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ALS or "Lou Gehrig's Disease" is a quickly debilitating and near exclusively fatal neuro-degenerative disease with no known cure.  Chinese Medicine including herbal medicine, acupuncture, Tong Ren Therapy, Tuina and other aspects has been used to help slow the progression of the disease, but has of…

Acupuncture and related Chinese Medicine techniques are commonly used to treat a wide range of digestive and bowel related medical conditions.  Irritable bowel syndromes is a commonly treated condition within many acupuncture clinics around the world as western treatments are often limited or undes…

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella zoster virus).  After having chickenpox the virus will often lie dormant in a person only to reactivate later and develop shingles.  Nearly 1 in 3 Americans will develop the condition with about half of these being in people age…

Similar to other western conditions, Chinese Medicine does not use western terminology such as a “cold” or the “flu” in formulating proper treatments.  Colds and flus are merely western names which describe an array of symptoms with some common underlying factors and symptoms.  Chinese Medicine, on…

Acupuncture is often used to treat weight loss, but treatments will vary widely based on the true causes of weight issues. These causes can range from addictions, to thyroid conditoins, to depression, to poor lifestyle habits and often involve multiple factors. This ability to take into account t…

Many studies have been done in recent years to better understand the biochemical and neurological changes that are stimulated via acupuncture.  Over the long term studies of this nature help us to better understand the mechanisms that acupuncture works and may even help to devise better treatment…

While not very common in the US, China and other countries who have better integration of acupuncture into their hospital systems use acupuncture to limit the drugs required for anesthesia.  It is well known that this works but what points to use specifically and how much western medication can b…

The majority of us find acupuncture to be a relaxing and useful treatment modality.  The relaxing aspect is something which comes as somewhat of a surprise for new patients.  Many expect this painful experience that they only put up with because nothing else has worked.  Instead they find themsel…

This the fourth edition in my general introduction to the meridian/organ systems in Chinese Medicine will focus on the Stomach and Spleen meridians. As we have discussed in previous articles on the Liver, Kidney, and Heart systems, Chinese Medicine uses meridians named after and related to our phys…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease) is a progressive motor neuron condition that leads to serious disability and, in most cases, is ultimately fatal.  Acupuncture is used clinically to help manage the symptoms of ALS and patients often do very well with treatment - often pro…

This is a question I, as well as most acupuncturists, get asked frequently. Along with another very popular and related question, "Does Acupuncture Work?,” our days and conversations are filled with educating others about our medicine. To be an acupuncturist, you have to be an educator, this is a …

Worldwide there are an estimated 4 million people living with Parkinson's disease. Here in the US, approximately 50,000 people are newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year. First described by Dr. James Parkinson in 1817 as the "shaking palsy", Parkinson's has likely been around much long…

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the US and the third leading cause of death. Every year strokes effect 15 million people worldwide with 5 million of those resulting in death. Of the remaining 10 million survivors at least 5 million of those will be disabled to varying degr…

This article is the second in a series discussing techniques that "acupuncturists" use that do not involve needles.  As we discussed in the previous article about cupping, acupuncturists utilize more techniques than needling.  The varying techniques are important to be aware of, one so you are not …