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News In Brief: AOMA Becomes First Stand-Alone AOM School to Achieve Regional Accreditation. Tai Chi for Knee Pain.

First, I want to thank you for all that you do for the Chinese medical profession here in the United States. I am a California- and nationally licensed acupuncturist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area. As you know, this region has a large number of acupuncturists, and the competition…

As we are in the winter months, many of the patients coming to our clinics will have concerns about cold and flu issues, particular in light of the recent H1N1 flu strain. TCM has a colorful history of treating and diagnosing seasonal cold and flu symptoms. Texts as diverse as…

At times the interplay between a detox acupuncturist and a client approaches the absurd. Case in point: this conversation between myself [G] and a young Asian woman [AW]. G: So, You want to try acupuncture? AW: I have to ask my mother first. G, reflects a moment, then decides on…

Happy Chinese New Year! The year of the Tiger begins on the 14th of February. Let’s consider the fearsome Tiger. Those people born under his sign are doers, movers and shakers. They manage to accomplish world-class projects. This description provides myriads of information about them and sets very high expectations…

Chinese medicine is a path of healing that restores and maintains health. One primary aim is to increase the presence of life and health in a person, and help them manifest their unique destiny or potential as part of the whole of life.

I remember attending my first meeting of the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) in 1999. As a newly hired college administrator, I chose to sit in a corner and try to blend into the background. I’m not really good at background-blending, and I found myself captivated…

In order to achieve optimum effectiveness when using diet therapy, the first consideration is compliance. The main reason for the limited information available to the Western practitioner regarding food therapy is the obscure and often odd ingredients and flavors found in traditional recipes. By identifying the therapeutic combinations of ingredients,…

Q: I do not want to bill any incorrect codes this year, and I know there are always some updates to coding for the new year. Do you know what they may be, or where I may find them? Also should I be looking to purchase an ICD-10 ? I…

I have long been uncomfortable with the use of the word cure , and have never used it in my practice, for fear of not being able to live up to that ideal. A friend recently reminded me that the word cure is often associated with quackery. That was what…

There are two types of bacteria: aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic bacteria need oxygen for growth and survival; whereas anaerobic bacteria do not require oxygen for growth, and may even die in its presence. Most bacteria are aerobic. Some aerobic bacteria are beneficial, such as those that contribute to the process…

Veterans can now gain hope for recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a condition that has symptomatic features of recall, arousal and avoidance. The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin (AOMA) partnered with the nonprofit Save A Vet (www.SaveAVet.com) and the Austin Veterans and Family Advocacy Council (AVFAC)…

At the beginning of last year, the media was buzzing about the stability of American International Group, otherwise known as AIG. As had been widely reported, AIG Insurance Company was not considered financially viable after engaging in billions of dollars of extremely speculative investments known as credit swaps.

The patients who come to your office to receive acupuncture and/or herbal therapy are often taking Western drugs. These may be over-the-counter (OTC) medications for pain control, allergies, colds, flu symptoms or a variety of other common problems. They may be prescription drugs for such conditions as hypertension, diabetes, anxiety,…

The new year is here whether or not you are ready. Everyone is talking doom and gloom but you can be productive if you get to work right now. That is really the key phrase: “Get to work.” This is not the time to sit back and feel sorry for…

For several decades, cancer has been the leading cause of death worldwide. The predominant therapy for cancer is conventional treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In China, most patients accept Chinese herbal medicine as supplemental therapy for cancer treatment. Herbal medicine has its own advantages, such as enhancing therapeutic effects…

Michael

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Valerie

We clearly live in a time when fresh solutions are needed for a myriad of pressing issues. One of the biggest is the need for more efficient utilization of natural resources. With human population now at 6.8 billion and expected to reach 9 billion by 2040, resources are being increasingly…