Fertility Problems and Getting Pregnant: Natural Solutions with TCM
When facing difficulties getting pregnant, couples can look for help in the Western medical field. However, after having tried almost everything or simply because they want a more natural solution, they can also find help with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM can help a couple – by treating the woman and/or man – raise their chances of conceiving a baby by a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbal decoctions and the...
How to Solve the Problem of Uneven Shoulders
Commonly, uneven shoulders (or high and low shoulders) are may be higher or lower on one side, which affects the appearance. They are also called oblique shoulders. Cause of Uneven Shoulders Congenital (inherited): Spinal dysplasia, scoliosis. Acquired: bad posture, resulting in rhomboid muscle/ trapezius muscle strength imbalance. This is basically excessive force on one side. Most people have high and low shoulders because of bad habits. Most times this is seen in office workers...
Meet the Therapist: Dr. Robin Wang, Physiotherapist
Dr. Robin Wang specializes in pain management and sports injury. He works at the Hongmei Road Clinic, helping patients in both Chinese and English. Some conditions Dr. Wang treats include neck and lower back pain, sciatica, spinal disc herniation, shoulder impingement syndrome, tennis elbow, ACL injury, and plantar fasciitis. Q: What interested you about working in the field of physiotherapy? A: Physical therapy can help many people with injuries and pain to relieve...
Rethinking Busyness and Embracing Harmony
It seems so common (myself included) to be overbooked, to be constantly performing and to be in an ongoing state of doing. We live in a society that praises busyness and busy people in general. When did we all get so busy? So very busy. So dreadfully, unhelpfully, exhaustingly busy. When did we all get so busy doing things, with full schedules, booked in advance and very little time to be spontaneous...
Fear Factor – Managing Anxiety
About one in 13 people globally suffer from anxiety (Psychological Medicine, May 2013). It is the most common mental health issue. The expat lifestyle - with its inherent change, uncertainty, and being away from familiar support networks - may in itself cause anxiety and can be especially difficult for those prone to anxiety. Julia Söllner is a German Psychologist and works at Body and Soul Medical Clinic. She assists clients from...
Finger Massage to Nourish the Body
There is an idiom in Chinese, Shi Zhi Lian Xin（十指连心）, that means the nerves of the fingertips are linked with the heart. Four simple words show the importance of our fingers. The fingers have many nerve endings and acupoints, which can show many things about the person’s health situation. In TCM therapy, every finger corresponds to an organ in our body, reflecting associated health problems. When you have a particularly...
Got Warts?
Verruca vulgaris is the common wart. They are caused by infection with human papillomavirus. Such warts can develop anywhere on the skin and frequently appear on the cuticle (the skin at the base of the nail) and sometimes the area beneath the nail. Nail-biting can spread this infection. Symptoms Common warts usually occur on your fingers or hands and on the feet, maybe: Small, fleshy, grainy bumps Flesh-colored, white, pink or tan ...
Preventing Injuries at the Gym
Chinese New Year is coming and there are several new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Shanghai. We should be vigilant, wash our hands frequently, wear masks, and avoid gathering in crowds. It is also wise to focus on improving immunity and strengthening our bodies through exercise. Exercise is a good way to improve immunity. However, we can find ourselves with sports injuries due to varying fitness levels and types of exercise. What is...
The Role of Stress in Pain and Injury
One of the most common questions during a consultation is “How long will it take for me to get better?” This is not a straight forward question to answer as might be expected because there are many important factors to consider. As a general rule, the longer a person has had the symptoms and the more severe the symptoms, the longer it will take to respond to treatment. One major influence...
Look Good, Feel Good: Winter Skin Tips
Skin is a vital protective organ and is also the biggest organ in our body. It both protects us and shows signs of our inner health and how our environment is affecting us. And, in Shanghai, our skin has a lot of protecting to do since the difference between seasons can be so dramatic. While summer is extremely hot and very humid (up to 80%), winter is very cold and dry...