the numerous clients who trusted me to try acupuncture again after an uncomfortable or impersonal session. My goal is always to remedy these negative stories.
High-impact sports such as boxing, mixed martial arts, football, rugby, and hockey are known for intense physical activity and placing significant stress, and damage, on the body. As a result, these athletes must keep their health at the forefront of their training regimens. Traditionally, these athletes relied mainly on strength training, cardiovascular workouts and physical therapy to maintain their health; however many high-impact athletes are beginning to incorporate acupuncture into their routines to enhance performance, accelerate recovery from workouts and injuries, and even prevent them.
