Physically and mentally, cancer treatment is an arduous process. Any kind of pain or stress relief during this trying time is of the utmost importance. Massage therapy can provide both. In stark contrast to most cancer treatments, massage is natural and side effect free. Nausea, fatigue, body aches, and weight loss are some of the wearying inconveniences of fighting cancer. Massage is a versatile body therapy that can address deep muscle pains or mild aches, as well as provide an emotional comfort.

A massage appointment can be particularly beneficial to a cancer patient used to the sterile environment of hospital treatments.  Massage therapists take an initial inventory of their patient's problem areas, symptoms of pain, and descriptions of discomfort. Careful attention is paid to the patient both before and during a treatment, not only ensuring that target areas are attended to, but also that a level of care is provided that serves to couple a necessary medical appointment and a luxury experience. People undergoing cancer treatments are prime candidates in need of this care. When positive attention is paid to the body, it can mend muscles and aid stress.

Exposure to sudden, loud music or explosive noises can cause tinnitus, a nerve disorder that involves a consistent ringing sound in a person's ears. At its worse, tinnitus can lead to deafness. Tinnitus affects one in 10 people, and can range from mild to chronic. While it is a common problem for veterans and the elderly, other common causes include whiplash or even dental work. However, there is evidence that if caught early, tinnitus can be improved and eventually cured with the use of natural medicine, such as acupuncture and certain vitamins.

Tinnitus is linked to nerve and touch sensitivity. For some people, clenching one's jaws or applying pressure to the neck can bring on or reduce tinnitus episodes. Acupuncture patients with this disorder will have a high response rate to the nerve's natural response to pressure and the disorder's sensitivity to certain points. The practice of acupuncture is based on the stimulation of certain points on the body, as well as meridians and channels. Stimulating specific points (which are determined based on the patient's unique case) can rebalance the qi (one's life force) and alleviate the source of the problem. It is integral in traditional Chinese medicine to treat the origin of an ailment as well as the symptoms, and TCM has several theories as to what causes tinnitus.

Exposure to sudden, loud music or explosive noises can cause tinnitus, a nerve disorder that involves a consistent ringing sound in a person's ears. At its worse, tinnitus can lead to deafness. Tinnitus affects one in 10 people, and can range from mild to chronic. While it is a common problem for veterans and the elderly, other common causes include whiplash or even dental work. However, there is evidence that if caught early, tinnitus can be improved and eventually cured with the use of natural medicine, such as acupuncture and certain vitamins.

 Tinnitus is linked to nerve and touch sensitivity. Acupuncture patients with this disorder will have a high response rate to the nerve's natural response to pressure and the disorder's sensitivity to certain points. The practice of acupuncture is based on the stimulation of certain points on the body, as well as meridians and channels. Stimulating specific points (which are determined based on the patient's unique case) can rebalance the qi (one's life force) and alleviate the source of the problem. It is integral in traditional Chinese medicine to treat the origin of an ailment as well as the symptoms, and TCM has several theories as to what causes tinnitus.

By Jerry S. Y. Wang, M.D. 

Chronic non-cancerous pain, also known as CNP, has been the main concern in the field of pain management. CNP has primarily been treated with pain relief medications. These are Opionoids, including Excodome, Morphine, Methodone, and a variety of Depressants. Opionoids have been very effective in pain relief. At the same time, they also produce feedback situations. In ordinary physiology, the human body produces Endorphins (endogenous morphine) to protect the body from painful situations.

By Diane Joswick 

For some people it is experienced as the uncomfortable sensation of "pins and needles" or burning pain (especially at night) of their hands or feet. Others may suffer even more extreme symptoms such as muscle wasting, paralysis, or organ or gland dysfunction. With more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathies in existence, each with its own characteristic set of symptoms, pattern of development, and prognosis, the symptoms can vary as much as the cause. Nevertheless, Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition that can be treated with Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Posture is often overlooked as a health concern, but a person's posture has a direct effect on his or her breathing, organ function, and muscle integrity. With the majority of American adults confined to desk and chair for 40 hours of the week, attention to posture is crucial for optimum health. In Chinese medicine, correct posture is considered necessary for the proper flow of qi (the life force that traverses each living thing). TCM practitioners believe that good posture provides for not only the proper flow of qi, but of blood as well (leading to better brain and organ performance). 

Poor posture is related to several TCM problems (such as back pain and other forms of musculoskeletal imbalance), and is sometimes believed to cause them. Consequently, practicing good posture can enhance a TCM treatment (such as acupuncture), while poor posture can inhibit results. Due to the active lifestyle common in their patients, ancient Chinese medical practitioners did not have to deal with patients' poor posture nearly as often as practitioners do today. Similarly, Liver Qi Stagnation was also not as common a problem in ancient China as it is today; it is believed to be closely related to posture. Liver Qi Stagnation refers to a pattern of disharmony in a person that is characterized by pain in the chest, the abdomen, the head, or along the Liver channel.  Also associated with this disharmony are feelings of stress, agitation, or anxiety. Liver Qi Stagnation directly coincides with posture problems, and helping the latter can greatly improve the Liver channel - alleviating muscle pain as well as mental tension.

By Kathleen Rushall

The year of the Ox is about to commence! The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600 BC. The Chinese calendar is a yearly one, with the start of the year based on the cycles of the moon. Therefore, the beginning of the year can fall anywhere from late January to mid February. This year it falls on January 26th, 2009. Chinese New Year starts on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon 15 days later.

By Thomas Kouo, L.Ac.

So I was thinking......admittedly, this is a stretch, but during one morning wake up routine in my half awake / half asleep state of morning hypnosis, I was suddenly awoken by the cold sting of my spray-on deodorant in my underarms. I thought to myself, ‘why do they have to make this stuff so cold?

By Kathleen Rushall

Traditional Chinese medicine includes an array of natural remedies such as acupuncture, massage, herbal treatments, and physical exercises like qi gong and Tai ji. These various ministrations can be applied to a myriad of ailments, from arthritis to restless leg syndrome. However, traditional Chinese medicine also includes an arsenal of healing tips for natural conditions such as pregnancy. Almost every discomfort regarding pregnancy (and infertility) can be assisted with the use of Oriental medicine.

By Lianne Audette

When you think of addiction, what comes to mind? Alcoholism? Injectingheroin? Smoking crack? Alcoholics Anonymous? All true and accurate depictions, but they are just a wee twig of a large tree with enormous, twisty roots. What about video gaming, running, shopping, smoking, sex, eating, gambling, obsessive thinking, compulsive behaviors, hating, despairing, wanting? Do you know that there are 12-step programs for all of the issues above, and more programs springing up all the time? Think about the chronic conditions that many of our patients suffer from, such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, chronic pain, and fatigue. Left to their own devices and desperate to medicate themselves, many people will turn to addictive substances. Some will be bought on the street and some prescribed by their physician. Too often pharmaceuticals are prescribed over and over again, often with little success and with little or no follow up, until the patient is well into the downward spiral of addiction. And, sad to say, the cause of the problem remains untreated.