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The initial consultation is where it all begins. It provides us with an opportunity to learn who our patient is and what they need in order to be whole and healthy in body, mind and spirit. Every area we explore, even the most seemingly simple such as, “Where do you…

Stories are wonderful teachers. They have been used throughout the life of Oriental medicine to pass on information, history, values, traditions and skills. Our medical practices are filled with rich, humorous and poignant stories. They blend together to form the rich history of our careers, our lessons and our lives.…

It was a Tuesday afternoon and I was returning from teaching the class in practice management at Pacific College in San Diego. I was fortunate to be riding the train to avoid the traffic between there and Los Angeles. The compartment was empty except for me.

While the majority of research on Chinese medicine treatments for osteoarthritis has focused specifically on acupuncture, a recent study published in the March 2008 issue of Chinese Medicine found that an herbal treatment was effective in reducing symptoms of pain and stiffness and increasing physical functioning.

A new Web site, www.localherbs.org , is taking orders from members of the acupuncture and Oriental medicine profession for domestically and ecologically grown Chinese medicinal herbs. Announced last November at the Pacific Symposium, the Web site was launched by a national group of farmers working together since 2000 as the…

Patients often wonder what is so inspiring about the healing benefits and therapy that acupuncturists provide their patients. It’s a combination of qi , the practitioner’s determination, the patient’s recovery and the theory which forms the basis of traditional Chinese medicine. However, another important aspect to remember is the high…

One of the potential casualties of an expedited process to offset a California state budget shortfall of $3.3 billion may very well be state Medicare (Medi-Cal) payments for acupuncture treatment. This is particularly troubling, as California currently is the only state to offer Medicaid coverage for acupuncture treatments.

“If I were ever to run a school, I would require all new students to take at least three pulses per day for their entire time there. In fact, I want you to do this - take three pulses a day. You won’t know what you’re feeling, let alone being…

It often is said that traditional Chinese medicine is easy to learn but hard to practice. Novice clinicians and students know this adage all too well, often encountering patients who never respond to by-the-book treatment protocols. These approaches typically portray patients with single pattern disorders. This type of presentation, while…

In our society, we thrive on convenience and technology for instant gratification. Products are put on the market to assist our “quality of life,” thus increasing what is considered to be convenient. Cell phones have made it more convenient to communicate, work and live. To no surprise, our society has…

Are there new or updated diagnosis codes for 2008? Do I need to get a new diagnosis code book? Also, are there updates to CPT codes for 2008?

About two years ago, a 25-year-old, second-year dental student came to me for help. On his intake form, he described his problem as pain in the groin region and circled the gonad/groin area on his pain chart. During the interview, he was reticent but finally revealed that he was having…

The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) is pleased to start this regular column in Acupuncture Today to bring you news from your professional association. Each column will highlight current issues and activities the association is addressing, as well as some of the people working on behalf of…

How does a traditional healing modality such as Oriental medicine adapt to make it in our contemporary culture of changing consciousness? Can we evolve and survive? Do we lead the way or follow? To better help me understand questions like these, I called on Michael Wayne, PhD, author of the…

Chemotherapy and radiation are standard treatments for cancer in Western medicine. However, they are very toxic and affect numerous parts of the body. Many herbal formulas have been used with great success to alleviate side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Among all of the formulas that have been used, the…

At the AAAOM Conference in October 2007, the Trudy McAlister Fund awarded its first two scholarships to students of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The recipients were Jason Moskovitz from Yo San University in Los Angeles, and Andrew Fritsch from the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Minneapolis. Both…

Modern Chinese medicine follows Western medicine in defining its specialties according to a patient’s manifest pathology. This “common sense” approach classifies, for instance, a postmenopausal woman with heavy vaginal bleeding as a gynecology case and a patient with chief complaints of abdominal bloating and irregular bowel movements as a case…

Clomiphene is a selective estro-gen-receptor modulator (SERM), which is mainly used in the treatment of female infertility due to anovulation, as in the case of polycystic ovarian syndrome. This drug also is commonly used before patients undergo an assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), to encourage…

AIMC Berkeley is creating a fully integrated weight management clinic, one which should be unique. There are very few clinics that specialize in weight management using a fully integrative approach, and no other clinics I am aware of utilize the special healing and balancing effects of combining Japanese and Chinese…

This is the Year of the Earth Rat. It begins Feb. 7, 2008. According to Wikipedia: “Being the first sign of the Chinese zodiac, rats are leaders, pioneers and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. Rat people are endowed with great leadership skills and are the most…