Search Acupuncture Today

With spring just around the corner, we look at the awakening of the earth with fresh and expectant eyes. Nature is coming into full bloom with rain-washed, vibrant colors. Our hearts begin to sing, so to speak, as everything revives from the long, cold days of winter. All things in…

esearch continues to show that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, particularly by older adults, is on the rise. More people are using it, but how many discuss CAM use with their physician(s)? A recent report from the American Association of Retired Persons (now known only as the AARP) and…

The Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC) has spread its wings, becoming an independent, dues-based nonprofit organization, rather than a branch of the Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium (IHPC).

Various studies have placed the lifetime prevalence of neck pain at anywhere from 26 percent to 71 percent. In one study, 10 percent of men and 17 percent of women reported neck pain lasting up to six months. Another study found that 22 percent of people experienced some sort of…

“We’re witnessing the globalization of medicine.” With those simple words, Dr. Mehmet Oz may have brought acupuncture and Oriental medicine one step closer to worldwide public acceptance. The setting: “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Feb. 13, 2007. The context: a demonstration of acupuncture by Daniel Hsu, LAc, MSTOM. Oprah herself received…

As most acupuncturists are well-aware, Oriental medicine is facing a crisis, caught between meager insurance reimbursements on the one hand and the efforts of some legislators and certain groups of physiatrists and other physicians to marginalize the TCM profession on the other. New graduates of TCM colleges across America are…

Patient: “Jane,” female, age 32 Chief Complaint: Seasonal pollen allergies Symptoms: Each year, around the first week of May, Jane gets dry skin; bilateral sinus pain and pressure; a clear, runny and stuffy nose; and red, itchy eyes. The worst of it lasts about two weeks. She is lactose-intolerant, but…

Several years ago, I saw Nancy Reagan, the wife of former President Ronald Reagan, on television. She was very sad and lonely. Her husband, in the final phase of Alzheimer’s disease, had lost much of his memory. A man known for remembering small facts and long-ago acquaintances, now did not…

If you are a practitioner who bills insurance or plans to in the future, there are some changes you need to be aware of which take effect in a couple of months. Remember that old, pink CMS-1500 (HCFA) form you had to use to bill insurance companies for your services?…

Just as the metal element gives value to the earth in the form of minerals and trace elements, as well as providing the pure life-giving qi that we breathe, metal gives the inner sense of self-worth to each individual. The Officials of Metal (the Lungs and Colon) are called, respectively,…

A recent study of high-achieving women explored the private and professional lives of highly educated, high-earning women. The Center for Work-Life Policy in New York targeted the top 10 percent of women in the workplace (measured in terms of earning power) to learn what motivated them, how they lived and…

We all have needling stories that endure as “remarkable” over the history of our careers. When I was newly licensed, I had a patient who was face down, with 20 needles in place from head to ankles. He was paying me to stick them in and leave them for awhile.…

Two conferences held in Boston in November featured acupuncture in a number of contexts, as well as in a variety of innovative ways. The 134 th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the 3 rd International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) showcased a…

A very wise mentor once said: “In life, you’re either a steamroller or the pavement - which one will you choose to be?” The balance is to be as smooth as the pavement, but as powerful as the steamroller. This is a delicate harmony.

Agitation is one of the most challenging symptoms in patients with dementia. They might yell or attack other people, and are at risk of injuring themselves or others. Other such patients might wander, be unable to feed themselves, or undress themselves in public. This can lead to malnutrition, dehydration and…

As a holistic practitioner, it’s very gratifying to be able to teach our patients natural ways to regain and maintain their health. As the saying goes, “The mark of a true professional is one who prevents what they treat.” It’s especially rewarding and fulfilling to have been able to teach…

The Conference Center at Harvard Medical School will play host to the International Fascia Research Congress Oct. 4-5, 2007. The first of its kind, the congress has been conceived and organized by a multidisciplinary committee of science researchers and practicing health care professionals who share a common focus and interest…

As reported in a Jan. 15, 2007 “breaking news” update posted on acupuncturetoday.com, the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance (AOM Alliance) and the American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) have merged following three days of negotiations in Dallas. Leslie McGee, former Alliance president, will serve as president of the new…

Research plays a huge role in the medical community as the “gold standard” or the ground rules, if you want to play the game. It’s important to understand academics and history in order for our profession to survive as a medical specialty. Academics in mainstream universities and colleges are slow…

When I graduated from the New England School of Acupuncture in 1998 and moved to Portland, Maine, to set up practice, I viewed other acupuncturists in that town as competition for scarce acupuncture dollars. Because I was new, scared and broke, I wanted my business cards and brochures to be…