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Alternative Health News

Take the Time to Listen
Most patients will trust you more and respect you if you take the time to really listen to them - to hear their complaints and concerns. Not only does it help you earn their trust, but it also provides you with valuable insight into what is actually going on.

Applied Kinesiology: Health Care "Beyond Category"
In his expansive creativity, the jazz legend Duke Ellington often crossed traditional boundaries in his music, composing many pieces for big-band outfits that had strong classical overtones and as such, transcended the usual formats associated with just jazz.

Cracked Up on YouTube
When I was in college in the '60s, I bought a Super 8 mm camera. I was 19 years old. Being 19 with a movie camera was, of course, a dangerous combination.

News In Brief
Parker College Opens Standard Process Student Activity Center; All Three Palmer Campuses Earn Regional Accreditation; Life University Shows Spirit of Giving Over the Holidays; Helping COCSA Continue Serving State Associations; A Moment of Silence for Dr. William J. Kotheimer.

Important Microorganism Safety Issues for Herbs
There are two types of bacteria: aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic bacteria need oxygen for growth and survival; whereas anaerobic bacteria do not require oxygen for growth, and may even die in its presence. Most bacteria are aerobic.

Embracing Evidence-Based Chiropractic
It has become increasingly apparent that the value and efficacy of health care professionals will continue to be measured by the degree to which they adhere to evidence-based practices. Government, third-party payers, stakeholders and patients expect treatment or interventions to be based on evidence that supports effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes with minimal negative consequences.

East/West Protocols for Winter Health
As we are in the winter months, many of the patients coming to our clinics will have concerns about cold and flu issues, particular in light of the recent H1N1 flu strain. TCM has a colorful history of treating and diagnosing seasonal cold and flu symptoms.

Talking to Patients About What to Expect from Acupuncture
I have long been uncomfortable with the use of the word cure, and have never used it in my practice, for fear of not being able to live up to that ideal. A friend recently reminded me that the word cure is often associated with quackery. That was what I sensed.

Communicating More With Your Patients
As the son and grandson of doctors of chiropractic, I have come to appreciate the health that is only available from adopting a wellness lifestyle. I began life with adjustments, good eating and "taking my vitamins."

Excuses and Absurdities
At times the interplay between a detox acupuncturist and a client approaches the absurd. Case in point: this conversation between myself [G] and a young Asian woman [AW].

News in Brief
News In Brief: AOMA Becomes First Stand-Alone AOM School to Achieve Regional Accreditation. Tai Chi for Knee Pain.

Success in an Age of Transition
Given the rapidly shifting world in which we live and the significant changes that are often imposed upon us it's no surprise that many chiropractors are finding themselves in the midst of business, career and life transitions.

Is AIG Still Insuring Acupuncturists?
At the beginning of last year, the media was buzzing about the stability of American International Group. As had been widely reported, AIG Insurance Company was not considered financially viable after engaging in billions of dollars of extremely speculative investments known as credit swaps.

At the Table With the Council of Colleges
I remember attending my first meeting of the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) in 1999. As a newly hired college administrator, I chose to sit in a corner and try to blend into the background.

Getting Set for the New Year
The new year is here whether or not you are ready. Everyone is talking doom and gloom but you can be productive if you get to work right now. That is really the key phrase: "Get to work." This is not the time to sit back and feel sorry for yourself.

Fascial Manipulation
This past November, I was privileged to speak on Graston Technique at the 2nd Fascia Research Conference in Amsterdam. There is much to report about the new material that was presented at the conference, which I will do in this and future articles.

An Effective Supplemental Therapy for Cancer
For several decades, cancer has been the leading cause of death worldwide. The predominant therapy for cancer is conventional treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In China, most patients accept Chinese herbal medicine as supplemental therapy for cancer treatment.

Secrets to Success in Today's Market
"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." These immortal words, written by Charles Dickens more than 200 years ago, apply to the chiropractic profession today.

Integrating Whole-Food Supplementation and Western Botanicals Into the Acupuncture Clinic
Chinese medicine is a path of healing that restores and maintains health. One primary aim is to increase the presence of life and health in a person, and help them manifest their unique destiny or potential as part of the whole of life.

The Lumbar Spine & Low Back Pain in Golf
Golf is a unique sport that is growing tremendously around the world. It can be played regardless of age, gender, or skill level (through "handicapping").

We Get Letters & E-Mail
Letters from our readers to the editor: Don't Let the Insurance Carriers Drive Away From the Pump; Abusing the Concept of "Wellness"; Cost-Effectiveness Driven by Evidence-Based, Patient-Centered Care.

Acupuncture is Something to Roar About
Happy Chinese New Year! The year of the Tiger begins on the 14th of February. Let's consider the fearsome Tiger. Those people born under his sign are doers, movers and shakers.

Dizziness and the Misaligned Neck
Dizziness can be a frightening symptom. Unfortunately, it often frightens people away from the very chiropractic care they need, thanks to decades of disinformation linking cervical adjustments to stroke.

Skiing Injuries and the Power of TCM
The Opening Ceremony of the XXI Vancouver Olympic Winter Games is Feb. 12. For these athletes, it is an honor to be a member of their national team. They are all winners, regardless of placing. For some, TCM helps them on their path to winning a medal.

New Codes for the New Year?

Q: I do not want to bill any incorrect codes this year, and I know there are always some updates to coding for the new year. Do you know what they may be, or where I may find them? Also should I be looking to purchase an ICD-10? I am hearing a lot of buzz about this version.

What Western Drugs Are Your Patients Taking? Part 2
The patients who come to your office to receive acupuncture and/or herbal therapy are often taking Western drugs. These may be over-the-counter (OTC) medications for pain control, allergies, colds, flu symptoms or a variety of other common problems.

Pharmaceutical Grade vs. Pharmaceutical Made
The term pharmaceutical grade is commonly used within the nutritional supplement industry to connote purity and quality. It makes us think that pharmaceutical standards have been applied to the nutritional products we buy.

Sailing in Gale-Force Winds: Braving the Challenges of Today
It is easy to sail a straight course when heading downwind with a steady breeze; doing so hardly tests one's seamanship. The same can be said to be true for life and particularly for the purpose of this discussion, our profession of chiropractic.

We Get Letters & E-mail
First, I want to thank you for all that you do for the Chinese medical profession here in the United States. I am a California- and nationally licensed acupuncturist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Vitamin D Supplementation to Reduce the Risk and Complications of Influenza
Every year the medical profession and government authorities encourage citizens in many developed countries to get immunized against the current form of influenza virus.

AOM Program Helps Vets Recover from PTSD
The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin (AOMA) partnered with the nonprofit Save A Vet (www.SaveAVet.com) and the Austin Veterans and Family Advocacy Council (AVFAC) to assist in a program called Veterans Team Recovery Integrated Immersion Program (Vet TRIIP).

WFAS Elects New Officers, Plans New Symposium
Dr. Yun Liu, former executive member of the World Federation of Acupuncture Societies (WFAS), has been elected vice-president for a four-year term.

Headaches: Role of the Upper and Lower Cervicals
A functional relationship has been observed between the upper and lower cervical region, as evaluated by motion palpation in the supine position. Upper cervical fixations are often found as reactions to lower cervical dysfunction and pathology, such as degenerative joint disease or disc protrusion.

Congress Pulls Plug on Medicare Fee Cut
With the holiday recess fast approaching and health care reform legislation its top priority, Congress still managed to do what it has done every year since 2002: prevent scheduled Medicare physician fee cuts from going into effect.

How to Retain More of Your Medicare Money
OK, let's be straight about this: There is no big secret to getting paid by Medicare. Just put an AT modifier after a 98940, 98941 or 98942 in blank 24D on the CMS-1500 form and Medicare will pay you.

Case Study: Patient With Pain in a Paralyzed Limb
Some neurological lesions are beyond current science's ability to repair. We may, however, get back some neurological function which was apparently not "dead," but simply inhibited or "asleep." This possibility is what chiropractic neurology is about.

Shifting to a Functional Model in the Digital Delivery of Health Care
If health care is going to be conservative, patient-centered, and empower patients to take responsibility for their health, then why shouldn't health care look to the profession that has been providing this kind of care for more than 100 years?

Functional Integrity of the Pelvis & Hips: Gluteal Activation Enhances Athleticism and Injury Prevention
For most athletes, success is largely dependent on optimal functioning of the gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, medius and minimus), and functional integrity of the hips and pelvis. Unfortunately, functional training and evaluation is not well-understood by many practitioners and athletes.

Research Abstracts From the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Research Abstracts From the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Nov/Dec 2009 Abstracts Volume 32, Issue 9.

Updating the Medicated Diet
In order to achieve optimum effectiveness when using diet therapy, the first consideration is compliance. The main reason for the limited information available to the Western practitioner regarding food therapy is the obscure and often odd ingredients and flavors found in traditional recipes.

Why Support the Three Arches of the Foot?
Because the feet are under continuous gravitational pressure when bearing the body's weight, breakdown in any of the three arches can result in abnormal gait and transmission of asymmetrical forces into the pelvis and spine.

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Massage Today
September, 2003, Vol. 03, Issue 09

Pain Felt Deep Within the Knee

By Ben Benjamin, PhD

Question: What condition is a person likely to have if he or she hears a "crackling" sound while performing a deep-knee bend, and experiences pain (that can be brought on by damp, rainy weather) deep inside the knee?

Answer: Chondromalacia, also called patello femoral arthritis.

The crackling sound felt and heard within the knee is known as crepitus.

It is the sound of a destructive grinding of the femur on the undersurface of the patella. Chondromalacia, or patellofemoral arthritis, begins when the articular cartilage that coats the gliding surfaces of the femur and patella sustains damage.

When the sound of crepitus starts, it may feel strange but may not be painful because cartilage may still be rubbing against cartilage; however, when the articular cartilage thins and breaks away, bone begins to grind against bone. This is when the knee begins to swell and become painful. Changes in barometric pressure often cause the pain and discomfort to increase.

Chondromalacia generally affects both knees, but can occur in only one if the condition began as the result of an accident or injury. More commonly, patellofemoral arthritis develops slowly over many years. Certain activities can accelerate its onset. For example, the impact of running hastens the onset of full-blown chondromalacia in the knee. While running, the knee must absorb 700 to 1,000 pounds of impact with each step; when we run a mile, we take between 1,500 and 2,000 steps.

If the knee is out of alignment, due to excessive pronation of the foot, or if the person is not adequately warmed up before running, the knee can suffer.

Click here for more information about Ben Benjamin, PhD.