A 38-year-old woman came in with severe back pain, burning in her abdomen, and frightening neurological symptoms — tingling, shocks, and weakness spreading into all four limbs and even her face. Doctors ran tests and even prescribed antibiotics, which helped for a moment, but the pain and strange sensations kept coming back.
In this episode, I walk you through how I approached her case step by step: identifying dampness and heat on top of Spleen Qi deficiency, choosing initial formulas to drain damp, and then shifting to tonify the root. Finally, with the emergence of a wiry pulse and cold extremities, I moved her to a harmonizing formula — Si Ni San — and all of her symptoms resolved, including the back pain from a torn lumbar disc.
This case is a reminder of the power of sticking to fundamentals, following the pattern as it evolves, and trusting the system of Chinese medicine.
Formulas Used:
1. Damp-Heat Clearing Phase
Si Miao Wan + Bei Xie Feng Qing Yin + Si Jun ZI Tang
Huang Bai 10–12 g
Cang Zhu 10 g
Yi Yi Ren 20–30 g
Bei Xie 10 g
Qin Jiao 10 g
Niu Xi (Huai/Chuan) 10–12 g
Mu Gua — 10g
Dang Shen 15 g
Bai Zhu 10 g
Fu Ling 10–12 g
Focus: Drain damp-heat from the lower body and channels while reinforcing the Spleen to support long-term recovery.
2. Harmonizing Phase
Si Ni San
Chai Hu 12 g
Zhi Shi 10 g
Bai Shao 15 g
Zhi Gan Cao 3g
Focus: Harmonize Liver and Spleen, regulate Qi, relieve constraint. This was the turning point formula that completely resolved the tingling, burning, and back pain.
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In this acupuncture story, we see a case of back and shoulder pain of 7 years cleared in a single session, without even touching the area of pain!
The way this story is told, it's more for professionals than laymen. It has a lot of advanced terminology. However, whoever you are, I hope you enjoy!
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In this week's acupuncture storytime, we visit a case that blew my mind on a shift at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle 10 years ago. A young mother can't lift her arm above her head. The diagnosis is frozen shoulder. After application of a single needle, she instantly lifts her arm with a full range of motion. I'd never seen anything like this before. That encounter opened my mind to what acupuncture can accomplish and changed the course of my study and practice forever.
Basic Frozen Shoulder Protocol. (LI and SJ Channel Injury)
Opposite Side of Injury: ShenGuan, ST38, LU5, SanChaSan, Ah Shi points around KID3, ST41, LIV4, GB40,
Same Side of Injury: LI3 or LI4, SJ3 or SJ4,
+ Light Tui Na and Exercise to site of Injury
(If pain extends into deltoids and bicep, add CeSanLi, CeXiaSanLi opposite side of the injury)
(If palpation to the shoulder bones is painful, rather than tendons or muscles, add GB31 and gently tap the femur on the same side of the injury. I've seen this work like magic to relieve bone pain instantly as part of a well conceived treatment plan. Just be very gentle)
In this story, we treat a 15 year old with 4 years of mysterious leg and foot pain. The pain is so severe that he can't play sports or walk significant distances. Doctors and physical therapists are flummoxed. After years of various therapies, the parents are desperate enough to try acupuncture. Two years and 106 treatments later, the boy is fully cured. Acupuncture for the Win!
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In this week's acupuncture storytime, we examine a severe pediatric case. A 12 year old girl with cystic fibrosis is in danger of losing her function completely. She's already on the maximum pharmaceutical dosages. With Chinese Herbal Medicine, we're able to bring her lung function from 27% to 40% (so far) and save her life.
Herbal Formula: Gu Ben Fang
Dang Shen 10g
Bai Zhu 10g
Fu Ling 10g
Gan Cao 3g
Chen Pi 10g
Ban Xia 10g
Gui Zhi 10g
Bai Shao 10g
Huang Qi 10g
Fang Feng 10g
Wu Mei 10g
Wu Wei Zi 3g
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In today's Acupuncture Storytime, We talk labor induction. When labor is delayed, you really don't want to get a medical induction if you can avoid it. It makes for a very intense, painful labor. Acupuncture induction is very effective and even prepares the body for labor, making it quicker and easier. But what if it acupuncture doesn't work? What's the most common cause of failure in acupuncture induction? Can we still help labor progress if the standard labor induction treatment fails? Yes! Listen to find out how.
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In today's Acupuncture Storytime, we meet a 90 year old man whose body is failing him but his spirit is strong. When he found himself unable to pedal his stationary bike due to leg pain, he disassembled the machine and reassembled it in such a way that he could pedal with his arms. What a guy!
Regular acupuncture relieved his pain remarkably, but the core of this story is the friendship that developed between us as a patient and physician.
Life can be lonely, especially if you're outliving your peers and the world of iPhones around you is unrecognizable to the 1950's era you thrived in.
Isolation is incompatible with health as a human being. As a physician seeking my patient's benefit, and even just as a compassionate person, I made an effort to spend time with this patient and let him know that someone values him and would choose to enjoy his company.
He often said that our acupuncture sessions brought more relief to his pain than any other medical intervention. I believe that just being his friend played a huge role in that sense of comfort and reduction in pain.
An effective physician is more than a technician. We deal with human beings, with all the complexities of the human experience entangled with their medical conditions. I hope you enjoy this sixth episode of the Acupuncture Storytime Podcast.
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A difficult case. This 50 year old woman’s dry cough is driving her crazy and nothing seems to help… until we stumble upon an unusual diagnosis.
Formulas Used:
Jing Fang Bai Du San (Raw, Textbook Dosages)
KPC Granules: Xing Su Yin (Pediatric Modification) 5g 2x/day for 10 days.
Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minus Ban Xia, Plus Tian Hua Fen 9g)
Gui Zhi Tang Jia Jian (forgot to mention this in the podcast, we swapped to this when her neck pain became suddenly severe. This formula cleared it up)
Gui Zhi 10g
Bai Shao10g
Sheng Jiang 10g
Da Zao 10g
Gan Cao 3g
Ge Gen 30g (high dose is great for neck pain)
Qiang Huo 10g (helps with neck pain looking up and down)
Chai Hu 10g (helps with neck pain looking left and right)
Fang Feng 10g
Jin Fei Cao San
Bai Shao 12g
Gan Cao 5g
Jing Jie 15g
Zi Su Ye 10g
Qian Hu 10g
Ban Xia 10g
Xing Ren 10g
Jie Geng 10g
Bai Jie Zi 10g
Xuan Fu Hua 10g
Zhi Sou San + Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang
Jie Geng 10g
Jing Jie 10g
Zi Wan 10g
Bai Bu 10g
Bai Qian 10g
Chen Pi 6g
Gan Cao 3g
Sang Ye 10g
Mai Men Dong 15g
Shi Gao 10g
Xing Ren 10g
Ren Shen 3g
Sheng Di Huang 12g
Suan Zao Ren 15g
Fu Ling 6g
Zhi Mu 6g
Chuan Xiong 6g
Wu Ling San + Zhu Ling Tang (What finally worked… which is bizarre. Who uses this for a cough?!
Fu Ling 15g
Bai Zhu 15g
Ji Xue Teng 10g
Gui Zhi 6g
Gan Cao 4g
Zhu Ling 15g
Che Qian Zi 15g
Liu Shen San + Suan Zao Ren Tang
Dang Shen 20g
Bai Zhu 15g
Fu Ling 15g
Bai Bian Dou 15g
Huang Qi 20g
Suan Zao Ren 20g
Zhi Mu 10g
Zhi Gan Cao 10g (Why did I use 10 grams? I have no idea. Should have just used 3.)
Chuan Xiong 3g
Lai Fu Zi 15g (I added this in after she developed stomach bloating after the first packet. Took care of the issue).
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Ouch! This pregnant woman’s 4 year old kicked her in the groin just days before she’s supposed to go into labor. She has a hematoma, and the pain around her uterus is so severe she can barely walk. The slightest touch to her pelvis sends her into agony. How can a person go into labor like this? Acupuncture is renowned for pain relief but the injury is severe and the clock is ticking.
Points Used;
MingHuang (Bilateral)
3 Ah Shi points by LI11 (Opposite the side of the injury)
ST34 (Opposite the side of the injury)
PC6 (Opposite the side of injury)
ST43 (Same side as the injury)
LIV3 (Same side as the Injury)
GB34 (Opposite side as the Injury)
+ Soft tissue manipulation at site of injury while stimulating acupuncture
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In this episode of the Acupuncture Storytime Podcast: A postpartum woman has knee pain. She wishes she could get down on the floor with her baby without pain. Could this be resolved in just one acupuncture treatment? What’s causing this knee pain? Learn one of my favorite, underrated clinical tools in this podcast: Using MingHuang diagnostically and with acupressure.
Acupuncture Points used:
MingHuang https://www.mastertungacupuncture.org/acupuncture/tung/points/minghuang-t-8812
PC6
ST36
LIV3
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A Diarrhea Pregnancy Story
In this episode of Acupuncture Storytime, a woman is 30 weeks pregnant and has a nightmare vacation to Greece. She develops severe diarrehea and loses 10 pounds in only a week. The condition worsens with antibiotics. Can Chinese Medicine save her pregnancy?
Herbs used:
KPC Granules: Shen Ling Bai Zhu San: 5g 2x/day for 10 days.
Acupuncture Points Used:
ST36
ST43
LI11
SP9
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An Acne Story
In the first episode of Acupuncture Storytime Podcast, we examine a case of a 30 year old woman with acne. She’s already an expert in alternative healthcare, but no treatment she tries can make the pimples go away. After the conventional dermatologist fails to find a cure, she wanders into the Chinese Medicine Clinic.
Will Herbs and Acupuncture work when other treatments have failed? What’s the difference in diagnosis between Eastern and Western perspectives? And how does a sweaty blonde man with cold feet fit into the picture? Listen to find out!
Herbal Formulas Used
Fu Zi Li Zhong Tang
Dang Shen 15g
Bai Zhu 10g
Gan Jiang 10g
Zhi Gan Cao 3g
Fu Zi 10 g
Xiao Yao San
Chai Hu 10g
Bai Shao 15g
Fu Ling 15g
Bai Zhu 10g
Dang Gui 10g
Gan Cao 6g
Acupuncture Points Used
SiMa
https://www.mastertungacupuncture.org/acupuncture/tung/points/simashang-t-8818
LI11
SP9
ST36 (Moxa)
LI4
LIV3
Ren 4 (Moxa)
Ren 12 (Moxa)
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