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A new national organization, the American Association for Teachers of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AATAOM) has been formed to “spearhead the development and advancement of teachers of acupuncture and Oriental medicine” and “strengthen the profession’s position in the health care field.” Membership is open to all teachers of any of…

Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem for people all over the world. The millions who suffer from LBP on a daily basis seek relief through a variety of methods; far too often, the first line of treatment is over-the-counter pain medication, which is associated with potentially dangerous side…

On April 24, 2006, after unanimous passage by the Kentucky Senate and House of Representatives, Gov. Ernie Fletcher affixed his signature to House Bill 17, one of the first pieces of legislation voted on in the 2006 session. In so doing, Gov. Fletcher has made Kentucky the 43 rd state…

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most common forms of vision loss in this country, affecting mainly the elderly. About 12 million Americans have AMD, and that number is expected to escalate to 30 million within the next few years. Patients with AMD gradually lose their vision, with…

One of the most powerful tools in the social entrepreneur’s toolbox is the sliding scale. Just like a lathe or a hammer, you can use a sliding scale badly and make an ugly mess, or you can use it with skill to create something beautiful. This article is the first…

I hear of many practitioners who are scraping by in part-time practices, seeing between five and 10 patients per week and barely making ends meet with a side job. On the other hand, I also know many practitioners who are thriving in busy practices and love what they do. What…

The Acupuncture Poll’s question for March 2006 was: What type of practice do you operate?

I am confused by section 24 of the CMS 1500 form - specifically, sections 24B and 24C, which ask for place of service and type of service. I’ve heard that it should be “O” for office and “A” for acupuncture, but that seems incorrect, as I have had a claim…

I have often heard acupuncture practitioners addressing the approximately 24,000 doctors of chiropractic in the U.S. who, by individual state law, have clinical meridian acupuncture (not TCM) included as part of their scope of practice with the question, “How would the chiropractic profession like it if acupuncture practitioners were to…

My practice has evolved to a rhythm and pace that allows me to rarely feel fatigued or stressed and keeps me looking forward to my days in the office. Although I frequently work with patients dealing with cancer, autoimmune disorders and other chronic illnesses, I see fewer and fewer insurance…

In my last article, 1 I introduced the Taoist concept of the “Gate of All Wonders,” the mystical connection between differing realities that might have been the inspiration for China’s ancient namesake (“The Middle Land”) and is directly related to Chinese medicine’s concept of a holistically interconnected universe. Holistic philosophy…

Our profession has a wonderful history of cultural diversity in its practice and theory. The teaching faculty at our educational institutions reflects that diversity, which rewards us with a rich weave of Oriental medicine information and teaching skills. Many of our finest faculty are practitioners first and teachers second; their…

The National Oriental Medicine Accreditation Agency (NOMAA) has announced it will submit an application to the Department of Education for recognition as an accrediting body. NOMAA will officially petition the department for initial recognition at a meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity in Arlington, Va.…

As May begins, I look forward to enjoying the full effects of spring, with all of its wonderful bright-colored flowers and sunny days. Sometimes I also like to look backward; on this occasion, I look back to the Southwest Symposium, which was held in Austin, Texas, in mid-March. The venue…

The ancient Romans built such an excellent system of highways and bridges throughout their empire that it led to the popular saying, “All roads lead to Rome.” This May, all roads - at least for the acupuncture and Oriental medicine community - will lead to Keystone, Colo., the location of…

Welcome to the first installment of a new column exploring one of the most important issues facing humanity today: the symbiotic relationship of man and the earth. What we want to do in this column is examine how Oriental medicine can be a tool to help assist in healing and…

From the spring of 2002, when he succeeded Stuart Watts as president, until he stepped down at the end of 2005, Col. Jim Coombes helped the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin reach new levels of excellence. Under his leadership, the school won numerous awards for the quality of its…

By now, most of the acupuncture profession is aware of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day. Held every October 24 th , AOM Day was established by a group of leading acupuncture and Oriental medicine organizations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Its purpose is to serve as part of a…

In the United States, obesity has been described by some researchers as “a worrisome epidemic.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of people who meet the definition of obesity has more than doubled over the past two decades. At present, approximately 31 percent of the…

Recurrent infections help make acute otitis media (AOM) the number-one reason for visits to a family doctor or pediatrician in this country. 1 The routine treatment for AOM in the United States is oral antibiotics. 2 In some instances, chronic infection is even treated prophylactically with antibiotics. 3 In fact,…