Insomnia A team of researchers collaborated to test the effectiveness of using acupuncture to treat insomnia. The researchers came from the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Beijing Fengtai Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Hong Kong. The subjects in the study […] Read more

Period Pain When period pain is not caused by an existing medical condition, it is called primary dysmenorrhea. This is most commonly experienced by women under the age of 25. Estimates suggest 45-95% of women will experience dysmenorrhea and 10-15% will suffer from severe symptoms. The defining symptom of dysmenorrhea is cramping in the lower […] Read more

Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema Surgery for the treatment of breast cancer often involves either the biopsy or removal of lymph nodes. This is done in the region of the arm pit. Side effects of this surgery can lead to an accumulation of excess lymphatic fluid and/or a condition called Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema (BCRL). This most likely […] Read more

Insomnia: Time To Get Some Sleep What Is Insomnia? Insomnia is experiencing difficulty in falling asleep and/or staying asleep. It can be a short term (acute) condition which will generally pass without the need of treatment, or it can become a long-term (chronic) problem. Once difficulty in sleeping is experienced for at least three nights […] Read more

Chinese Medicine: What Is It? Chinese Medicine is an integrated system of health care involving the modalities of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. It most succinctly can be explained as a form of energetic medicine. It includes a system of diagnosis which identifies the underlying energetic imbalances responsible for causing an illness. In Theory, the […] Read more

Back Pain Back pain is simply pain which is experienced in the region of the back. Usually it is mild and only a short-term annoyance. But other times the pain can be excruciating. In most instances, back pain will last between four to six weeks when left untreated. What Are The Causes? There are a […] Read more

Period Pain What Is It? The medical term for period pain is dysmenorrhea. It is simply the pain or cramping associated with menstruation. This pain is most frequently experienced in the abdomen and it usually feels like a pressure sensation. It can also extend to the hips, lower back and the inner thighs. When the […] Read more

Qi (Part 3): Acupuncture Acupuncture is the part of Chinese Medicine which is most synonymous with the concept of qi. The manifestation of qi (as understood by acupuncture theory) can best be described as energy which is yet to take material form. The acupuncture channels (meridians) are said to circulate qi throughout the body in […] Read more

Qi (Part 2): The Human Body Part 1 in this series explained how qi is the building block of all phenomena. It is the most refined substance which cannot be further broken down. For further and more detailed explanation, refer to the blog titled “Qi (Part 1): The Unseen Building Blocks”. In contracts to the […] Read more

Qi (Part 1): The Unseen Building Blocks An integral component of Chinese Medical theory is the notion of qi (pronounced chee). It is the concept which most represents the close alignment between Chinese medicine and the ancient esoteric philosophy of Taoism. The word “qi” can be roughly translated into English to mean “energy”. Qi is […] Read more