Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
News / Profession

Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
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Women's Health
A Harmonious Point Combination to Treat Constipation During Pregnancy
A Harmonious Point Combination to Treat Constipation During Pregnancy

Acupuncture can provide constipation relief while maintaining a healthy pregnancy. A combination of San Jiao 6 (Zhi Gou) and Stomach 36 (Zu San Li) is excellent for treating constipation during pregnancy. San Jiao 6 is the shu-stream and fire point of the San Jiao channel. It can regulate the qi of the three jiaos, unblock the qi of the fu organs, descend counterflow fire, open the orifices, activate the collaterals to disperse stagnation, and eliminate distention to stop pain.

Jacky Zhu, MAOM, LAc
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Acupuncture Techniques
Acupuncture’s Role in Stimulating the Vagus Nerve
Acupuncture’s Role in Stimulating the Vagus Nerve

One of the longest nerves in the body is known as the vagus nerve (VN). The VN is the 10th pair of cranial nerves that originates at the brain stem in the medulla oblongata. This nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is a part of the ANS. Research suggests ear acupuncture can activate the VN.

Amanda Archuleta, DAOM, LAc
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Your Practice / Business
Putting Mitochondrial Health at the Center of Clinical Care
Putting Mitochondrial Health at the Center of Clinical Care

Mitochondria, the cell’s “powerhouses,” generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), regulate oxidative stress, and coordinate vital cellular functions. When mitochondrial health declines, patients may experience widespread effects, from impaired muscle recovery to cognitive decline. The mitochondrial theory of aging even suggests progressive mitochondrial deterioration is a central mechanism in chronic disease and systemic frailty. Photobiomodulation (PBM), the therapeutic use of red and near-infrared light, directly targets mitochondria to restore energy metabolism.

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Phil Harrington, DC, CMLSO, FASLMS
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Acupuncture & Acupressure
The Alchemy of Listening
The Alchemy of Listening

Most often we tend to consider the skill of listening to be focused on the intake of subjective and objective signs / symptoms the respective patient is experiencing and manifesting. This aspect is of course foundational. Let’s focus on other areas of listening that are extremely important to allow acupuncture therapy to reach deeper levels of patient satisfaction and clinical efficacy.

Craig Williams, LAc, AHG
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Evidence / Research / Science
Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: Effectiveness & Cost-Effectiveness
Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: Effectiveness & Cost-Effectiveness
Key Findings From the BackInAction Trial

The U.S. spends more than $134 billion annually on back and neck pain treatment, with over 30% of these costs incurred by older adults covered primarily by Medicare. In 2020, Medicare began covering acupuncture for  chronic low back pain, but no large-scale studies had examined its effectiveness or cost-effectiveness specifically for Medicare-eligible older adults. The BackInAction trial addressed this critical evidence gap through coordinated clinical effectiveness and economic evaluation studies.

Katharina Rhein, cand. med. Lic. Acupuncture; Sandro Graca, MSc, Lic TCM, FABORM
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Acupuncture & Acupressure  |  DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Beyond Pain Relief: Distal Acupuncture for Restoring Muscle Recruitment in Microtrauma (Pt. 1)
Distal Acupuncture for Restoring Muscle Recruitment in Microtrauma

Research supports the effectiveness of selecting the distal acupuncture points for the treatment of microtrauma and for relieving pain, particularly in cases of chronic shoulder pain. But to make the treatment results long-lasting, clinical experience and research suggest that instead of treating the most painful structure first, we identify the inhibited driver, restore reliable recruitment, confirm it with immediate re-testing, and only then address the painful area as a branch of a deeper pattern.

Andre Yershov, LAc
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Featured

Evidence-Based Practice: A Practical Tech Guide for TCM Practitioners and Students

New artificial-intelligence research tools are rapidly transforming how clinicians can access and interpret medical evidence. Tasks that once required hours of literature searching can now be completed in minutes. For students and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, this means evidence-based practice is no longer a theoretical concept reserved for researchers – it can become a practical part of everyday clinical thinking.

Aram Akopyan, MD, LAc
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Pain Relief / Prevention
Acute Pain: Needling Opposite Sides
Acute Pain: Needling Opposite Sides

We know from clinical experience that acute severe pain is a common patient presentation. In these unfortunate presentations, patients and clinicians alike are hoping for quick resolutions. In this installment, let’s discuss an interesting acupuncture case that features the always-welcome and somewhat miraculous rapid resolution of acute pain.

Craig Williams, LAc, AHG
Pain Relief / Prevention
A Closer Look at the Etiology of Chronic Pain
A Closer Look at the Etiology of Chronic Pain
You Could Be Missing the Root for the Branch in Your Treatment Approach

When a patient comes into your clinic with a chief complaint of chronic pain, there are arguably many viable approaches to treatment. But would you ask this patient about their emotional state and their satisfaction level with their family, personal and professional relationships, noting any temporal correlation between emotional shifts and onset of symptoms?

Heather Noemi, DACM, Dipl. OM, LAc
Headaches & Migraines
Resolving Chronic Migraine With Ocular Complications: Case Study
Resolving Chronic Migraine With Ocular Complications

The sternocleidomastoid muscle, which connects the head, neck and upper spine, has direct neurological relationships with both the trigeminal system and upper cervical nerves. When irritated or tight, this muscle can mimic or drive migraine symptoms – headache, eye redness, drooping eyelids, and restricted neck movement. This case demonstrates how important it is to assess and treat the musculoskeletal system in patients whose migraines don’t respond to conventional care.

Chris DiStefano, LAc
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Chronic / Acute Conditions
Navigating the Intersection of Botox and Acupuncture in Bell’s Palsy Treatment
Navigating the Intersection of Botox and Acupuncture in Bell’s Palsy Treatment

A 60-year-old woman came to our acupuncture clinic with an unusual case. A few months after receiving Botox injections around her eyes for cosmetic purposes, she developed Bell’s palsy on the right side of her face. Her prior Botox treatment presented a unique challenge: the muscle-relaxing effects of Botox conflicted with acupuncture’s goal of stimulating nerve and muscle recovery. This case explores how acupuncture still played a pivotal role in  her recovery.

Roman Slavinskiy, LAc
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Chinese & Asian Medicine
The Wood Element and the Pelvis
The Wood Element and the Pelvis

In the tradition of the Five Elements, the spirit leads us to the source of function or dysfunction. As a pelvic health specialist, I have found that the spirit of the points on the pelvis are particularly important in supporting our clients, as they connect deeply with the spirit. Working with the points on the pelvis is often pivotal for the client and thus requires a well-designed foundation.

Krystal Lynn Couture, DPT, LAc
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