Search Acupuncture Today

Amongst the Primary Channels, from a classical point of view, the small intestine is perhaps the most important channel to understand. It is one of the least used acupuncture channels in modern acupuncture, yet it within it can be found a wealth of theories from the Ling Shu .

My previous column on the San Jiao deserves equal time for SJ’s loving partner, the pericardium. I nicknamed SJ the travel meridian – but pericardium can also play a crucial role in air travel.

Q: When is it appropriate to use a modifier -52? Can I use it for a timed service when I do less than the time required by the code? Modifier -52 identifies that a service or procedure has been partially reduced or eliminated at the physician’s discretion.

“Bridging Research, Clinical Care, Education and Policy” was the theme for the International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health 2016 (ICIMH). Several hundred attendees from North and South America, Europe, India, South Korea, Australia and Asia gathered in Las Vegas May 17th to 20th for the conference convened by the…

The NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) released its draft strategic plan 2016-2021 for public comment in early spring of 2016. The Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC) provided input to strengthen their resolve to investigate mind-body interventions and educate the American public.

This spring, a team of Western medical doctors and TCM practitioners from Cleveland Clinic traveled to Taiwan to visit Kaiser Pharmaceutical Co. (KP), and China Medical University (CMU), Taiwan’s leading integrative medicine hospital. The shared goal of these practitioners was to understand the quality control of Taiwan’s preeminent herb manufacturer,…

Sze K.

How long have you been in practice? I began my journey more than 20 years ago and opened my first acupuncture clinic in 2008. Just like you, I’ve learned a lot over the years. Recently, I sat in an interview and was asked what made me successful. Success can mean…

The Lung is known as the “Official Who Receives the Pure Chi From the Heavens.” The act of breathing in, known as inspiration, brings oxygen into the body from the atmosphere. Each exhalation or expiration removes and releases carbon dioxide, a waste product of the body, into the atmosphere. This…

The patient came into my office with the classic antalgic stoop. She was bent over almost to ninety degrees, leaning on her husband for support and staggering to walk. She had been under supportive care for a long time, but this new pain scared her. She had called her family…

Nuns are not stereotypical acupuncture patients, Dr. Jennifer Brett acknowledges with a laugh. But then again, acupuncture has gone mainstream, just like cappuccinos and recycling. “It’s changed a lot from the ‘70s and ‘80s,” said Brett. “Hospitals have staff acupuncturists and there is also more integration with other medical professionals.”…

Infertility is an area where Chinese medicine is particularly helpful. In the main, in women below the age of 38 without organic disturbance, the success rate using TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) should exceed 85%. Also, when supporting IVF (in vitro fertilization) procedures, the addition of herbal medicine and acupuncture can…

On December 7, 1999, the U.S. FDA reclassified the status of acupuncture needles from class III (investigative devices subject to investigative device exemptions…) to class II (special controls). “The classification regulation (21 CFR 880.5580) for solid, stainless steel, acupuncture needles requires that these class II devices must comply with special…

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced that acupuncturists will have their own unique occupational code in the 2018 BLS Handbook. The new Standard Occupational Code (SOC) is 29-1291, will be included in the next edition of the BLS Occupational Handbook, which will be published in 2018.

In response to the epidemic rates of opioid and heroin addiction, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set new guidelines for physicians regarding treatment for pain. In an attempt to reduce the amount of opioids being prescribed, the CDC has listed guidelines for pain management that identify specific…

Acupuncture should play a more prominent role in U.S. healthcare during and after this post-Affordable Care Act era when chronic care and population health management are key concerns for all healthcare providers. To detect differences between patients treated for chronic symptoms with acupuncture only versus acupuncture plus conventional treatment, as…

Felice

Bill

Leslie

Shelly