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I have just returned from a visit to Taiwan and the interior of mainland China. There was a saying that I discovered in the SuHo Paper Museum in Taipei, Taiwan. It reads: “We understand we have to plant our feet on solid ground to practice our dreams, little by little,…

What do a 25-year-old male with migraines, an 80-year-old lady with diabetes and a doctor with a brain tumor have in common? To answer this question, let’s look at a little experiment that was done recently. We asked each of these three subjects to drink our medical water, which we…

In the October 2009 issue of Acupuncture Today , I wrote on how to use pulse diagnosis to distinguish patterns as excess, deficiency or complex excess with deficiency. I ended that article by saying that most complex layered cases that enter the clinic will show excess/deficiency patterns affecting the liver,…

As a senior acupuncturist, I often ask the question, “What is the benefit of the first professional doctorate (FPD) and, in truth, who will benefit from this degree?” Or for that matter who needs it? I know that I don't need it; I need insurance companies to handle my charges…

Q: I am confused about billing for cupping and moxibustion. Are there specific codes for either of the services or a way that they can be billed to insurance carriers? A: Cupping and moxibustion are common services provided by acupuncture professionals to aid in the treatment of disease and promote…

Low back (lumbar) pain has been reported to be one of the most common conditions for which millions of sufferers worldwide seek medical attention. It has numerous causes and can never be lumped into one specific category. The same is true for treatment. There are numerous treatments available, of which…

I was recently named chair of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) Membership Committee. I know why I joined the AAAOM and my state association, but I want to know why you have or have not joined yours. If you are not a member, what can we…

The Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine (SIOM) recently received approval from the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and the state of Washington to offer a master of acupuncture degree (MAOM) with an emphasis in public health. This program will prepare graduates to work in public health facilities,…

An estimated 15 million people in the United States suffer from eczema, which usually looks like dry, scaly red skin patches accompanied by intense itching. Standard treatment to reduce inflammation and itchiness can include corticosteroids, which have some serious side effects, including cataracts, glaucoma, gastrointestinal effects, hypertension, osteoporosis and weight…

As a follow up to Qi and Light in Burma, we embarked on a similar project in Raktrul, Eastern Tibet. The medical/solar team accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. After two missions where we set up clinics in very remote areas, using a model of bringing…

What I see happen to far too many acupuncturists is that they lack an organized, methodical and systematic approach to building their practice. If you want to recession-proof your practice and create long-term stability, what I am about to share with you should prove to be very helpful. If you…

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After reading the article “The Bright Future of Acupuncture” by Will Morris (January 2010), I cannot help but to disagree with it to some extent. I hold a license in Florida and North Carolina, and have been in practice for more than 10 years. I disagree that more titles make…

Lixin Huang, MS, president of San Francisco’s American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM), was recently featured in a CNN report, “Animals in Chinese Medicine,” exposing the illegal trade in animal parts for traditional Chinese medicine. The report, which first aired Jan. 10, 2010, examined the ongoing harvesting of bile…

It is not uncommon for a patient to come into the office of an acupuncturist complaining of a history of jaw pain, stress and headaches, with a diagnosis of temporal mandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD). This can present itself many ways, usually consisting of pain, bruxism (teeth grinding), crepitus (popping/cracking), and…

I would bet that if you asked first-time parents of an infant to describe their most idyllic image, for most of them, it would be of their baby peacefully sleeping. I remember that stage of life when I would fantasize about a few hours of sleep uninterrupted by whimpering or…

Treating the tendino-muscle meridians (TMM) is one of the first things to consider in treating sports injuries and pain. Their treatment is often overlooked and under-utilized. The activation of these important pathways can be crucial to effectively treating patients with acute trauma or repetitive-stress injuries.

I am the queen of cheap. My dad was a college teacher, so I grew up poor. I actually did have to wear duct-taped glasses to school in fourth grade (thanks, Dad). Given the current economy, I am now considered hip and fashionable, rather than a cheapskate. The pendulum always…