The Ropes of Chinese Medicine
This blog entry seeks to “take the edge off” as it were by introducing some base assumptions governing Chinese medicine. These are the “ropes” which, as on a sailboat, guide and direct diagnosis and treatment.
What is Auricular Acupuncture
Auricular acupuncture is the treatment of physical, emotional, and hormonal conditions through the ears, which are but one of several micro-systems. The eyes, feet, hand and even teeth are others. Micro-systems are based upon established relationships between the part (an organ) to the whole (the body) for purposes of diagnosis and treatment. Auricular/ear acupuncture is the most researched of all micro-systems, particularly for addiction.
Acupuncture Styles
Classical– This style is based on the ancient Chinese Classics. These points serve as the foundation for TCM acupuncture. Classical acupuncture is a name given to the practice of acupuncture before the formation of the People’s Republic of China, though there is no single body of Classical acupuncture. This general category then stands in distinction to regional and family traditions that are not based in textual scholarship.
String Musicians Fretting Over Carpal Tunnel
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a work-related risk for string musicians. The technical explanation of median nerve inflammation as a result of repetitive stress is of little consolation to the virtuosic guitarist who must use his fingers to eat or the orchestral violinist who needs to feel the strings beneath the fingers to execute the meanings she seeks to convey. Often when anti-inflammatories prove ineffective, the muse is silenced to the detriment of us all. There is hope, however.
Cupping Gallery
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, so let’s show some post-cupping pictures from the CCCA here in Los Angeles for purposes of learning more about this ancient therapy. Here goes…
Cupping Gallery II
In continuation of our pursuit to explain cupping’s utility, we’ll stay on the right side by examining another photo from the center here in Los Angeles.
New Year’s Resolution: Lose Weight
So, for the fifteen-hundredth year you’ve resolved to lose weight as a resolution for the New Year. You already see Einstein smirking, while saying something about the definition of insanity. You’ve heard it all before and frankly are quite skeptical. You are off to a great start on celebrating yet another year of weight loss passive-aggression… er good intention.
Affair of the Heart
Something I see with a measure of regularity is heart arrhythmia. No one ever comes to the Center because their heart is not keeping time, but when I see this problem I will add a Japanese protocol for a couple sessions to see if the issue can be rectified quickly. However, often this protocol doesn’t work. When that is the case, I watch to see how treatment for the condition that the patient is being treated affects the heart rhythm.
Five Signs of Catching Cold
Everyone seems to be coming down with some type of bug these days. Since late Nov the weather has been uncharacteristically cold, sometimes with bouts of wind. A few weeks ago, I was conversing with a friend who lives in the bay area, where on top of cold there is considerable dampness.
The Drawbacks of Juicing
One of my principle areas of focus is fluid metabolism. This is working with the body’s ability to burn and eliminate water from the body-system as it otherwise should. Many problems with one’s health boil down to the body’s inability to make proper use of fluids, the fluids that are taken in. The trend toward constant drinking of water is one culprit.