Articles

Aspirin, Ibuprofin, Excedrin, and Tylenol are all household names for pain medicine. We all use these drugs to stop headaches, backaches ,or, well, any ache or pain. Here are some interesting facts about these drugs which are officially named non-steriodal anti-inflammitory drugs(NSAIDS).

Each Year, non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) cause "up to 200,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 deaths."

- Frank Hamilton, M.D. (July 27, 1998)

In contemporary applications of acupuncture in North America, it is becoming increasingly common to hear patients complain that they are being challenged by their insurance carrier with the comment that acupuncture is not effective for a particular situation, and therefore coverage is denied. Of course, it is obvious that insurance companies are in the business to minimize costs, and escalate productivity and profit. As a result, it is not uncommon or unlikely that our patients will be denied coverage only because the insurance carrier has deemed

Report Suggests MDs, Physiotherapists Less Competent than Licensed Acupuncturists

By Michael Devitt, Managing Editor

Marc Kaufman
Washington Post
1/03/05

Brain research is beginning to produce concrete evidence for something that Buddhist practitioners of meditation have maintained for centuries: Mental discipline and meditative practice can change the workings of the brain and allow people to achieve different levels of awareness.

Dan Tian Breathing is an extremely beneficial variation of natural breathing. The Dan Tian is the energy center in the abdominal region, about three inches below the navel and midway into the center of the body. The precise location of the DAN Tian can vary slightly from person to person. Some students feel it behind the navel; others locate it closer to the pubic bone. The dan tian will be the point or region from which the expansion of the abdomen seems to originate.

By Michael Devitt, Managing Editor

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a health care provider. It has been estimated that up to 80% of the world's population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, with the lower back as the most common location of pain. Although most episodes of low back pain last less than two weeks, research has shown that recurrence rates for low back pain can reach as high as 50% in the first few months following an initial episode.1,2

By Michael Devitt, managing editor

A new report published in the online version of the British Medical Journal¹ has found that acupuncture is a useful, cost-effective treatment for chronic headaches, particularly migraines. The report found that over a 12-month period, headache patients who received regular acupuncture sessions reported fewer headaches, had a higher quality of life, missed fewer days from work, used less medication, and made fewer visits to a general practitioner than patients given standard treatment for headaches.

For many people, a visit to the dentist's office can be a frightening experience. In fact, some health experts estimate that up to half of all American adults will not seek dental care for fear of going to the dentist. Some patients are particularly sensitive to dental equipment, which can cause them to gag uncontrollably when an instrument such as a drill or mirror is placed in the mouth. Others are so terrified, either due to a bad prior experience or to stories they've heard about bad dental experiences, that the mere thought of dental treatment may cause

By John A. Amaro, DC, FIAMA, Dipl. Ac., LAc

An Extremely Effective, Simple Treatment for Colds and Flu

Some years ago, a group of esteemed scientists from the People's Republic of China were invited to visit the United States by the American scientific community. This event ushered in an exchange of ideas and an opportunity for two great nations to be able to corroborate on a number of issues vital to the health and welfare of the world.

Honora Lee Wolfe, Dipl. Ac.

An Acupuncture Approach to Improved Breast Health, Part II

(Editor's note: Part I of "An Acupuncture Approach to Improved Breast Health" appeared in the July issue.)

Breast Disease and Aging

According to Western medicine, breast disease becomes more common and potentially more serious with aging. We know that the incidence of breast cancer definitely increases as women age. Chinese medicine has a logical rationale for this statistical fact.