In my doctoral program I received specialized training in acupuncture, oriental medicine, alternative therapies and specialized techniques, along with western allopathic and biological studies. Starting this program, which was kind of a fluke for me, was the best journey I ever decided to endure. Each module (month) I traveled to Portland, I ...

For the average person acupuncture is confusing. Most people don't have a clue what it is. And truthfully, many acupuncturists don't even fully understand what it is! My goal in life, and what I've been tirelessly studying for the last 12 years, is to really understand what in the world is acupuncture and how in the world it works. One frustration ...

 Recently, I stumbled across an article on Facebook posted by Richard Dawkins who is a renowned and outspoken atheist and scientist. This article, titled "Acupuncture no better for menopause than 'fake' method, says researchers" is obviously an eye catcher. Richard Dawkins comment on the article post was simply "duh". Not to mention the over a...

 Qi (pronounced 'chee')... I really don't like this word! Not its spelling per se, but the elusiveness of its meaning. In acupuncture school, we were tested over and over again to know the 'correct' definition of this phantom word. Scholars will say: "Qi is the vital energy or life force in the body." I don't know about you, but that sounds li...

 Do you ever feel like you have some nagging health complaints but don't know where to start? Maybe you've tried a few different supplements; you've worked with your doctor and tried some medications; you've changed your diet and exercise routine but you still don't feel 100 percent. Look no further—there is a way to stop guessing! Have you ev...

What is the scope of practice for acupuncturists and physical therapists? You might be surprised to find that although physical therapists around the country are performing dry needling, they may be doing so illegally. Each profession has a scope of practice that is determined by each state. State by state the SOP (scope of practice) changes. There...

 Believe it or not, acupuncture is much more than just poking people with needles! Acupuncture is part of an ancient holistic medical system. Part of what I practice is traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. TCM views the human body as one connected system. There is no such thing as 'idiopathic' (coming from an unknown cause) in Chinese medicine...

 In case you haven't tried dry needling, here is what it looks like... OUCH!? I would say that dry needling is usually painful and effective. I incorporate both dry needling and traditional acupuncture into my practice. In recent studies it has been suggested that the combination of the two is more effective than dry needling alone. It's been ...

 Acupuncturist VS Physical Therapist April 18th, 2017 The Denver Post published an article about the new lawsuit the Acupuncture Association of Colorado served APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) of Colorado for Dry Needling. Let's take a look at the ambiguity in the debate over training hours spent needling. In the Denver Post articl...

 Earlier this year, the Acupuncture Association of Colorado (AAC) filed a lawsuit against the Colorado branch of American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for the "unsafe use of Dry Needling." Why? Because less than 200 acupuncturists in the state of Colorado who are members of the AAC have determined that dry needling done by physical ther...

 A modality is a therapeutic method that involves the physical treatment of a disorder. How is this different from acupuncture? Acupuncture can also be defined as a modality. Technically it physically treats disorders, but I like to think of these modalities as subcategories of Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine is an umbrella term that sums u...

 Pain and the Brain: It's all in your head! The most common condition people seek an acupuncturist for is pain. Pain is such a subjective topic that most doctor's or healthcare providers cringe at the idea of treating pain because they feel it's so mundane or it's just in people's heads! Well, it is! Acupuncture excels at treating all kinds of...

 I'm often asked when inserting needles, 'what is that point for?' You would think it would be a one word answer! However, acupuncture is a synergistic medicine. Points work in combination together like a machine, much like our muscles work together to perform a certain action. Have you ever injured a muscle? Let's say you pulled your quadrice...

Have you ever gone into a doctor's office, waited for 30 minutes, spent 10 minutes with the doctor, then came out with no solutions? There are many, many reasons why this happens—mostly time restraints, cost and politics of the entire medical system. What I hate hearing, and I hear it often, is: "My doctor doesn't know anything!" I am here today to...

In 1971, President Richard Nixon and James Reston, a journalist for the New York Times, visited China when Reston came down with a severe case of appendicitis. It required emergency surgery and Reston was treated at the Anti-Imperialist Hospital in Peking. The surgery was routine and successful. However, the following day after surgery, Reston was ...

 Death from prescription painkillers (specifically opioids such as Methadone, Oxycontin, and Vicodin) have quadrupled since 1999 and is the leading cause of accidental death. (1) The CDC came out with these alarming statistics that estimated 165,000 people (with a majority ages 24-54) have died between 1999 and 2014 from opioids; that comes ou...