The present lockdown situation combined with potential physical threat and an unknown outcome is a scary mix to be living in. More recently science has connected the effects of chronic stress and impairment of the immune system.[1] Some overt symptoms of stress are shallow breathing, higher heart rate, muscular tension, and quite often digestive symptoms. A key…

China’s treatment of the COVID-19 virus has been a combination of pharmaceutical medicine and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCM). The herbal formulas are thought to not kill the virus, but relieve many of the symptoms which can weaken patients. Chinese doctors have seen profound results from preventing moderate cases to shortening the recovery phase. China’s National Health…

In Washington state, Acupuncture is listed as part of the “essential workforce” because it supports the health and wellness of those who provide our infrastructure. I am thankful for the stay-home mandate because it will save lives and decrease the severity of the pandemic. This is a confusing time for all of us as we struggle…

Sensations of Acupuncture I frequently have the opportunity to introduce Acupuncture to someone who has never experienced it. A large part of this includes introducing sensations felt during the insertion of the needle and possibly during retention of the needle. Generally, the sensations are new to the patient so I try to provide language to…

The basic answer to the common question about Acupuncture’s efficacy is that it enhances your body’s own regulatory chemistry, thereby, calming inflammation, promoting tissue repair and balancing the nervous system. In a word, neuromodulation. Although biochemical soup is a perfect description. Most of the research on the effects of Acupuncture began in China in the…

Just when you think all anatomical structures have been identified 100 times over, a whole new system is discovered. Originally discovered and named by a North Korean scientist in the 1960’s, research on the PVS has been increasing recently. What is the PVS? The PVS is a newly discovered circulatory system directly related to the…