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I'm going to try something new this week. I'm going through an anonymous case study. This should help illustrate a little bit about how an acupuncturist decides to treat a patient. Also what a patient can expect from a successful acupuncture course of treatment. If this goes well, I will do more of these in the future. Presentation of Chief Complaints Anne is Female, age 44. She is married with a teenage daughter. She is also a small business owner, which is rewarding b

I’ve mentioned a few times, the idea of different types of work that we can do for self-improvement (The Chinese use the word “gong” for work.) We can roughly classify these into two main categories. Each exercise is more or less inner work, or outer work (NeiGong and WeiGong). I’ll write a little about the difference between the two. Inner Work Inner work (NeiGong) is focused on just that, internal development. These are qualities that are hard to see and measure. Inner

The transition from winter into spring is from the most yin time of the year, to a bursting forth of new yang energy. Whereas winter was a time for rest, in spring we see a renewed call to action, awakening from hibernation, and rapid change. We will see how the energy of winter, the water element, gives forth the energy of spring, the wood element. Key Energy Qualities and Emotions of Winter, the Water Season The emotion of water is fear. Fear may seem like a negative emo

After yin and yang, where we classify as light or dark, we can use the 5 elements to classify different shades of light. While we often use the word “elements”, they are not building blocks, but rather, vibrations or phases of energy. This knowledge was developed from a close observation of nature. It adds depth to concepts of balance and harmony. And it’s holistic, using observations of the outer world as a metaphor for the inner. “To every thing there is a season, and

Meridians form a network of overlapping pathways of Qi throughout the body. They are "how" and "where" it moves to perform its functions mentioned in the previous article. 12 Main Meridians We classify these channels in different ways, the first being to which of the twelve primary organs they are connected. These twelve also travel down either the arms or legs, connecting the surface of the body to the internal organs. The channels also connect distal to proximal, as th

We’ve talked about qi in the past, and we have heard of blood. In Traditional Chinese Medicine these two substances are crucial to the body's ability to heal itself. Whether through acupuncture, acupressure, qi gong, diet, etc. Qi and blood go together, forming a yin-yang pair. (Qi is yang, and blood is yin). They are tied together and support each other’s functions as they circulate throughout the body. Qi as energy and essence Some people find the description of qi as k

In One of China’s oldest medical texts (the Huang Di Nei Jing - over 2,000 years old), it states: “Superior doctors prevent disease. Mediocre doctors treat the disease before it is evident. Inferior doctors treat the full-blown disease.” This oversimplifies it, but it helps us think of medicine a little differently. I would not call someone skilled at treating disease an inferior doctor. But I would agree that if we can prevent illness, that would be the preference. How do

Most people come for acupuncture because they need help with a health issue. They have heard of or experienced its ability to heal and provide relief, and that is the primary benefit they are looking for. By and far, most people we see in clinics are seeking some kind of relief from pain. This is great because acupuncture excels at pain relief and has minimal side effects. We like to say that acupuncture boosts the body's natural healing and pain relief abilities. It impr

Many people find that as the weather gets colder, their joints stiffen, and they are plagued with aches and pains. There are many natural approaches to deal with this kind of pain, one being the use of heat. Put simply, cold weather impairs circulation and creates stiffness, felt most at the joints. Applying a heating pad can help with this kind of pain. Herbal Supplements From a different approach, there are some herbs that can “warm” from the inside. A good example is

We now find ourselves moving from fall into winter. In terms of five-element theory, that’s moving from the “metal” element (fall), into the “water” element (winter). Or in terms of yin and yang theory, from partial yin (yin within yang), to the most full yin time of year (yin within yin). That means yin qualities will be at their height this time of year. It calls for more restfulness, quietude, and stillness. This is the time of year we, and the earth in this hemisphere

Saying that may raise more questions than answers. What is Daoism? Why would I want to do their yoga? Qi gong (pronounced “chee gong”), has been traced back thousands of years, although it wasn’t called that back then. Its earliest movements mimicked those of different animals. The shamans of the time wanted to invoke the strength and protection of those and other natural spirits. In that regard, it is much like the traditional medicines of many other cultures across th

My Introduction to Tai Chi When I started taking classes in Tai Chi, I was nervous. I had not done any exercise in a very long time and was worried about being able to keep up with the rigors of the class. I had studied Karate and martial arts into my early 20’s, but that had been well over 10 years ago, and over 100 pounds lighter. It turns out, I was in exactly the right spot. Tai Chi is a very gentle martial art. I know that sounds silly to me, just saying it, but I ca

It is no secret that our modern lifestyle, while offering many benefits to our health and lifespan, has opened up a whole new can of worms in terms of health problems. Unexpected health problems have developed based on our lack of daily exercise and excess of fattening foods. The most common problems we see in acupuncture clinics are weight gain and the problems that come with it; physical injuries due to lack of flexibility and muscle weakness; and cognitive/sleep disorder

An important part of TCM, of Holistic Medicine, is living in harmony with one’s environment. That includes making changes in accordance with the seasons. We can better understand the season by looking at it through the lens of balance between yin and yang. Summer was the most yang time of year. Heat, exuberance, activity - these are all yang qualities. Having reached its peak, that outward energy now begins to return inward. This is the beginning of autumn. Shorter day

I love it when people ask this question. This is one of my favorite questions to answer. Right next to “How do I meditate?” Both questions have the same answer really. Zen just means meditation. I love to answer the question because Zen is great, and it gives me a chance to tell someone about something really wonderful and special. Zen is meditation, so what is meditation? To be fair, Zen is only one type of meditation, but it’s the only one you’ll need. I’ll tell you

People often ask if acupuncture can treat any number of things. The answer invariably is “yes”, but there’s more to the answer. First, you can take a look at the list of conditions that the World Health Organization approves for acupuncture here. While it can help a great many things, some conditions are easier to treat than others. Even a diagnosis of “low back pain” can have widely different treatment outcomes between two different people with differing severity. Diagno

Philosophy of Duality Much of Chinese philosophy is based on the core concept of duality. Let me explain: Imagine the universe before creation. It’s not easy to do. Every concept we have is based on what is, or what could be. But what about a time before all that? Even the word time would be incorrect because that does not exist yet either. It’s a lot like how modern scientists try to explain what was before the Big Bang. We can’t conceive of this because we only know

In Traditional Chinese Medicine we study the philosophy of the five elements or five phases. It’s an analogy of certain phases and their relationship to each other. It can be applied in many ways, I think the most simple way to think of it, is with the seasons. In this way, we think of the fire element as summer; the most hot; fall is metal, we reap our harvest; winter is water, cool and still; and spring is wood, bursting forth. So where is that fifth element? Well, it

This is a question we get a lot from our new clients. From the way we’re used to thinking about medicine, it seems counterintuitive that sticking needles in you could somehow benefit your health. I’ve had people ask if there’s any kind of medicine on the needles, to ask if it is outright voodoo. (The answer is no to both. What is qi (chee)? A simple question, but it takes a little explaining. Traditionally, we refer to the body's energy circulation, something we call qi.

TaijChi is a Chinese martial art with a multifaceted purpose. On the surface a martial art is to train for hand-to-hand combat. Along with this are the physical health benefits of the exercises. In the next layer, there is training with others, competing and engaging in combat, be it for practice or for glory. TaiChi is short for TaiChi Chuan. Which means “grand-ultimate fist”. It is considered an internal martial art, as a lot of its work is more internally focused and nua