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Lateral ankle sprains are commonly seen in the sports medicine arena. Traditional treatment of this particular injury is initial symptom management from a Western perspective. I would like to review an integrated Western practice that can utilize Eastern strategies and philosophies. This combination will suggest more detailed evaluation and will…

After receiving numerous requests for more case studies based upon new variations on classical Chinese medical formulas, I have decided to continue my journey into the classic TCM text ” Essentials from the Golden Chamber. ” The following case studies reflect two distinctly different case pathologies using the variations of…

While overall cancer rates have slightly declined over the last 10 years by about 1 percent continues to be a major scourge of our society. The American Cancer Society projects that about 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and about 577,000 people will die from it.…

Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine (SIOM) is launching a new master of acupuncture degree (M.Ac.)in Spring 2012. The innovative program is designed to cultivate acupuncturists who can work in a variety of public health clinical settings as varied as rural health centers, private clinics, detox clinics, or international volunteer clinics…

There are many conflicting commentaries about the “Secondary Channels” of acupuncture. Are they separate from the Primary Channels, or part of them? Are they channels (” Jing “) or collaterals (” Luo “)? This debate is most evident with the Divergent Channels. Some call them “Distinct Channels,” seeing them as…

Professionalism is often taught and assessed through the idea of leadership in medical education. There are good reasons as the influence of a discipline can be realized through professionalism and leadership. Further, the sense of power and influence that an individual within a profession enjoys can affect their presence and…

It is a fairly well known fact that medical doctors use more prescription drugs than the general population, that they have a higher rate of suicide, and that they are less likely to seek help for mental issues like depression.

In the fall of 2011, 16 acupuncturists from USA and Canada joined a “World Healing Exchange (WHE)” tour organized by Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB). This was the third outreach activity to Nepal and an essential step in nurturing the connection between Nepalese Acupuncturists and AWB. We would like to share…

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Acupuncture treatments are gaining popularity at nationwide hospitals due to more recognition of its effectiveness in various conditions, according to a recent survey by the American Hospital Assn. and the Samueli Institute, a nonprofit research group focusing on complementary medicine.

The Ancient Chinese had a unique insight about the relationship between nature and humanity. They perceived the inseparable nature of life, which is the basis of the theory of the three treasures: heaven, humanity and Earth. The three treasures are really three inseparable aspects of a life: jing , qi…

The first year of my practice I had a young woman come to my office who had become a paraplegic from an auto accident three months previously. She was a junior in high school when the accident had occurred and her doctors had told her that she should prepare herself…

The future looks bright for practitioners of TCM. Despite the fact that TCM is thousands of years old, our profession is uniquely positioned to take advantage of new opportunities that lie yet ahead. Given our current understanding of health and wellness, the foresight and wisdom of early TCM practitioners in…

Much of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the concept of Yin and Yang. We have all heard these words used and seen the familiar graphic most of us call the “Yin Yang” symbol often enough that we may take for granted that we understand what they mean. However,…

“It’s all about the art of the interview,” said Tess Sherman, sketch artist with the Austin Police Department’s Crime Analysis Unit, describing the tactful and supportive way she works with interviewees. Stressing the unique nature and circumstance of each interview for the details she needs to sketch an attacker’s facial…

The oldest texts in history’s TCM libraries present this field as one rooted in spirit. Primary medical theories and practices were devised over 2,500 years ago when the causes and treatments for disease (all over the world) were largely spirit based. No matter the ailment, a practitioner was duty bound…

Researchers from Georgetown recently showed that acupuncture in rats reduces a protein that’s associated with stress. While this gives hope to those for whom molecules make more sense than qi , it remains to be seen whether the findings can be replicated in humans. In the meantime, the Western-minded among…

Recent studies have concluded that acupuncture is no more effective than various forms of sham or placebo acupuncture, and these conclusions have been reported in the media and used by skeptics to discredit acupuncture. The Oriental medical (OM) community’s response to these reports has been ineffective, perhaps counterproductive. These studies,…

This year promises to be one of change. There is uncertainty all around us. In spite of the circumstances we must in some ways mimic the characteristics of the noble Dragon and act as born leaders as this symbol represents the Chinese emperors. Dragons have big mouths, but their opinions…