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The anatomy of expression refers to the relationship between our facial expressions, our muscles, meridians and our inner universe. Our face is unique in its ability to radiate shen, display our emotions, desires and intentions, and provide a window into our overall health. As acupuncturists, we have the skills necessary…

When you are trying to communicate with patients, long gone are the days that email was king. The best and most reliable place to reach patients in today’s mobile world is via text messaging. In April 2021, Forbes wrote about “The Anatomy of SMS Engagement,“1 noting that 98 percent of…

I also propose that this problem-solving species, Homo sapiens, found that without knowing who we are and where, that we deal with fear through one of two ways: power or faith. Both mitigate fear, but there is never enough power or faith to assuage the original existential fear that is…

In 2013, the NCCAOM introduced a route for former diplomates to return to active NCCAOM certification by meeting eligibility requirements and passing an NCCAOM Reinstatement Examination. In 2019, due to the high volume of feedback and requests from former diplomates and other stakeholders regarding the difficulties with the reinstatement exam…

Pulse diagnosis has played a great role in traditional Chinese medicine ever since its beginning, more than two thousand years ago; and while it has been a staple of diagnostic methods in TCM all these years, guides on pulse diagnosis have been employing somewhat confusing metaphors to classify pulse qualities.

Some people think any bill is better than nothing. Details are crucial. No one has mentioned some of the most important considerations of the new Medicare acupuncture bill.

We began our EBM series in early 2020, just before the all-encompassing coronavirus pandemic impacted every aspect of our lives. While addressing the pandemic had not been our original intent, that was, inevitably, what happened. We dedicated, for example, several articles in the EBM series to a translation of the…

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is quite similar to Bell’s palsy, which is caused by varicella-zoster virus infection. The virus attacks the facial nerve geniculate ganglion, causing peripheral facial paralysis. It may take longer than three weeks for the inflamed tissue to subside.

Just as the metal element gives value to the earth in the form of minerals and trace elements, as well as providing the pure, life-giving qi we breathe, metal gives the inner sense of self-worth to each individual. The officials of metal (the lungs and colon) are called, respectively, the…

The concept of prevention is important when the seasons begin to turn a bit colder and darker. I always teach patients how to slowly transition their diet and daily routines to harmonize with the fall season and prepare the body for the coming winter months. The concept of using acupuncture…

The CDC estimates 63 million Americans have doctor-diagnosed arthritis as of 2020, with that number ramping up to 75 million by 2035.1 In a national health survey sponsored by the CDC, 27.7 percent of adults who have arthritis are also obese, 33.7 percent also have diabetes, and 36.4 percent also…

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by resting tremors, stiffness coupled with slowed movement, impaired balance, bradykinesia, and depression. Patients may also experience speech difficulty, memory loss, fatigue and cognitive impairment.

More than one in 10 men experience chronic prostatitis, with frustrating symptoms including pain, urinary problems and sexual dysfunction. Chronic prostatitis / pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is the most common form of prostatitis – and the most challenging to treat, since it often has no identifiable cause (unlike acute or…

As occurs every Oct. 1, there are updates to the ICD-10 coding system. Some years, this makes no difference to the common codes billed by acupuncture providers, but most years there are at least a few changes that do; and this year, like last year, does so, particularly the code…

COVID-19 is not the only pandemic that America is experiencing. Racism, ableism, elitism, white supremacy, sizeism, ageism, sexism, xenophobia, and the gender-binary that currently exist in the medical system and society are themselves perpetuating many of the issues that as practitioners we currently treat.

On the occasion of the AOBTA’s 30th anniversary, I had a conversation with outgoing AOBTA President Deborah Valentine Smith, BA, LMT (N.Y.), Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM), AOBTA -CI and authorized Jin Shin Do Bodymind Acupressure Teacher, on the state of bodywork therapy and the AOM profession overall.

Nitric Oxide or NO is an important signaling molecule in the human body. Your body produces NO, which keeps blood vessels healthy. I perform an in-office saliva test to measure nitric oxide levels and relate it to good circulation, which ensures all of your cells are nourished by blood, oxygen…

When it comes to cannabis, most people focus on the effects and benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While these two cannabinoids have the largest presence in cannabis, there are several other cannabinoids present. One of the more notable of the 100-plus cannabinoids present in cannabis is cannabinol (CBN).

It is estimated that more than 20 million Americans suffer from some form of peripheral neuropathy (PN). Although most PN symptoms are manifested in the extremities, it is not a simple disease in the hands or feet. It is a complex disorder in the peripheral nervous system, and it is…

One of the most common questions I hear from patients on a daily basis is, “How do I improve my immunity?” This is a complex question that is not easy to answer in a generic, standardized fashion. An axiom within traditional Chinese medicine is “treat the patient not the disease”…