The Trauma of Birth from an Osteopathic Perspective
How can birth be traumatic? Birth is indeed a normal part of the cycle of life. Yet birth is certainly capable of becoming our very first trauma. This trauma may be extreme, producing obvious injury. However, even when a normal birth appears to be completely trauma free, the pressures applied to the infant’s cranium can still cause some problems. The tiny infant is extremely resilient, able to withstand tremendous pressures as...
Introduction to Craniosacral Therapy for Babies and Children
Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a branch of osteopathic cranial work, popularized by John Upledger D.O.. The cranial concept was first developed by an osteopath called William Garner Sutherland in the early 20th century. Since Sutherland, there have been many practitioners like Upledger who have further developed the theory and other branches of the practice. Cranial work uses the osteopathic principles of the application of anatomy and physiology in order to correct...
Chiropractic Care in Shanghai
Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a branch of osteopathic cranial work, popularized by John Upledger D.O.. The cranial concept was first developed by an osteopath called William Garner Sutherland in the early 20th century. Since Sutherland, there have been many practitioners like Upledger who have further developed the theory and other branches of the practice. Who needs a chiropractor? A typical patient of mine works 10 hours/day and may sit in a car...
Gaofang: Keep Your Body Strong This Winter
In our last article, we discussed winter health and tips for helping the body adjust to the seasons. TCM does a great job addressing winter health and treating seasonal illnesses, due to its focus on strengthening the body to live in harmony with nature. Common winter ailments like colds and coughing can be effectively treated with herbal decoctions and acupuncture. Today, we’ll share how an ancient Chinese tonic can improve...
In Sync with the Seasons: Winter Health
In TCM, winter is related to the water element and associated with the organs kidney and bladder. The kidneys are the source of the kidney Qi which is composed of the prenatal Qi (stored in the kidneys) and the postnatal Qi (stored in the spleen). The prenatal Qi is given at birth by our parents. It is responsible for the renewal and regeneration of cells and tissue. It is said...
Addressing Back Pain
Some things you can do every day to keep muscles balanced and avoid the likelihood of pain: • Plan some exercise into every day. Do what you enjoy to stay motivated. You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym. Consider walking, riding a bike to work, or taking classes such as yoga or dance. • Move around as much as possible when you’re at the office. Take short breaks to stand...
Can I Do Anything About My Child’s Behavior Problems?
Have you ever wondered what to say when your child struggles with frustration, teasing, jealousy, bullies, sibling rivalries, study difficulties, procrastination, inattention, or other hurdles? Some children may be labeled as ADHD at early age. These questions might pop into your mind as a parent: “Is there anything I can do?” “Can behaviors be learned, trained and changed?” “Can I do something other than rely on medication at such an early age?” The answer...
The Relationship between Dental Issues and Osteopathy
The musculoskeletal system of the body works to keep the eyes horizontally aligned; the head is key in converging with body posture to maintain this alignment. A misalignment in the jaw can cause posture dysfunction and numerous resulting symptoms. If the jaw is misaligned, jaw muscles have to work harder, thus getting fatigued. This in turn can lead to headaches, eye or sinus pain, pain in the neck, shoulder and...
Staying Healthy on the Road
If you travel, it can be especially tough to stay healthy. Many Shanghai expats travel a lot for work (and fun!) and keep busy schedules. Sometimes this leads to poor health and pain from an overly sedentary lifestyle. If you don’t make time to build in some movement and exercise, your body will pay for it in the long run. Here are some tips for staying healthy on the road and...
The sophisticated art of pulse diagnosis
While in western medicine the feeling of the pulse is more or less a daily routine check for everybody, in TCM this method stands for far more. It is part of the so-called “Palpation Examination”, a special form of pressing certain body areas to check out if any pathological changes took place. A distinctive empathy is required to interpret the patient’s pulse as well as a deep knowledge to differ...