Did You Know..?

Trigger finger, medically known as stenosing tenosynovitis, is a condition that affects the tendons in your hand. When you have trigger finger, one of your fingers or thumb gets stuck in a bent position and then suddenly straightens with a snapping or popping sensation—much like releasing the trigger of a gun, which is how the condition got its name.

The condition occurs when the sheath surrounding the tendon becomes inflamed or thickened, creating friction as the tendon moves through it. This inflammation can develop gradually from repetitive gripping motions, overuse, or sometimes without an obvious cause.

Common Symptoms of Trigger Finger

You might experience stiffness in the affected finger, especially in the morning. Pain at the base of the finger or thumb is typical, and you may notice a clicking or popping sensation when you bend or straighten the finger. In more severe cases, the finger may lock in a bent position and require manual straightening with your other hand. That’s when it’s very painful to straighten the finger.

How Acupuncture Can Help

Acupuncture offers a natural approach to managing trigger finger by addressing the underlying inflammation and promoting healing. Traditional acupuncture works by stimulating specific points on the body to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.

When treating trigger finger, an acupuncturist targets points along the meridians associated with the hand and arm. By improving blood flow to the affected tendon sheath, acupuncture can help reduce swelling and ease the friction that causes the snapping sensation. Additionally, acupuncture stimulates the body's natural pain-relieving mechanisms, which can provide relief without relying on medications.

Many patients find that regular acupuncture sessions, combined with gentle stretching and activity modification, help restore normal finger movement and reduce symptoms over time. The treatment is non-invasive and works well alongside other wellness practices to support your body's natural healing process. I would suggest to at least give acupuncture a chance before resorting to cortisone shots or even surgery. 

~ Dr. Luo

Perimenopause is a natural transition that women experience before entering menopause. It typically begins in a woman's 40s, but can start in her 30s or even earlier. During this stage, the body undergoes hormonal changes as it prepares to cease menstruation and fertility. Some women are lucky that they don’t have severe symptoms and have an easier transition than others.

What are the Symptoms of Perimenopause?

Common symptoms of perimenopause include irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, fatigue, brain fog, joint pains (frozen shoulder), and changes in libido. These symptoms can vary in intensity and duration for each woman.

How Long Does Perimenopause Last?

On average, perimenopause lasts about four years, but it can range from a few months to over a decade. The duration and severity of symptoms can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle factors, and overall health.

What Can Women Do to Manage Perimenopause Symptoms?

Acupuncture is a great method to help manage perimenopause symptoms by regulating the autonomic nervous system. Acupuncture activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System to help the body relax, restore, and stay calm. With consistent treatments, patients can sleep better with less hot flashes and night sweats. It can also help to reduce stress and brain fog. Additionally, herbal therapy can be added to further help reduce menopausal symptoms. It’s time to give acupuncture a try, it might make a world of difference for you.

~ Dr. Luo

Anxiety is a common mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by feelings of worry, fear, and unease that can be mild or severe. Understanding the causes and symptoms of anxiety is crucial in managing and treating this condition.

What Causes Anxiety?

Anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. Research suggests that certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, play a role in regulating mood and anxiety levels.

How is Anxiety Treated with Acupuncture?

Acupuncture can naturally enhance the production and distribution of serotonin and dopamine in the nervous system to help regulate the body and calm the mind. Some patients may need to continue with anti-anxiety medication during this acupuncture treatment period, and some patients can completely get off of their medications overtime with acupuncture treatments.

A series of acupuncture treatments can help improve sleep quality and digestion exhibited in patients with anxiety. In some cases, herbal therapy may be recommended in conjunction with acupuncture treatments when necessary.

Consistent acupuncture treatments can definitely help to reduce anxiety level in patients and improve their quality of life.

~ Dr. Luo

Image credit to Burst

I always hear my patients tell me "don't get old".  I smile and reply "we are all going to get old one day and we have no control over that, but we CAN find ways to help ourselves not to feel our OLDNESS".  One of the ways is to get regular acupuncture treatments.  One of the most common complaints as we age is knee pain.  When we gain weight, it also puts extra pressure on our knees.  Did you know that every pound of weight you lose equals to 4 times less pressure on your knees?!  That makes a huge difference.  Knee pain can be felt at different locations, such as on top of the knee, medial side of the knee cap (most common), below the knee cap, and lateral side of the knee cap.  Pain on top of the knee might be related to tendonitis or swelling.  Pain on the inside of the knee may be due to arthritis, meniscus tear or ligament tear.  Pain under the patella may be due to overuse.  Pain on the outside of the knee may be also due to arthritis, ligament or meniscus tear.  MRI would provide the best image of the knee and diagnose the cause of the knee pain, so that appropriate treatments can be provided.  Physical therapy, chiropractic and acupuncture are alternative ways to help reduce knee pain, and important to try these modalities together before resorting to partial or total knee replacement.  Electro-acupuncture is often used to treat knee pain and also very effective in reducing pain and increasing flexibility and mobility.  Regular treatments are necessary to keep the pain away and help the body to learn how to protect itself from future damages.  With less pain, there is an improvement in quality of life and ability to exercise again.  In acupuncture, it would be best to treat the problem before it gets worse.  So I always tell my patients that as soon as they feel pain, seek out for acupuncture and take care of the pain promptly.  You should not deal with pain for more than a week.  When a condition has settled in for more than 3 months, it is considered chronic.  Use acupuncture to help you manage pain and start feeling better now.

~ Mei Lin Maunakea

Image credit to Matthew Henry

Pronounced "TIN-nuh-tuhs" affects more people than you think.  This is a condition where you hear ringing or noises in one or both of your ears.  It is a common condition that affect older adults in 15 to 20% of the population.  In Chinese Medicine, the pitch of the ringing can indicate which internal organ is involved in causing the condition.  Many of my patients have had success with using acupuncture to treat both acute and chronic tinnitus.  In some cases, the ringing can be completely eliminated.  If you think you have tinnitus, I would highly recommend confirming the diagnosis with your doctor first, either low-pitched or high-pitched tinnitus, because sometimes tinnitus can also be part of Meniere's disease, which is another topic in itself.  Also, sometimes a Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist can help with removing ear wax that might help to reduce tinnitus.  In clinic, I notice that patients with tinnitus might also experience poor circulation throughout the body, generally have tight neck and shoulder muscles, may experience jaw pain, or tend to clench their teeth at night.  When the correct cause is addressed and treated, then tinnitus will resolve fairly quickly and easily.  It doesn't hurt to try acupuncture, because it either will help to improve your condition or the condition will not change and cannot get worse.  Don't you feel it is at least worth a try?!

~Mei-Lin Maunakea

image: credit to Farah from Burst

Recently I was asked to speak about stress management at the workplace.  I could not think of a better topic to discuss and promote acupuncture as one of many ways to help with stress relief.  Acupuncture has been known to control the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that regulates our body's response to stress signals.  Many research studies have shown and proved this mechanism.  In addition, new research in Functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain showed that by inserting thin needles to specific acupuncture points can activate or deactivate certain parts of the brain.  Now THAT is pretty neat findings!  Essentially, acupuncture therapy acts like physical therapy for the brain and the Central Nervous System (CNS).  Stress signals cause the body to release cortisol and adrenaline.  For a short while, it does not do harm to your health.  However, chronic stress signals can lead to skin issues, weight gain, excessive appetite, hypertension, insomnia, muscle tightness, headaches, indigestion, and more.  Naturally, we all have stress in our lives, but it is how we deal with stress that matters in the long term.  By incorporating acupuncture into your lifestyle can greatly alter how your body and brain handle stress that can change your health for the better.  Have you had your acupuncture therapy yet?!

~Mei-Lin Maunakea,

Image Credit to Matthew Henry

We love to eat!  It's a nuisance to constantly worry about what to eat and what NOT to eat in order to keep your acid reflux in check.  When it gets bad, symptoms can even resemble a heart attack like chest tightness and difficulty breathing.  Most of the time, patients might experience chronic sore throat, cough, and bloating.  Some patients might already have the diagnosis of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).  However,  the more anti-acid medications you take, the body becomes dependent on them to digest food.  This is why some people are stuck taking anti-acids for the rest of their lives.  But... there is still hope.  Acupuncture can help to increase your metabolism and regulate the acid production during meal times.  Accompanied with Chinese herbal formula, acid reflux can be treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine.  With consistent and frequent treatments, improvements can be seen within a month to two months.  Why not treat your body better and give acupuncture a try?!

~ Mei Lin Maunakea

Image Credit to Matthew Henry

More than a third of adults have prediabetes that can develop into Type II Diabetes if left untreated, and majority of these patients don't know that they have it unless blood work is done.  Most patients have to take medications to lower their blood sugar, because their bodies have developed insulin-resistance.  So how does acupuncture fit in the picture?!  Well, thousands of years ago, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Diabetes was described as the "Wasting and Thirsting Disease" or "Xiao Ke", where symptoms included excessive thirst, irritability, itchy skin, dry mouth and red, swollen gums.  Acupuncture can help to restore Qi/Vital Energy in the body and improve blood flow while nourishing and enhancing internal organ functions.  This prevents the condition from worsening. Acupuncture alone is not sufficient to treat this inflammatory disease, but along with proper dietary changes, exercise, and appropriate lifestyle changes, Diabetes can be prevented or possibly even reversed in the early stages.  Regular acupuncture treatments can also help to prevent the increase in dosages of diabetic medications.  There is very little risk in trying acupuncture compared to typical and sometimes severe sides effects of medications.  It's never too late, your body wants to be healthy, and acupuncture can help bring you one step closer to achieving that goal.  

~ Mei Lin Maunakea

Image Credit to Sarah Pflug