AOMA Blog

A tribute from Pam Ferguson Dipl.ABT (NCCAOM), AOBTA-CI, LMT, AOMA's ABT Dean Emerita

 During Covid's peak, I loved the way early and recent AOMA alums rallied to my call for volunteers to join us in giving 15 minute “stress busting” sessions for the ICU and ER day and night crews at St David’s North Austin Medical Center. We set up in the ICU waiting room with windows overlooking the main corridor, so we were on full display. We arranged chairs in a friendly circle around the central table with our gear. We piled healthy snacks, mandarins, and bottled water on the adjoining table. Our collective Qi was friendly and welcoming for the steady stream of RNs, Respiratory Therapists, Patient Techs, some MDs, and also the cleaning crew!

We offered a variety of techniques. The licensed acupuncturists maximized the NADA protocol - ideal for short sessions, and well tested for group therapy in disaster and crisis situations. Connie Randolph L.Ac included her tuning forks to “amplify Qi or address any specific areas of discomfort.” We added Asian Bodywork Therapy (ABT) - either Tuina or Shiatsu - after the needles were inserted, or where folks just wanted bodywork to ease stress.

By Dr. Jing Fan, M.D.(China), Ph.D., L.Ac.

Endocrine disorders are very common issues for women, often closely related to stress, diet, work, and rest. It is believed that hyperinsulinemia is related to increased androgen levels and obesity, and type 2 diabetes. In turn, obesity can increase insulin levels, which exacerbates polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Several other causes can manipulate the endocrine system to create problems with female reproduction, including obesity, thyroid disorders, adrenal hyperplasia, and tumors in the pituitary gland. It can also cause acne, irregular menstruation, insomnia, emotional instability, infertility, etc.

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), endocrine disorders are primarily manifestations of Yin deficiency (caused by stagnation of Qi and blood, which blocks the body's channels); this issue is very common in women. Therefore, for its treatment, we must start with regulating human hormones to make the body's blood flow unblocked, thereby promoting blood circulation throughout the body. According to the principles of syndrome pattern differentiation and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, for patients with the heat excess pattern, we should use treatment for nourishing Yin; for patients with the deficiency pattern, we should pay attention to the treatment of tonifying blood and Qi and supporting the kidney.

The traditional Chinese herbal medicines that regulate the endocrine system include Bai Shao, He Huan Pi, Chai Hu, Yu Jin, Suan Zao Ren, and Dan Shen. We will introduce them in detail below:

1. Bai Shao (Paeonia lactiflora Alba Radix)

Bai Shao is a good herb for women. Not only can it nourish yin and blood, but it can also help regulate menstruation and relieve pain. It also has a specific protective effect on the liver. It can help chest tightness, abdominal pain, night sweats, and hot flashes caused by endocrine disorders. It also can improve women's irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and metrorrhagia. However, it is not suitable for patients with gallstones.

2. He Huan Pi (Albizia julibrissin Cortex)

He Huan Pi can not only soothe the liver Qi but also detoxify and invigorate blood. According to TCM, it has a positive effect on activating blood, dredging the collaterals, improving depression, and reducing swelling and toxin. It is also suitable for treating restlessness, insomnia, depression, internal and external injuries. Therefore, it is effective for liver Qi stagnation-induced endocrine disorders. When using it, one can take 10-15 grams of decoction orally or use the appropriate quantity of powder for topical use.

3. Chai Hu (Bupleurum chinense Radix)

The primary function of Chai Hu is to soothe the liver Qi to play a very targeted treatment effect on endocrine problems caused by liver Qi stagnation. For women with irregular menstruation, Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Rhizoma), Bai Shao, and Xiang Fu (Cyperus rotundus Rhizoma) are often used in combination. These herbs have a positive effect on blood circulation and menstrual relief. For breast tenderness and loss of appetite caused by liver Qi stagnation, Bai Shao and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma) are often used in combination.

4. Yu Jin (Curcuma aromatica Rhizoma)

Yu Jin is a commonly used herb in Chinese herbal medicine, especially for diseases caused by Qi stagnation. For endocrine disorders, it can soothe the liver Qi, promote blood circulation, dispel blood stasis, and dredge the collaterals, according to TCM. Therefore, problems like irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhea can be treated with this herb. In the case of liver Qi stagnation, it can be combined with Chai Hu and Xiang Fu. In the case of liver heat, it can be combined with herbs such as Zhi Zi (Gardenia jasminoides Fructus) and Chuan Xiong.

5. Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphus Spinosa Semen)

The recommended primary function of Suan Zao Ren is sedation. Many Chinese patent herbal medicines for insomnia and restlessness contain the ingredients of Suan Zao Ren. It goes through the channels of the liver, gallbladder, and heart, and it has a soothing effect on symptoms such as upset, insomnia, heart palpitations, night sweats, and so on. The taste of this herb is somewhat sour, so it can also restrain the Yang in the liver and clear the liver fire. It is generally used with herbs such as Bai Shao and Mai Dong.

6. Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Radix)

Dan Shen is a commonly used traditional Chinese herbal medicine. It is generally used together with Chuan Xiong and Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis Radicis). It positively promotes blood circulation, promotes Qi, dispels blood stasis, regulates menstruation, and relieves pain. Therefore, it works especially well for women’s endocrine problems, such as dysmenorrhea, dark blood clot, irregular menstruation, etc. Dan Shen can dissipate blood stasis and generate new blood, according to TCM records. It is a perfect Chinese herbal medicine for regulating the endocrine system for women.

Summary: Many Chinese herbal medicines can regulate the endocrine system, not limited to the above. However, herbal medicines also have some limitations. It cannot cover all issues. Therefore, we should always pay attention to lifestyle adjustment and proper exercise, which can also help maintain an optimistic mood conducive to endocrine healthy.

In addition, TCM treatment of endocrine disorders pays great attention to mediating emotions. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, “Qing Zhi” (emotions) also significantly impact the endocrine system. The so-called "Qing Zhi" actually refers to people’s mental and psychological state. The great Chinese classic text, Huang Di Nei Jing, repeatedly discussed the damage to human organs caused by bad mental and psychological state, saying that "extreme anger hurts the liver," "extreme happy hurts the heart," "extreme worry hurts the spleen," "extreme sorrows hurt the lungs," and " extreme fear hurts the kidneys." Emotions directly affect the secretion of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Therefore, it is necessary to actively regulate emotions and maintain a stable mood to improve the skin condition before and after the menstrual periods.　

When searching for an Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine program it is important to look for programs that will help you optimize your success long-term. To help you navigate the process, we put together a list of academic and institutional benefits that AOMA's Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine programs offer to help you reach your highest-level of success.  

1. Regionally/Institutionally Accredited Universities

2. California Accredited Universities

Schools that have both Regional/Institutional and California Accreditations allow students to have a wider set of choices when it comes to picking where they want to practice. The California Acupuncture Board is a regulatory body under the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). The Board’s legal mandate is to regulate the practice of Asian medicine through acupuncture in California and is the sole issuer of acupuncture licenses in the state. Their mission is to protect the people of California by upholding acupuncture practice standards through the oversight and enforcement of the Acupuncture Licensure Act. Only individuals who obtain a degree through California Accredited universities can obtain licenses to practice in California. AOMA is accredited by the California Acupuncture Board, and graduates of AOMA’s master’s program are eligible to practice in all US states with an acupuncture practice act. 

3. International Partnerships

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are practices that have been utilized all over the world for hundreds of years. Creating a space for student and faculty members to continue to learn from individuals both internationally and locally fosters a deeper and richer understanding of the practice and its applications. AOMA maintains multiple international partnerships, including a partnership with the Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which enables our students to engage in virtual clinic experiences with doctors at a major Chinese hospital. Additionally, since April 2021 AOMA has partnered with Dr. Huang Huang of the Jingfang Institute, where he has served as a visiting scholar and professor at the university. Following the success of this partnership in September of the same year, the two universities—Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine—signed an official letter of cooperation making AOMA the first school in the South to partner with the honorable Jingfang Institute. To read more about this partnership head to our blog post on the subject here.

4. Local & Community-based Partnerships

Clinical based learning is a large portion of your learning process during acupuncture school. Attending a university that works with multiple community clinics and healthcare spaces gives you the ability to have a more diverse learning environment and experience. For over a decade AOMA has worked with countless community groups in the Austin area, such as the McCarthy Community Clinic, the Peoples Community Clinic, and the Austin Veterans Affair outpatient clinic. Through these experiences students have come to have a greater understanding of the important of community-based health care, and so have even transitioned into working within a community care clinic or community-based health field after their experience doing so at AOMA.

Epilepsy is one of the most common brain disorders in America, actively effecting roughly 3.4 million people nationwide. A disorder housed in the Central Nervous System (CNS), Epilepsy is primarily characterized by the presence of seizures that can effect the whole brain (generalized) or a portion of the brain (focal). Given the dynamic existence of the disorder, it has proven to be a very challenging one to treat. Utilizing the benefits of multiple medical practices, patients often see a benefit in including a more integrative and holistic care approach to their health plan, opposed to a singular one.

Candace Parsley, an AOMA Doctoral student who is studying epilepsy, has seen firsthand the benefits of an integrative approach both for her patients, as well as herself.

One of the primary benefits she has seen is Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine’s ability to help alleviate some of the common challenges of epilepsy, including the side effects of anti-seizure medication. Acupuncture and TCM have a long-standing history of being helpful in treating digestive issues, stress reduction, and sleep deprivation and disorders, all of which are common issues individuals with epilepsy face. In collaboration with Western Medicine and pharmaceuticals, holistic medicine provides a way for individuals to customize their health treatment programs in a way that is better tailored towards individual success and well-being.

An integrative approach to epilepsy care can be increasingly beneficial in optimizing the full scope of patient care. Lifestyle management, an important element in treating epilepsy, can take on a new and potentially more impactful position under the guidance of a Chinese Medicine Practitioner. In response to the topic of agency, Parsley mentions that “the capacity for integrative medicine to empower choice and agency on the part of the patient and have that vested interest in their health where they are the ones making the decisions and they are actively involved in making their care plans, is a game changer for a lot of people. Especially in regard to the epilepsies.”

For many individuals with chronic illness, the ability to have an option on how their health is managed is often limited within a singular care system. Regarding epilepsy, integrative care has the potential to restore a sense of agency and control for an individual’s health story by providing them the option to customize a treatment plan that best works for them. While epilepsy is often a lifetime diagnosis, with proper patient care, individuals can find a way to live a happy and healthy life with this chronic disorder. The beauty of integrative medicine is in its ability to gift such a life to its patients, reinforcing the power of integrative care.

Looking to learn more about how Acupuncture and TCM can help assist in epilepsy care? Check out the following resources!

https://www.epilepsy.com/learn

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21689988/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29763803/

In honor of Veterans Day, our Senior Director of Student Services, Dami Tokoya recently sat down with a few of our veteran students to discuss the impact being in the military made on them, and how their time serving the Nation influenced them to practice integrative medicine here at AOMA. 

Meet Caitlyn Kelly!

US Army, SPC, 2012-2017 

1. What motivated you to join the military?

CK: I won't lie, I was working three jobs and still about to lose my house, so I joined the military. Plus, I really needed health insurance.

2. How does your military experience translate into being a student?

CK: It definitely puts a lot of the stresses of student life into perspective. My military experience enables me to compartmentalize efficiently and get my work done in a timely and effective manner. Also, since I worked as a linguist (Persian-Farsi, some Dari, and German) I learned to process vast quantities of information in a very limited time and recall them accurately as needed;.

3. What are your hobbies?

CK: I very much enjoy working out, I mix it up a lot between yoga, running, and lifting. I am experimenting with being a novelist, I love reading so it seems like the logical next step. I also do hobby taxidermy!

4. As a Veteran, can you describe the positive impact practicing integrative medicine, acupuncture, etc has had on you?

CK: I am very much enjoying the ability to continue to serve in the new capacity as a healer. It also gives me a chance to continue to support my brothers and sisters at arms after retiring from the military.

5. What are your plans for after graduation?

CK: I’m opening my own clinic down in Spring Branch, Tx.

 

 

Meet Monique Jones!

MAJ (R) Monique Jones is native of St. Louis, Missouri (which is home to Missouri Botanical Gardens-among the top three botanical gardens in the world). She enlisted in the U.S. Army February 2000 as an Admin. Specialist with assignments at 42nd Military Police (MP) Detachment, 16th MP Brigade at Ft. Bragg, NC, 6th Ordinance Battalion, 23rd Area Support Group, South Korea, and Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. In 2005 she reclassed to 91V/68V, Respiratory Therapist assigned to WOMACK Army Community Hospital, Ft. Bragg, NC. In 2007 she was selected to the Army Active-Duty Option Green to Gold Commissioning program. She received her commission as Second Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps May 8, 2009, from Campbell University, Buies Creek. She graduated Cume Laude with a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) and minor in Psychology. She went on to serve on Active Duty as a Medical Operations and Plans Officer for the Army Medical Department. Her duties and assignments include: Executive officer for the Headquarters and Headquarter Battery of 75th Fires Brigade, Medical Platoon Leader 218th Field Artillery Regiment, and Brigade Medical Operations and Plans Officer for 75th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill, OK; Brigade Medical Operations Officer and Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Officer for 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Katterbach, Germany; Operations Officer for 212th Combat Support Hospital (CSH) the only forward deployed CSH, and Commander for the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of 212th Combat Support Hospital, Miesau, Germany; Senior Observer Controller and Headquarters Team lead 3-409th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th CAV Multifunctional Training Brigade, Fort Knox, KY. Monique deployments include Afghanistan, Poland and Ghana. Monique retired June 2020, culminating her 20-year career assigned as the Deputy Surgeon for the 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Fort Hood, Tx. 

 

1. What motivated you to join the military?

MJ: I was living with my mom after I graduated high school, feeling like I was grown and had life all figured out. My mom had a problem with me coming home at all hours of the night. I of course with very little perspective on what adulting was believed I shouldn’t have a curfew because I was “grown”. One night I came home at around 3am. My mom was furious. She told me if I couldn’t respect her rules then I had to leave. I stormed off to my room to grab some things before I left. I really had no idea where I was going. I reckon my mother knew that. She stood in front of the door with her arms spread wide shouting at me repeatedly “where do you think you’re going”. I just looked at her with a dumb look and went back to my room. I didn’t go to sleep. I just sat there watching the screen not paying attention to what was on. Then the infamous song played “Be all that you can be, in the Army”. That night I didn’t sleep. In the morning instead of going to work as a salesclerk at Victoria Secret, I went to the local recruiting station. Just like that I was grown enough to make the impulsive decision without any approval. Still today it’s the best decision I’ve made in my life thus far. Oh, I did do a lot of growing up over the years. I must say the I’m blessed and honored to have worked in such a profession with amazing leaders, peers, and subordinates. All of them have contributed to my success and growth over the years. There are words I can express to thank them all enough. If my mom were alive, she would say the same. She was so proud of me.

2. How does your military experience translate into being a student?

MJ: Perseverance and grit! I don’t think there anyone in the world who would say the life of a service member is easy. At times it’s a thankless job with immeasurable task. Throughout the years it has been the greatest challenges that I didn’t think were humanly possible that made me a better person. Along with serving in the military, being a parent has also been instrumental in my development process. It’s such an honor to be a mom but being a service member and a mom presents great challenges. I’m not sure I would have made it without my kids. There are times I feel like they teach me more than I teach them. Their resilience and stand-up character should be emulated by all. Providing for them was and still is my number one mission. When service members across the world have a mission, no matter how demanding it maybe it has to be accomplished for the greater good. It takes a lot of faith, perseverance, and grit to be successful. What I’ve come to realize is discipline and dedication will get you through. You can’t just be a part of something or an idea because it sounds good or its popular. You must have conviction in what you’re doing, be dedicated, and disciplined in your execution. To be an Acupuncturist is no easy task. The curriculum is quite challenging and demanding. I want to be an Acupuncturist to serve the community. In order to serve the community best in the future I must be disciplined in my studies now. I must be willing to persevere through challenges and know that it’s all part of the process.

3.What are your hobbies?

MJ: Finding a hobby is one of my post military goals. I want to learn to play violin and piano, mentor the youth and host socials for women. I don’t really have a hobby at the moment. If I had to choose, I would say I’m a professional learner. I love learning new things, speaking, teaching, traveling, and quality time with my kids and family.

4. As a Veteran, can you describe the positive impact practicing integrative medicine, acupuncture, etc has had on you?

MJ: The greatest impact has been what I’ve learned about my body and how it operates. Prior to learning what I’ve learned thus far I didn’t pay attention to how much the mind, body and spirit were connected to influence harmony for us as beings. Understanding symptoms in my body that I previously ignored, then being able to identify a food source that has healing properties to relieve the abnormality is simply amazing to me. The medicine is so amazing. I wouldn’t say everyone should fire their current healthcare plan and only use Traditional Chinese Medicine, but I do believe everyone should be educated on how it works.

5. What are your plans for after graduation?

MJ: The most important thing for me after graduation is to educate the community on how to observe and listen to their bodies as a prevention method for illness. It important to me that the community know that there are alternative methods for treating illnesses, pain and cognitive/emotional conditions that don’t require medications with side effects. I want to influence the community to take a more personal approach to their own healthcare. I want to specialize to treat pain and cognitive/emotional conditions. At the moment I’m projecting my target client population to be service members, veterans and children. At first thought I would like to have my own private practice though I’m aware of the various benefits of integrative medicine.

Meet Robin Boyles!

US Army, 1SG, 1990-2010

I am a 20-year Army veteran. I served in the Army Veterinary Corps from 1990 - 2010. My first assignment was overseas in Rota, Spain for three years. Dream job and place to live on the southern border bay of Cadiz. Loved it! I served mostly in Europe I spent a total of nine years in Germany, three years in Italy and one year in Iraq from 2004-2005. I joined the military because I wanted to see the world and it was a fantastic experience! I worked in the veterinary clinic seeing animals every day, x-rays, surgery, vaccines, you name it. Our main job was keeping military working dogs healthy and educating their handlers on how to care for them. It was a great job and I learned a lot.

My greatest take away was meeting and working with people from everywhere. I love experiencing new cultures and ways of being healthy. I retired as a first sergeant. My husband was also in the military, and I got out so we could go to Thailand for three years.
My experience in the military has given me the discipline and medical background I needed for doing acupuncture. I want to treat veterans when I graduate and continue to serve military members and their families. I love that we have a partnership with the Austin VA, and I can’t wait to do my internship there. That is another reason to go to AOMA besides the fact that we have such a diverse group of instructors and students to learn from. I am very excited about the future of acupuncture and that the military is adopting it as a valuable resource for our veterans and active duty. AOMA is a great learning environment and supports us veterans!

Meet Khong Bouapraseuth!

1. What motivated you to join the military?

KB: I joined the military in a turbulent time a few years after 9/11. I was in the Texas Army National Guard (Ammunition Specialist) from 2005-2011 and in the Army Reserves (Water Treatment Specialist) from 2011-2013. Both my units were in Fort Worth, Texas. I was briefly part of the Oklahoma National Guard in Oklahoma City during my undergraduate. I was deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq (close to Baghdad) in the middle of massage school. My time in Iraq (2008-2009), I was an armored gun truck driver.
My company provided security for others to transport supplies, mail, people, construction from Camp Taji to various place in Iraq. I was trained in all positions of the gun truck: Truck Commander, Driver and Gunner; in case if one of my team member was incapacitated, I would take over their role effortlessly. I spent months training in tactical driving and maneuvers in convoys, basic maintenance on vehicles, learned how to use military GPS systems, radios, jamming devices, and a little bit of Arabic. Some weeks, I would go to the range every day to do target practice with machine guns. I also learn some combat field medic medicine for emergencies.

The military appealed to me because at the time, I was 17 years old and still in high school. I was thinking how I was going to pay for college. I am a first-generation American and my parent came to the United States with next to nothing. I was too young to sign up on my own. My dad had to sign a permission slip for me to join. The military has great education benefits, and with the National Guard and Reserves, you only have to serve one weekend a month and two week in the summer. Occasionally, there will be a state and national emergency where I would get deployed to help citizens evacuate from an area with natural disaster and/or deployed to war.

2. How does your military experience translate into being a student?

KB: My military experience has instilled the importance of adaptability and perseverance which as helped me as a student. I have a patient in the student clinic that does not want any needles. I was able to adapt and apply other TCM methods, such as, acupressure, cupping, bodywork, meditation, herbs, and medical Qi Gong to the patient. The patient still got great results. We absolutely need perseverance to finish the programs here at AOMA.

3.What are your hobbies?

KB: My hobbies include gardening, Kung fu movies, and of course spending time with friends and family.

4. As a Veteran, can you describe the positive impact practicing integrative medicine, acupuncture, etc has had on you?

KB: The positive impact that practicing integrative medicine as a Veteran is immeasurable. Veteran are an underserve population. When I was in the military, it seem like pills were given for every condition. It is refreshing to see that Veterans are asking for more integrative approaches. I have talked to several veterans that have gotten acupuncture at the VA and they love it and want more of it!

5. What are your plans for after graduation?

KB: I would like to collaborate with other healthcare professionals while working for myself. I will most likely start a practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

6. How do you feel both your military experience and your education have prepared you for your future?

KB: My military experience combined with my education at AOMA has given me confidence about my future. There is always more to learn and what I have taken away from both experience will give me a good start.

 

Meet Nadja Profit!

Army, 2003-2011

1. What motivated you to join the military?

NP: I’d always wanted to do something “for the greater good” like the peace core, or teach America… and when I found myself in central Texas, the opportunity presented itself.

2.What are your hobbies?

NP: Information gathering, deep dives on lots of different subjects… My undergrad is in fine art & I still dabble in creating art.

3. As a Veteran, can you describe the positive impact practicing integrative medicine, acupuncture, etc has had on you?

NP: To serve many populations of clients.

4. What are your plans for after graduation?

NP: I plan to start my own mobile clinic and hope to serve many different demographics in part by using a pay it forward type of community acupuncture.

5. How do you feel both your military experience and your education have prepared you for your future?

I recently sat down with former Dean of Students, and longstanding AOMA faculty member Robert Laguna to talk about how he got started in the world of Acupuncture & TCM, his over two decades of history with AOMA, and the impact community healthcare has to create life-altering change.

MP: How long have you been at AOMA and how did you first become acquainted with the school?

RL: If you put all of my time together at AOMA it's been close to 25 years. I started as a student in ‘94. I was in the second class of AOMA; they opened in ‘93. I graduated in 1997, then I went to private practice for about a couple years and then somewhere around late 1998/1999 they asked me to supervise a couple of Student Clinics. When I was in school, I would always help other students, and I also had a background in

Written by Zhenni Jin

Pain, one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, has posed serious challenges for public health and healthcare systems. Including discrete pain episodes and longer durational pain, around 9 to 12 million American adults suffer from chronic pain. Many of which have high-impact chronic pain that has created profound difficulty in life and work. Not only do patients suffer from physical and psycho-emotional challenges in regard to their pain, but they also may have to bear extra medical costs and economic loss with the progress of time. As pain is an experience influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors, a more comprehensive approach to treatment is required for the Chinese medicine practitioner’s thinking towards treating pain conditions.

When Chinese medicine practitioners deal with pain and pain-related issues, we more often discuss issues related to stagnation located in channels, muscles, and sinews. From the Chinese medicine perspective, those stagnations can be made by qi, blood, dampness, phlegm, coldness, and heat toxicity. Therefore, any treatment to move qi, breakdown blood stasis, drain damp or phlegm, expel cold and clear heat toxicity, combined with open channels, can be very efficient in fixing the pain from different modalities. Moving the stagnation, warming the channels, nourishing the internal organs (like kidney and liver), boosting the immune function are critical in the treatment plan. For chronic pain and elderly patients, the body constitution is also a key point for consideration, disregarding stagnations. That is why acupuncture, one of the most popular treatments for pain management, should always be combined with a holistic and individual-designed treatment plan.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese Medicine practice that inserts needles into specific locations on the body, using hand-manipulating needling to enhance the qi sensations. Acupuncture keeps the balance between the outside environment and the body, thus allowing for the qi to flow throughout the channels, restoring health from the mind and physical body. With little risk of severe adverse effects, acupuncture has been recognized as a practical, cost-effective, and safe integrative therapy for treating pain conditions. In fact, over the past decades evidence on this ancient therapy has been accumulated by researchers of Biomedicine. In addition, the effect of acupuncture has also enabled it as a reasonable alternative to opioid abuse in the management of chronic pain conditions.

Moxibustion/moxa is a therapy that involves burning mugwort (ai ye) to facilitate healing. Burning moxa produces a lot of smoke and a pungent odor that often warm the channel, expel dampness and invigorate the blood. Usually, we place a medium-large moxa stick into a box, then put the box on the pain-related channel pathway area or place a small moxa cone on the top of needles to focus on specific points. We can also hold the large moxa stick by hand and move it along the channel to stimulate qi and dissolve stagnation. Primarily, the moxa box is used to treat pain by tonifying and boosting body deficiency. When moxibustion is combined with acupuncture, it is more efficient in healing the pain due to cold, blood stagnation, manifesting a cold-like feeling, fixing sharp pain.

Tui na and Cupping

Tui na (a combination of channel massage, acupressure, and body manipulation) is the earliest form of Asian bodywork therapy that has been used in China for centuries. In the tui na session, the patient lays on the table or sits in a chair in their most relaxed position. As the practitioner, we will ask a series of questions and then begin treatment with fingers, hands, elbows, and forearms, pressing, kneading, pushing, and tapping on the body’s surface. The type of tui na delivered by varying practitioners can be quite different and is often dependent on the patient’s needs and abilities; therefore, we always check with patients about their feelings and technique endurance. Tui na is best suited for treating muscular pain due to qi and blood stagnation, manifesting as deep aches, and poor joint range of motion; most of the time, this is combined with the cupping method. In addition, we may use herbal wine, ointments, and heat to enhance these techniques.

Cupping is a Chinese medicine hands-on modality consisting of placing several glass or plastic cups on the body. Practitioners warm the cups using a cotton ball or other flammable substance placed inside the cup to remove all the oxygen. The practitioner places the cup against the skin; the air in the cup then cools, creating lower pressure inside the cup, creating a vacuum, and allowing the cup to stick to the skin. Fleshy sites on the body, such as the back and thigh, are the preferred sites for treatment. Fire cupping brings excellent warmth to the body, warming and moving the stagnations very quickly. Therefore, for muscular pain treatment, tui na and cupping are common to move the qi and blood, opening the channels and muscles before acupuncture. It can reduce a lot of pain and muscle tension and assist in a better outcome of needling.

Herbal internal and external treatment

Chinese herbal treatment is a commonly used method combined with other hands-on treatments, like acupuncture and tui na; it can be applied internally or topically. Taken orally, herbs help the internal organs related to the pain; when placed topically, herbs work more on the muscles and ligaments. Therefore, once the patient has finished with acupuncture, we usually suggest they take some herbal medicine to enhance and prolong the effectiveness of any hands-on treatment.

The herbs for pain management that practitioners most commonly use can come from different leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds of plants such as Safflower (hong hua), Szechuan Lovage Rhizome (Chuan xiong), Notopterygium Rhizome and Root (Qiang huo), pubescent angelica root (du huo), Corydalis Rhizome (yan hu suo), Eucommia Bark (du Zhong), and Achyranthes Root (Niu xi). Suppose we recommend Chinese herbs as a treatment: In that case, the herbs are combined into an individual-designed formula that is dispensed in the form of an herbal tea, capsule, liquid extract, granule, or powder. In addition, some herbs can be made into topical remedies. For example, many athletes or people who suffer from muscle pain might use a Notoginseng (san qi) ointment to treat their pain topically. This herb is usually made into creams and ointments to treat muscle soreness and aches, bleeding and bruising, joint pain, swelling, and inflammation. As well, many herbal patches and herbal foot soaks help open channels and move blood very efficiently.

Chinese medicine is used to look at the human body through the eyes of heaven, earth, and human at the same time. It is a complex being, made up of spiritual and physical properties. Pain is a complicated condition, which is the reason why Chinese medicine treatment is so expansive. It attempts to comprehend and gather as much of the universe's themes to restore health to us, while simultaneously, trying to create as simplistic of a conclusion to understand the complexity of our health as functional human beings within the vast network of life as possible.