This article explains how acupuncture and massage help Dupuytren's Contracture. 

Acupuncture is very beneficial for Dupuytren's Contracture. Acupuncture relieves pain, stiffness of the hand, promote better hand mobility and slows the progression of the condition. 

Massage (with Tendon Lotion, a topical that softens and relaxes the tendons) also helps manage symptoms by improving circulation, reducing stiffness, and maintaining flexibility in the fingers and hand. 

How many sessions will it take? 
It depends on the severity of the stiffness and contracture of the hand. Acupuncture is recommended 2x weekly initially, and as the hand softens and opens up, the sessions are reduced to 1x week.
In between sessions I highly recommend using the Tendon Lotion 3-4x a day to soften the stiffness in the hand. 

CLICK HERE to book your appointment today if you suffer from Dupuytren's Contracture. We are located in Midtown NYC.  

In this post I’m going to discuss successful options for osteoarthritis for those not wanting surgery or constantly rely on painkillers. I am going to explain how acupuncture, dry needling, massage,  exercise, heat therapy and herbs improve quality of life, and decrease pain and discomfort. 

Osteoarthritis usually occurs when cartilage is torn, or becomes worn, causing the articular surfaces of the bones to rub. Cartilage can be damaged by a single injury, or through chronic misuse, like living with poor posture, carrying excess body weight or training with poor alignment. ​

Herbs can also be taken internally - to help decreasing pain, inflammation and to treat other issues you may have going on. For this I suggest seeking help from your local Chinese medicine practitioner, because herbs need to be modified frequently to address changes in your health. 

Exercise: exercise is important for managing weight (and taking pressure off of the joint), but also we lead such a forward lifestyle with sitting, driving, texting. The poor posture predisposes us for faulty movement patterns, which leads to wear and tear of the joints, causing osteoarthritis over time. Therefore posture correction, strength training, and training against tendency is very important to help people with osteoarthritis. I also believe the importance of doing full body movements, like in yoga and Pilates, because the body moves as a single unit. 

CLICK HERE to book your appointment today if you need help managing osteoarthritis. We are located in Midtown Manhattan. 
​

Ginseng is a fantastic herb for those looking to:  
- boost energy,
- improve stamina,
- immunity, memory,
- enhance sexual function,
- and offers numerous other benefits.
​
Ginseng is commonly used in teas, soups, and herbal formulas, it provides sustained energy without the crash of stimulants.
Ginseng however, it’s often misused. 

The takeaways:

1. For the best quality and most potency, opt for the raw herb rather than capsules, as capsules can be diluted, affecting their quality and potency.
2. Individuals (young and old) who tend to feel cold should choose the Red, Asian, Warming Ginseng (Ren Shen).
3. The American, White, Cooling Ginseng (Xi Yang Shen) is suitable for younger individuals experiencing fatigue, lack of focus, and lack of stamina (“Qi deficiency” as we call it in Chinese Medicine).
4. If you are unsure about your constitution, choose the American, White Ginseng (Xi Yang Shen)

Purchase raw, Red, Asian Ginseng (Ren Shen) here
Purchase raw, White, American Ginseng (Xi Yang Shen) here
​

​Acupuncture and dry needling of sciatica treatments depend on where the compression of the sciatic nerve is.
​Is it in the low back? In the butt? Hamstrings? Is it due to core weakness? A misaligned hip? 

If the compression is in the low back, such as in the case of a herniated / bulging disc pressing on the sciatic nerve: 

• the acupuncture needle is able to provide symptom relief by needling directly into the low back, loosening the muscle and surrounding tissue that is tight. This is safe, the needle goes into the muscle, never into the spine or spinal cord itself. ​Freeing up the tissue in the low back allows the sciatic nerve to glide better, providing much needed symptom relief.
• besides loosening the tight tissue, acupuncture and dry needling also cause a micro trauma in the muscle; the body reacts to this by bringing fresh blood (improved circulation), nutrients, and the healing cells of inflammation to the area.
• repeated acupuncture and dry needling treatments allow the herniated / bulging disc to heal over time. 

If the compression is in the butt (tight piriformis?) or in the hamstrings (tight hamstrings?) causing the sciatic nerve to be trapped:

• the acupuncture needle is used to free up the tissue in the tight area, allowing the sciatic nerve to glide freely, providing symptom and pain relief.

If the compression is in the low back due to spinal stenosis or in the hips due to a misaligned hip: 

• acupuncture and dry needling help to loosen up the tissue, allowing the structures to return to their original position.
• this is usually the most difficult to treat, but with the combination of acupuncture, dry needling and specific exercises it is not impossible, just takes time.. 

Should you just get acupuncture? Or combine the sessions with physical therapy?

• In my experience, it is best to address sciatica with a combination of acupuncture, dry needling and physical therapy.
• Acupuncture, by the very nature of needling into the tissue, allows for faster pain / symptom relief.
• Physical therapy is invaluable to build a strong, flexible, and functional body, preventing the symptoms from reappearing. 

How many sessions will you need?

• The amount of acupuncture or dry needling sessions one needs depends on whether the cause of sciatica is a herniated / bulging disc, a misaligned hip, or “just” tightness.
• “Just” tightness is an easier fix than someone suffering from poor core control and a misaligned hip. 
• Healing also depends on the fitness level of the individual as building proper strength and flexibility takes time. ​

​
CLICK HERE to book your appointment today if you experience sciatica.
​With proper evaluation and treatment, healing is very much possible. 

Hair in Chinese Medicine reflects the state of internal health, more precisely the state of Blood and Essence. Aging, the fast life, overworking, or childbirth tax our health, deplete the body (Blood & Essence) resulting in hair loss, poor hair quality, premature graying, split ends, etc.
​In this video below Dr. Thomas N. Leung, Pharm BS., DACM, L.Ac, CEO of Kamwo Herbs explains how the blend of these fruits and herbs have been used for hundreds of years to stop hair loss and maintain youthful hair.
Purchase the herbs here
Read more about the role and importance of Essence here
​

In this post I am going to go over the products I use most frequently in the clinic, recommend patients for home use between sessions, and to keep in the home emergency kit for pain relief and faster recovery.

These formulas have been around for centuries, used by generations of martial arts practitioners, Chinese medicine practitioners, sports medicine doctors, and bone setters.
​They are all safe, tried and tested, natural herbal products to aid healing and recovery. 

There are three stages of injury healing: acute or stage one, subacute or stage two, and chronic or stage three. ​

Acute/ Stage One:
This stage starts from the moment the injury happens and usually lasts 1-7 days. If the trauma is minor, this stage may only last 2-3 days. If it is more severe, it may be a full week before swelling, bruising and pain begin to subside. Stage One injuries are characterized by swelling, pain, bruising, and possibly a local sensation of heat (inflammation in western medicine).
Treatment goals for Stage One is to restore normal circulation at the injury site: reduce swelling, pain, inflammation and stopping infection.

At this stage, external herbal formulas tend to be relatively cooling or neutral in temperature, while internal formulas generally focus on restoring circulation, removing stagnation and stopping pain and infection. 

Chinese medicine is about balance - warming and cooling. In Stage One we avoid heat, hot compresses, warm soaks, heating pads, and hot tubs. Adding heat to an already inflamed tissue is like throwing gasoline on the fire. Heat results in more swelling and pain, thereby delaying the healing. Warming therapies are useful in the Stage Two (Subacute) and Stage Three (Chronic) phases when the initial inflammation and swelling is greatly reduced or absent.

​External use:

An other poultice worth keeping at home for emergencies is Stage One Trauma Ointment: this one is for bruises. ​

Also worth getting acupuncture in all three stages. 
In Stage One various acupuncture points are used to decrease pain, swelling, aid healing and calm the nervous system (so the body can focus on healing). In Stage Two the acupuncture needle is invaluable to break up the tight, stiff tissue and to promote healing. In Stage Three acupuncture is used mostly to tonify the body and calm the nervous system.

For questions email us for acupuncture make an appointment. 
​

Hi there - in this article I am going to cover two of my favorite pain patches I use on myself and also on patients. I like them for both acute and chronic pain relief. I use them for neck pain, when I slept wrong, thumb pain, when I worked a lot, give it to patients for low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, muscle spasm, Achilles tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, bruises etc.

I like them, because besides the commonly used methyl salicylate, menthol and camphor they contain various plant extracts, so you get the therapeutic effects of plants as well, not just symptom relief. Also, because they stay on for hours even after multiple handwashing. 

Their similarities: 
1. they both have a strong minty smell - they both contain menthol, camphor and methyl salicylate (wintergreen oil). These three often used together to topically relieve mild to moderate pain, irritation and itching. The strong minty smell and cooling provide a distraction, different sensation to the brain, so the body can focus on a different narrative besides the pain. 
2. they both contain various plant extracts that have pain, swelling, inflammation relieving and tissue regenerating properties. This is what differentiates them from other over the counter pain patches. 
3. They are pretty long, the 701 Plaster is 3.93 x 157 inches long. The Wu Yang Patch is 3.9 x 78.7 inches long. 

The differences between the two and how to choose which one to use:

​They have different ingredients, as different plant extracts are used in them. The Wu Yang Patch can be used for all stages of injury. It can also be used instead of ice (in Chinese Medicine we believe, that ice delays the healing), ​because it has herbs in it that reduce pain, swelling and inflammation. 

The 701 Medicated Plaster is a slightly warming plaster. It is used for older injuries (subacute or chronic phase), because it contains herbs that are more warming (think pepper), that may aggravate a new (acute) injury.

Examples for usage:
When you just threw your back or neck out: use Wu Yang Patch. 
Old chronic neck / low back pain: use 701 Plaster 
When you fell off a bike and have a massive bruise: use Wu Yang Patch 
Acute Achilles pain: use Wu Yang Patch  
Old Achilles pain: use 701 Plaster 
Old injury that is painful in the cold: use 701 Plaster.
​Old shoulder pain: use 701 Plaster 
Arthritis: use 701 Plaster 
Old Bunion pain: use 701 Plaster 
Gout: use Wu Yang Patch 

You get the idea... New injury: you want to cool (but not ice), so use Wu Yang Patch. Old injury: you want to warm (please never ice an old, chronic injury...) use 701 Plaster. 

For best outcome and proper healing use pain patches as a modality besides acupuncture, corrective exercises and other therapeutic methods. 

Do not use pain patches on open wounds. For open wounds, cuts, abrasion use San Qi, buy here.
If you have delicate skin, be careful of wearing the patches on the same spot repeatedly, or day after day, because the skin may get irritated beneath the patch.  
Also if the pain is recurring or not getting better it’s better so seek help from a health care professional you trust - your doctor, acupuncturist, physical therapist, chiropractor, whomever you trust. Pain is often a signal of improper body use, which can cause joint and tissue damage.
Simply masking the pain allows one to continue the misuse without correcting it. Pain is a sign that something is not right and with ample focus and quality care pain - even chronic pain - can be lessened or even completely fixed.

Buy 701 plaster here. Wu Yang Patch here. 

Itchiness, tenderness or pain in keloid scars is usually felt while the keloid is growing, and it stops once it's finished growing, but not always.
​
Keloids can also restrict how far you can move or stretch, especially if the scar covers over a joint. 

​How does acupuncture help keloid scars? 

• Needling under the scar with an acupuncture needle breaks up the stiff, thickened tissue and helps restore the range of motion. ​
• Acupuncture also increases blood flow to the injury site and fasten the healing, reducing the itchiness and pain. 

​

​CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment if you have a keloid scar that it painful or itchy. 

Acupuncture is more widely accepted and used than herbs for wound healing. Acupuncture increases blood flow to the wound site, which is important for healing.

This study by Pubmed https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3529882/ revealed that at 7 days the wound size in acupuncture-treat group was decreased more significantly compared to the control group, when they examined whether acupuncture has an effect on wound healing in injured rats.

In this video below Dr. Thomas N. Leung, Pharm BS., DACM, L.Ac, CEO of Kamwo Herbs explains how San Qi (Pseudoginseng) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) facilitates closing of open bedsores, non healing ulcers and diabetic sores.

Read more on non healing sores here, here and here. 
​Purchase a jar of Regenicare here and San Qi here. ​

​Muscles need two things in order to properly work: activation and strength. 

1. Needling motor points of injured muscles will help activating the muscle and through the muscle's motor neuron it help reconnecting it with your brain 🧠.

2. Needling around the injury site the needle breaks up accumulations and cause micro trauma. Blood then brings the healing cells of inflammation, nutrients and oxygen and carries away waste products. 
​
3. Various Traditional Chinese Acupoints stimulate circulation, reduce pain, swelling, inflammation and move energy. 

CLICK HERE to book an appointment today if  you are in pain. 

​Myofascial trigger points are palpable knots, a wad of muscle fibers staying in a hard contraction, never relaxing. They may cause localized pain, referred pain or reduced range of motion and function. Whether they are caused by new or old injuries, improper or overtraining, incorrect posture or just life, trigger point acupuncture/dry needling is very effective in the treatment of muscle pains and help to return the natural balance to your muscles.

​Your dry needling sessions are complimented with evaluation of your movement and suggestion of corrective exercises are also provided. These two I find are essential to really correct and overcome the problem. Dry needling is one of the safest ways to address physical problems such as chronic neck, back pain, sciatica, TMJ, tension headaches or whiplash injuries . 
Schedule your session today if you experience pain. ​

Practitioners of Chinese Medicine have a large toolbox to choose from. 
Under the umbrella of Chinese Medicine there is acupuncture, moxibustion (heat therapy), tuina (manual therapy / cupping / bone setting / tissue modulation / massage), herbs, qi gong (exercise) and diet (nutrition). 

​During each session the practitioner choses the modalities that benefits the patient the most. ​ ​

Dry needling and acupuncture: needling into the tight tissue loosens up the muscles in the low back. Needling specific acupuncture points in various parts of the body (in the ankles, between the eyebrows, on top of the head for example) can provide pain relief. 

Moxa (moxibustion) is a traditional form of dry heat therapy to increase blood flow to a painful area to decrease pain, and promote healing. During moxibustion an herb mugwort is being burnt over the skin. On this picture a moxabox is being used to protect the skin. Moxibustion is very relaxing. 

CLICK HERE to book your appointment today if you have low back pain. 
​With proper evaluation and treatment, healing is very much possible. ​

​​I noticed over the years that my patients with Parkinson's Disease, who do Pilates not only deteriorate slower, but actually, improve and make progress. They are less stiff, able to stand up taller, have better balance and better control over their bodies and movements. 

In this article I am sharing my experience teaching Pilates to patients with Parkinson's Disease, and explain why I prefer the Pilates Chair and Cadillac over the Barrel, Spine Corrector, Mat or Reformer. ​

Ideally I encourage my patients to practice Pilates 2-3x weekly to make progress and slow deterioration. When that is not possible I give them a home exercise program based on their specific needs and limitations. 

The Reformer: I love the Reformer work, however, I found that my patients with Parkinson's  have a hard time with the Reformer, as it is hard for them to sit down, hard for them to hold their legs up while doing Supine Arm Work, or hold their legs while doing Feet in Straps, and they just overall have a hard time with the transitions. ​

The same goes for the Mat work, the Barrel and Spine Corrector. Patients with Parkinson's are usually very stiff, and have a hard time moving their bodies on their own and work against gravity.
I found that my patients made very minimal progress with these four equipments, therefore I avoid the Reformer, the Mat, the Barrel and the Spine Corrector with these patients. ​

What I found patients made the most progress with is the Cadillac and the Chair. 
​
The Cadillac allows patients to lay comfortably on the stable surface (as opposed to the moving surface of the Reformer).
The Roll Down  Bar allows to find and strengthen the core muscles.

The leg springs are different on the Cadillac from the Reformer. On the Cadillac patients are supported, and they can hold the poles behind them for additional support. The leg springs are fantastic for Patients with Parkinson's: they help improve range of motion in the hips, teach pelvic stability and stretch the hamstrings.

The Push Through Bar helps to move, stretch and mobilize the spine in various ways. ​

Recent case success - closing a non healing wound with the herb San Qi (Pseudoginseng) in just over two weeks. After evaluation the injury was sprinkled over with San Qi, then covered with a gauze. Patient was sent home with a bottle of San Qi, and was instructed to repeat the treatment once a day after showering. With the daily treatments the wound closed in just little over two weeks. San Qi is the herb I frequently prescribe for pressure ulcers and pressure sores as well. 
​Purchase a bottle here