• A Frozen Shoulder Story
    May 6 2024

    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)


    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • A Leg Pain Story
    Apr 15 2024

    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!

    Check out our Podcast Sponsor, TaemberTea.com. Use promo code storytime10 for 10% your first order.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Book an appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com

    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • A Cystic Fibrosis Story
    Apr 8 2024

    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

    Check out our Podcast Sponsor, TaemberTea.com. Use promo code storytime10 for 10% your first order.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Book an appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com


    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • A Labor Induction Story
    Apr 1 2024

    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.

    Check out our podcast sponsor @www.taembertea.com for the best quality tea in the world!

    Use Promo Code storytime10 for 10% off your first order of tea. My personal favorites: Bao Zhong, Charcoal Fire Roasted Tie Guan Yin, Sun Moon Lake Ruby Red Tea.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Schedule Appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com

    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • A Life Story
    Mar 20 2024

    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.

    Check out our Podcast Sponsor, TaemberTea.com. Use promo code storytime10 for 10% your first order.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Book an appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • A Cough that Won't Quit
    Mar 5 2024

    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).

    Check out our Podcast Sponsor, TaemberTea.com. Use promo code storytime10 for 10% your first order.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Book an appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com

    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • A Hematoma in the Groin 3 days Before Labor
    Feb 26 2024

    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

    Check out our Podcast Sponsor, TaemberTea.com. Use promo code storytime10 for 10% your first order.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Book an appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com

    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • A Knee Pain Story
    Feb 19 2024

    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

    Check out our Podcast Sponsor, TaemberTea.com. Use promo code storytime10 for 10% your first order.

    More Content: www.instagram.com/azamraacupuncture

    Book an appointment: www.azamraacupuncture.com

    Show More Show Less
    8 mins