davidv's blog

A few days ago, I received The Mayway Mailer, Winter 2010 issue, and read the featured article "Touring China: A Visit to Anguo and Mayway's Manufacturing Partners" by Alisa Wrinkle, L.Ac. I found the article very interesting and informative and received Alisa's permission to post an excerpt from it. Thank you, Alisa.

Something I found exasperating in my school's clinic (thanks, Steve Knobler and Cris M. for the idea for this blog) were too many times when there were not enough patients for every student. There was no excuse for that. Those  slots should not have been vacant as often as they were.

While practicing the style taught in U.S. Chinese Medicine schools, I read these articles written by Lisa Rohleder in 2006-07 for Acupuncture Today (the paper versions):

"Acupuncture and Social Entrepreneurship", March '06 http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=30335

Here's the link to a story about a Canadian pianist in a bid to break the current record for longest solo concert. The 2nd to the last sentence mentions an acupuncturist who helps with his hands.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/entertainmentfrancecanadamusicguinnessgonzales

I thought I'd post this first guest blog now from a client at Oasis Community Acupuncture before I misplace the sheet it was written on (written last week). Ruth was describing to me recently how she knew she was "done." I found it very interesting and had not heard anyone express it in exactly those terms. So I thought others may also find it of interest.

I have been reading "The Grand Weaver" by Ravi Zacharias and came across this "old adage -- some things are better felt than 'telt'." It applies to music. Describing a song in words does not compare to the experience of actually hearing the song.

Oasis Community Acupuncture in Newark, CA has been open just over a year and until the last few days, the main treatment room was the smaller back room. The larger front open area was much noisier, since it faces a busy street.

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/04/1820270.aspx?Commen...

The link to the page on nightly.msnbc.com where Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor, is "always looking for good news, especially in this economy."

    The sliding scale is still an unusual concept and some people struggle with it and what to actually pay. Following is a blended version of recent conversations I had with several new patients.
 

 For visitors to CAN, non-members, the Blogs here do not represent CAN, writings here represent only the ideas of individual writers.

The link to the Newsweek article that shows the widening gap between those w/ health-care   and those who don't.   Gov. Kaine of VA says "2/3 of the 46 million uninsured in the U.S. have jobs but can't afford health insurance."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150846/page/1

"In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty..."

The essentials of community acupuncture are : an affordable sliding scale (ranging from $15 - $40 per treatment) and treatments in a group setting. And (to be listed on LOC) being open enough days of the week (at least 3) so patients who need it can have frequent and regular treatments. CA business owners  are agreed on this.

Where  some disagreements arise on the CAN site, as I see it, are in  non-essentials. Community acupuncturists are independent business-owners. As long as the essentials are in place, there really is no reason for anyone outside a particular practice to criticize or judge how the bu-owner is conducting his/her practice. CA practices are not franchises, so there are no written agreements or contracts signed before starting up a CA office.

After congratulating a Boston CANer and her city's Celtics, I got to thinking about the team spirit shown by the Celtics all season and the similarities with the community spirit of CA practices and CAN.

Many CA practices are partnerships, which involve working as a team and being able to compromise. CAs with volunteers are indispensable in helping run the office.                    

The Celtics Big 3 sacrificed individual stats for a higher goal -- the championship. Passing the ball and assists, the mindset to play tough defense (which takes a lot of concentration and is hard work) and help each other out in providing coverage, were essential factors in their wins. Their bench players provided needed points and consistency in defense.

I think a major drawback in my earlier (BA) practice was not having sufficient tools to help patients consistently from the initial visit.  Since learning from Dr. Richard Tan's 4 books ( I especially like "Acupuncture 1,2,3" , coming from a newbie to his style) and his online forum, I have surprisingly ceased to be amazed at the early improvements -- from the 1st visit, and now expect that so long as my diagnosis of the sick meridian(s) is/are correct and treat the clients accordingly, the results will be there.

This confidence in the effectiveness of the treatments makes a positive difference when talking to people about acupuncture.

I haven't had to bring up the topic of referrals with clients. Last week, after a client's 3rd treatment, she told me she had been talking to other parents at her son's school about acupuncture and that it really works. This was much appreciated, and she left with some flyers and bu cards.

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100199524&GT1=31036

New guidelines re resuscitation. No more need for mouth-to-mouth, for adults.

About a year ago, I came across a book by clinical psychologist Elaine Aron, Ph.D., "The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You", 1996.  Aron writes HSPs (highly sensitive persons) are found in approximately 15-20% of any population (including animals). HSPs have more finely tuned central nervous systems which makes them more susceptible to environmental stimuli.

The stimuli can be noise, fragrance, certain foods, beauty, pain, etc.  HSPs process this sensory stimuli more deeply than the other 80% of people.