Abdominal distention Abdominal pain, cramps Abuse, recovery from Acid reflux Acne Addiction (adjunctive treatment) ADHD Adhesions Adrenal fatigue, stress Adrenal gland disorders Agitation AIDS Alignment disorders Allergic rhinitis Allergies Alopecia areata ALS Alzheimer's Disease Amenorrhea Amoeba infections Anger Ankle problems Antibiotic resistant infections Anxiety Arrhythmia Arthritis Asthma Arteriosclerosis Atherosclerosis Autism Bad breath, halitosis Back pain & stiffness Bacterial infections Bacterial vaginosis Balance problems Barrett's esophagus Belching Bell's Palsy Bile, excess Bile, insufficient Birth defects Bleeding disorders Bleeding gums Bloating Blood disorders Body fat, excess Body odor, strong or offensive Boils & carbuncles Bowel obstruction Bowel disorders Brain health Breathing difficulties Breastfeeding disorders Breech baby Bronchitis Bruise, bruising, contusion Bulging disk Bunion Burns C. diff. infection Cancer (adjunctive treatment) Cancer treatment, reduce side effects Cardiovascular diseaseCandida infection Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cat Scratch Disease Cellulite Cerebral Palsy Cervical dysplasia Chemotherapy, reduce side effects Chest cold Chest pain Chickenpox Childhood illness Childhood injuries Childhood Overweight and Obesity Children's Cough and Cold Chronic disease prevention Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic Kidney Disease Circadian rhythm disorders Circulation disorders Clostridium infection Clotting disorders COPD Colic Common Cold Computer eye strain Concentration, difficulty with Concussion (adjunctive treatment) Conjunctivitis Constipation Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Cortisol, elevated Cough and Cold Cramps Crohn's Disease Cuts and scrapes, slow healing Cryptosporidium diarrhea Cysts Degenerative Disk Disease (DDD) Depression Dermatitis Detoxification Diabetes Diarrhea Diet, healthy Diet, weight loss Digestive disorders Dizziness Drainage, chronic phlegm Dry eyes Dry mouth Dry nose Dry skin Dry throat Dryness, vaginal Dupuytren's contracture Dysbiosis Dysentery Dysmenorrhea E. coli infection Ear infection Ear ringing Elbow problems Enervation Enteric diseases Enzymes, insufficient Epicondylitis Epilepsy Epstein-Barr Virus Environmental illness Epididymitis Erectile dysfunction (ED) Ergonomic & musculoskeletal disorders Excessive menstrual bleeding Exhaustion Eye problems Facial pain Falls, older adults, prevention Fascia disorders Fasciculation Fat, belly & hip Fatigue Fear & dread Fibrillation Fibroids Fibromyalgia Finger disorders Flatulence Flu Focus, difficulty with Folliculitis Food allergy Food intolerance Food sensitivity Food poisoning Food-related diseases Foodborne illness Foot problems Fracture (speed healing) Fungal diseases Gait problems Gallbladder disease Gallbladder pain Gall stones Ganglion cyst Gas Genetic diseases Genital herpes Genital warts GERD Geriatrics Gingivitis (gum disease) Glands, swollen Gluten intolerance or allergy Gout Grip strength, loss of Gynecological disorders Gynecology Hair, dull, thin, brittle Hair loss Hammer toe Hand, foot, and Mouth Disease Hand problems Hashimoto's disease, thyroiditis Headache Healthcare Associated Infections Healthy Weight Hearing, problems with Heart disease Heart problem Heart rhythm, abnormal Heart weakness Heartburn Heaviness Heavy feeling Heavy periods, menses Heel spurs Hemorrhoids Hepatitis Hernia Herniated disk Herpes B virus Herpes simplex virus Herpes zoster Hiccup (hiccough) High blood pressure Hip problems HIV/AIDS Hot flashes Hormone problems Hot Tub Rash HPIV Hyperhidrosis Hypermobility Hypersensitivity Hypertension Hyperthyroid Hypothyroid IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Impetigo Impotence Infertility Indigestion Infections Influenza Injury Insect bites & stings Insomnia Intestinal amoeba infection Irritability Jaundice Kawasaki disease Keratitis Kidney disease Kidney stones Knee problems Lactation, insufficient Lactation, to stop lactating Leaky gut syndrome Libido, low Lipoma Liver disease Lou Gehrig's disease Low back (lumbar) pain & stiffness Lung disease Lupus (SLE) Lyme disease Lymph nodes, swollen Lymphatic disease Lymphedema Malabsorbtion Malaria Malnutrition Malposition of fetus Mass Medical Misadventure Memory problems Meniere's disease Menopausal disorder (syndrome) Menopause problems Menstrual cramps Menstrual cycle, short Menstrual cycle, long Menstrual irritability Mental-emotional problems Migraine Mood disorders Morning sickness Mouth, bad taste in Mouth problems Measles Men's Health Menorrhagia Micronutrient malnutrition Mineral deficiency Miscarriage, aftercare Miscarriage, threatened Miscarriage, to prevent Molluscum Mononucleosis Morton's Neuroma Motion sickness, tendency to Motor vehicle injuries MRSA Mucus Mumps Muscle cramps Muscle mass, to increase Muscle injury Muscle pain Muscle weakness Muscular Dystrophy Musculoskeletal disorders Myofascial pain & dysfunction Myofascial trigger points Nails, brittle, thin, weak Nausea Neck pain & stiffness Neonatal (newborn) jaundice Nerve, impinged Nerve pain Nerve disorders Nervousness Neuralgia Neuresthenia Neuritis Neuropathy Neurosis Night sweats Norovirus Numbness & tingling Nutrition OA (Osteoarthritis) Obesity OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) Ovarian cysts Overweight Ovulation disorders Occupational diseases Occupational stress Osteomalacea Osteopenia Osteoporosis Otitis externa Otitis media Outbreaks Overthinking, circular thoughts PAD (peripheral arterial disease) Pain Painful intercourse Painful periods Palpitation Pandemic flu Parainfluenza Parasites Parasympathetic dominance Paresthesias Pediatric illness Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Pelvic misalignment Perimenopause disorders Perspiration, excessive Perspiration, insufficient Pertussis (whooping cough) Phobia Pinched nerve Pineal gland Pink Eye (conjunctivitis) Pituitary gland Plantar fasciitis PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome) Pneumonia (adjunctive & preventive) Polio sequelae Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Postmenopausal disorders Preventable diseases Prolapse Prostate problems Preparation for delivery Pregnancy care Pregnancy problems Psoriasis Psychological issues Pulmonary hypertension RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) Racing thoughts Radiation, reduce side effects Recreational water illness Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI) Respiratory infection or problem Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) Reynaud syndrome Rib pain Ringworm Rotator cuff injury Rubella Runny nose Saliva, excessive Saliva, insufficient Scar tissue Sciatica (sciatic pain) Scoliosis Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Seasonal allergies Seasonal flu Sebaceous cyst Self-esteem, low Shingles Shoulder problem Sinus infection Sinusitis Skin diseases & conditions Skin, bumpy, turkey skin Skin, crepe Skin discoloration Skin, dry Skin, oily Skin, rough Skin, thin SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosis) Sleep disorders Smell, problems with Smoking Social vulnerability Sore anus Sore, chapped nipples Sore eyes Sore mouth Sores Spider veins Spinal misalignment Sprain Staph infection Stomach problems Stomach ulcers Stool, bitty pieces Stool, blood in Stool, dry or hard Stool, loose Stool, offensive odor Stool, mucus in Stool, watery Strain Strain-counterstrain Strep throat Strength, loss of Stress Stroke, aftercare Stroke rehabilitiation Stroke, sequelae of Swelling Taste, problems with TBI (aftercare) Temperature regulation problems Temporomandibular disorders TMJD Tendon injury Testicular pain Thrombocytopenic Pupurea Thrush Tics & twitches Tickborne illness Tinnitus Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Toe problems Torticollis Tourette syndrome Trauma, emotional or mental Trauma, physical Traumatic injury Trigger points Tumor, benign Ulcerative Colitis Underweight Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) Urinary incontinence Urinary disorders Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Uterine fibroid Uterus, retroverted Vaccine side effects, complications Vaginal dryness Varicose veins Vertigo Vibration injury, recovery from Violence, recovery from Viral infection, virus Vision, problems with Vitamin deficiency Vomiting Vulvodynia Wasting diseases Weakness Weaning Weight, health Weight loss Wheat intolerance or allergy Winter blues Women's Health Wounds Worry Wrist problems Yeast infection
Our Services
— What we treat & what therapies we use —
Conditions treated
According to traditional experience, receiving acupuncture on a regular basis really excels at helping you stay healthy and live long.
But if you do have health problems, acupuncture and Chinese medicine may help restore health and harmony.
Acupuncture is not just for pain. It is not limited to nerve, muscle, and joint problems. Practically every human ailment can benefit from acupuncture and related therapies. Chronic, long-term degenerative diseases that have responded poorly to conventional treatment may respond to acupuncture.
Acute illnesses such as colds, flu, or food poisoning are often treated with good results. During the pandemic in China, COVID patients who saw herb doctors had an easier time of it.
Please contact us to learn whether we may be able to help you.
Chinese medicine, old & new
The classical principles for understanding health and disease, going back 2300 years in China, are still in use today for diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosis is framed by yin and yang, the five movements, the twelve organs, and other principles strange to Western ears. The whole person is considered in context.
In treatment, Classical Chinese medicine uses lifestyle changes, acupuncture and moxibustion, massage, herbal medicine, dietary therapy, therapeutic exercise, heat and cold, and other traditional therapies such as cupping and gua sha (the precursor to the Graston technique of the chiropractors). More recently, modern therapies have been used, such as electrical stimulation, laser light, far infrared, nutritional supplements, sound and vibration, and many others.
Some, but not all of the therapies we use are discussed further in the sections below.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture uses fine sterile needles to treat specific points of the body. These points have an action at a distance from the point being treated. The points are arranged along channels (mistakenly called "meridians" in the West), and each channel relates to a specific internal organ. Acupuncture directs the flow of energy and gives the body a set of instructions. Acupuncture and related therapies help wake up your body's own natural healing ability, nudging you in the direction of balance and harmony.
Acupressure
Acupressure uses the same points, but they are treated with fingers, chopsticks, or special tools. Expensive of time compared to needles, it is most appropriate for those who are needle-phobic — and particularly for children, who in the Vietnamese tradition are not needled before the age of seven or eight. If we give you acupressure homework for self-treatment, it may help a great deal — if you do the homework consistently!
When I first met Barbara Davis, OT, I asked her about occupational therapy. She said, "An occupational therapist is like a physical therapist, only smarter."
That was an understatement. The scope of practice in occupational therapy is huge, and involves helping people of all ages overcome their limitations when they have some degree of difficulty doing any kind of activity which a human being might engage in. Anything. Can't feed yourself with your dominant hand because of an injury or nerve problem? She'll bend a spoon to the shape that works. Trouble with your golf game? You and Barbara and your golf coach could knock some strokes off and help your body feel good.
Anything you can think of that's holding you back from something you love to do, or need to do, chances are Barbara can help you with it.
And to me, a good occupational therapist can be the ultimate wellness coach. Here are the things that you, and only you, need to do to be all you can be. If you hit a roadblock, here's what to do next. Of if I don't know what to tell you, I'll try to find out.
Did you know there are nutrients to help prevent and treat dementia? Breathing exercises that tone your vagus nerve, to create a relaxation response and help organ function? Foods that help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of cancer? That's all in the scope of occupational therapy, and Barbara has the expertise. Connect with Barbara here:
Moxibustion
The Chinese word for acupuncture is zhenjiu, "needle-burn." The burning of mugwort floss, called "moxa" in the West, is a big part of acupuncture practice, older than needles. It adds energy that is so much like your own human energy, your body readily absorbs it and puts it to work. Above is shown a moxa pole, held near an acupuncture point.
With direct moxibustion, shown below, first a special salve is put on the skin for protection, and then a bit of moxa, called a "cone," is placed and lit. Larger cones are removed before they can cause a burn. Thread-size cones are extinguished with the practitioner's finger. For many patients, moxibustion greatly increases the effectiveness of acupuncture.
I frequently use a special electronic instrument from France that creates almost the same spectrum of heat and light as moxa, without smoke or fire.
Massage & Bodywork
My bodywork specialty is pain and discomfort of the neck, tops of the shoulders, and upper back. I treat orthopedic conditions in any part of the body, sometimes in collaboration with our occupational therapist. It should be said that some orthopedic conditions require a chiropractor, and some require a surgeon.
Massage & bodywork is another pillar of Chinese medicine; Chinese medical massage is called tuina, and can be done with the patient wearing loose clothing. Shiatsu is a Japanese version. We use the best of both Asian bodywork and Western. Here is a list of styles from which I have chosen an eclectic blend of the best techniques:
◦ Neural Reset Therapy — Lawrence Woods, Ralph Stevens
◦ Myoskeletal Alignment Therapy — Dr. Erik Dalton
◦ Orthopedic massage — Dr. Ben Benjamin, Whitney Lowe
◦ Osteopathic bodywork — Dr. Leon Chaitow
◦ Visionary Craniosacral Work — Dr. Hugh Milne
◦ Medical massage — Ralph Stephens
◦ Myofascial Integration — Thomas Myers
◦ Tuina (Chinese bodywork) — Brian Moran
◦ Shiatsu, acupressure — various teachers
◦ Jin Shin Jyutsu — Jed Schwartz
I have discovered some techniques of my own!
Herbal medicine
Chinese herbal medicine has a long history and is quite sophisticated. 800 years ago they knew the properties of more than 5,000 medicinal substances, whether they were warming or cooling, ascending or descending, what flavors they had (pungent, bitter, sweet, sour, salty -- each flavor has a different effect), and they learned how to combine herbs in formulas to increase the desired result while minimizing side effects.
Herbal medicine works well together with acupuncture for many patients, and in some cases herbal medicine is enough. A course of herbal medicine is usually a few days to a few months. It is only used until a problem is resolved.
Dietary therapy & nutrition
"Food is your best medicine," wrote Dr. Henry Bieler. The classics of Chinese medicine say that disease should be treated first with food, and if that isn't enough, then acupuncture and massage, and if more is needed, then herbs are added. There are specific foods to eat or avoid for specific health conditions.
We often recommend some version of the Mediterranean diet, with large amounts of vegetables, mostly cooked but not cooked to death; some fruit, meat and fish, eggs and dairy if they are tolerated, nuts and seeds, whole grains, whole foods, close to their natural state, and ideally, "nothing that comes out of a box."
We do recommend a high potency multivitamin for everyone.
Qigong exercises
Qigong ("chee-goong") is an ancient Chinese method of exercise for cultivating health and well-being. It shares a lot with taijiquan ("tie chee chwan"), known as tai ch'i in the West.
Qigong is easier to learn and practice. It opens the joints, increases the capacity of the lungs, exercises the diaphragm, helps to circulate Qi ("chee") through all the channels, and calms the nervous system, having an especially toning effect on the vagus nerve because of the deep breathing. (The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and communicates with all of the internal organs, reports to the brain about them, and is key to the relaxation response which counters stress.)
Twenty minutes of qigong daily has a huge benefit for your health. There are also specific exercises for each of the 12 major internal organs. If we give you qigong homework, it will greatly increase the effect of acupuncture.
Other adjunctive therapies
Vacuum cupping, above, relieves pain by invigorating the blood, releasing the muscle layer, and stretching the fascia. Light cupping, with a low vacuum, can be used when there is no pain but the tissues need to be toned.
Gua sha is an oiled scraping technique that also releases the muscle layer. It is most commonly used on the upper back and neck for shortening the duration and lessening the severity of the common cold. Practically every Chinese household uses it for that purpose. It's effective.