By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Dizziness and fatigue can be signs of Dysautonomia. Fast heart rate or irregular heartbeat? Feel faint or dizzy when standing up? Fatigue, brain fog? Chest pain? These can all be Dysautonomia symptoms, or autonomic dysfunction. Acupuncture and TCM offer treatment for dysautonomia and autonomic neuropathy. “Dysautonomia” is a general term that refers to multiple conditions related to autonomic dysfunction. There are many different types of autonomic nervous system disorders that fall under the umbrella of dysautonomia.  The ..read more

By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Muscle tightness and tenderness can be a sign of myofascial pain syndrome. Muscle aches and pains? Knotted muscles? Pain in trigger points? These could be signs of myofascial pain syndrome. Acupuncture and TCM can provide myofascial release and help relieve chronic myofascial pain (MPS pain). Myofascial pain disorder is a common, yet often overlooked chronic pain condition that affects the muscles and fascia. Fascia is the thin connective tissue that is found all over the body, holding muscles, organs, and blood vessels together ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac. Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Chest pain where the ribs meet the breast bone can be Costochondritis. Chest pain? Rib pain, sternum pain? These can be costochondritis symptoms, caused by inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum. Acupuncture and TCM can provide costochondritis treatment to relieve pain and inflammation. Costochondritis is a pain condition caused by inflammation of cartilage in the rib cage. It can be scary, because the pain can feel like a heart attack or a symptom of heart disease.  It is quite common for people ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Low back pain can be an early sign of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Low back pain, morning stiffness, hip pain? Fatigue, losing weight, poor vision, skin rashes? These can all be signs of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Ankylosing Spondylitis is a type of autoimmune arthritis. Acupuncture can help relieve Ankylosing Spondylitis symptoms like lower back pain. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis condition that most often affects the spine, usually the lower back and pelvis is an inflammatory disease; the primary symp ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Daytime sleepiness can be a sign of sleep apnea. Does your partner say you’re snoring loudly or that you stop breathing during sleep? Waking up with headaches or dry mouth? These can be signs of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea and snoring often go together. Acupuncture and TCM offer sleep apnea treatment and CPAP alternatives to help you stop snoring and get more restful sleep. Sleep apnea, or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is a common breathing disorder that occurs when you are sleeping. When you have apnea, your breathing can stop an ..read more

By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Qineng Tan, L.Ac., PhD.   Runny nose and sinus pain can be symptoms of sinusitis. Stuffy nose, nasal congestion, sinus pressure or sinus headache? Lost your sense of smell? These could be sinusitis symptoms. Acute sinusitis is a sinus infection that can cause sinus pain, postnasal drip, and difficulty breathing. Acupuncture and TCM can help relieve sinus congestion and prevent chronic sinusitis. The sinuses are four sets of hollow cavities inside the head (forehead, cheeks, and nose) that produce mucus and then allow it to drain through the nasal passagew ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Dry eyes can be a symptom of Sjogren’s disease. Dry mouth? Dry eyes? Joint pain that flares up and then goes away? These can be Sjogren’s disease symptoms. Sjogren’s Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the glands that produce saliva and tears. Acupuncture and TCM provide an alternative Sjogren’s treatment to help relieve Sjogren’s syndrome symptoms. Sjogren’s autoimmune disease is becoming more common, with an estimated four million Americans affected.  Many people with Sjogren also have another autoimmu ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac. Ph.D.   Numbness in the fingers when exposed to cold is a sign of Raynaud’s syndrome. Fingers numb? Numbness in fingers and toes? Fingers turning white, poor circulation in fingers, cold fingers and toes? Raynaud’s disease, or Raynaud’s phenomenon, causes poor circulation in the extremities due to constriction of the blood vessels, usually triggered by cold weather or stress. Acupuncture can help relieve Raynaud’s disease symptoms. Raynaud’s disease is a condition characterized by occasional narrowing of the blood vessels, primarily in t ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.   Many autoimmune diseases cause fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain. Autoimmune disorders are on the rise, and they can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Acupuncture and TCM offer relief from autoimmune disease symptoms, while addressing the root of what might cause autoimmune disorders. What is an autoimmune disease? The human immune system creates a variety of antibodies that are designed to fight off bacteria, viral infections, cancer cells, and toxins. An autoimmune disorder occurs when your body’s immune system malfunctions ..read more

By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D and Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D. Year of the Dragon The Lunar New Year will officially begin on Saturday, February 10, 2024, when we will say goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and welcome in the Year of the Dragon. In Chinese culture, the dragon is a divine creature who brings good fortune. Chinese dragons are believed to act as conduits between heaven and earth, helping to bring good weather, plentiful harvests, and overall prosperity to people.  In Ancient China, Emperors were believed to have the qualities of dragons. This is why it is common to see statues a ..read more