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I have been asked many times, as I’m sure you have, As an acupuncturist, do you treat addictions? If you have answered yes, I now challenge you to think about exactly what it is that you are dealing with and the answers you have to the following questions: What is…

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, it is estimated that 15 million adults in the United States in 1997 (18.4 percent of all prescription users) took prescription drugs concurrently with herbal remedies and/or vitamins. 1 Even though herbal remedies are classified as dietary supplements in the United…

In part one of this article, I discussed the 20-year-long, highly acclaimed research of Professor Long-xiang Huang, vice president of the Acupuncture Institute of the Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing. In his opinion, today’s traditional acupuncture is like a pearl necklace, where the pearls of wisdom and vast…

I continue to be amazed by the effectiveness of a simple technique called microcurrent and color light mu-shu . This is the practice of applying polarized microcurrent stimulation with simultaneous color light to front- mu (alarm) and back- shu (associated) points of Organs, so that the currents flow through the…

Here in the U.S., Oriental medicine is jockeying for professional specialty acceptance. This is not an uncommon process, as history provides a glimpse of repeating patterns. The historical relevance to this modern-day situation comes in the wake of skyrocketing medical costs, an increase in chronic public health issues and, more…

I am always looking for new and interesting things to do with OM. Ever since the early ‘70s, when I first bought handmade needles in San Francisco’s opium dens, I have hunted for novel opportunities. First, I successfully worked with my stepfather, a founder of the Kaiser Permanente hospital chain,…

I have recently been drawn to remember how I felt about TCM when I first entered the program. I remember being so idealistic about what a TCM practitioner did, how they developed themselves to the best of their ability, and how they deeply penetrated into the nature of qi and…

Clinicians and students in a TCM clinic know all too well that patients rarely choose TCM as their first line of treatment. All too often, clinicians are presented with chronic, lingering disorders that have not responded to allopathic and other treatments. Respiratory disorders commonly fall into this category. In this…

On May 4, 2006, I read an article in the Los Angeles Times titled “Bird Flu Would Ravage U.S., White House Warns; A Government Report Says an Outbreak Could Kill 2 Million People and Lead to Quarantines, Travel Restrictions and an Economic Downturn.” Inside the article, the reporter wrote, “[s]ince…

A.B.3014, a bill that would have more clearly defined the practice of Asian massage in the California Business and Professions Code, has been vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger, to the dismay of more than one acupuncture organization. “The rest of the profession rallied in united support of this important legislation,” said…

Kwan Yin, the female Buddha of Compassion, often appears with 1,000 arms and hands, and in the palm of each hand, an eye. One thousand eyes scan the universe, ready to respond wherever suffering is found. When I reflect upon the work of Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) in New Orleans…

An increasing number of Americans aren’t sleeping, and they’re tired of it! Insomnia is a complicated and all-too-common disorder affecting between 10 percent and 34 percent of the U.S. population, 1 representing a virtual epidemic - and a colossal market in the eyes of drug companies. In 2005, drug-makers spent…

Last month, the AOM community came together to commemorate AOM Day for its fifth year. Since its inception in 2002, AOM Day has given the profession a way to promote, support and celebrate a tradition that has been around for more than a thousand years. Groups have used this day…

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), avian influenza is an infection caused by bird flu viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds and, although wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, they do not usually get sick from them. However, avian influenza…

We are presented with an array of violence, pain and suffering on a daily basis. Our profession seeks to help those who are experiencing disharmony and pain on many levels: physical, emotional and spiritual. How do we deal with this turbulent sea of trouble? How do we work toward a…

Allergies are a malfunction of the immune system; therefore, any discussion about allergies has to start there. Reduced to its most basic terms, the immune system differentiates between cells that are harmful and those that are favorable or benign. After making this identification, it then seeks out the harmful cells,…

If you practice a form of cosmetic acupuncture, you have most likely had a conversation with your malpractice insurance company about liability coverage. One of the authors of this article has already had this sort of experience with her insurance company. The insurance carrier required a signed exclusion for “cosmetic”…

Having just observed the fifth anniversary of 9/11, it has been fascinating to watch the entire country respond to the traumatic events of that day through the perspective of OM theory. Trauma response is one of many subjects that our hard-working schools do not have time to teach, so it…

Before I moved to Japan, nearly everyone I knew basically made the same comment: Oh! What a wonderful opportunity for you to study more Oriental medicine! It was a natural remark. I have always been drawn to healing arts from Japan. My practice for nearly 20 years has been in…

The American Association for Teachers of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AATAOM) will be holding a meeting to establish the direction and future goals of the organization. New-member enrollment and participation will also be a topic of discussion. The agenda will cover setting up future meeting/conference schedules, selecting important topics of…