Traditional Chinese Medicine for Mitigating Lyme disease symptoms. Dr. Lou – Portland, Maine.
Huang Qin for Lyme Disease Symptoms: How Chinese Medicine Supports Comfort, Balance, and Recovery. Exploring the Traditional Role of Huang Qin in Chinese Medicine for Lyme Disease Symptoms For most people living with Lyme disease, the journey can feel long and frustrating. We understand your frustration. Symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, joint discomfort, brain fog, sleep disturbances, and feelings of internal heat can persist even after conventional treatment. As a result, many people explore complementary approaches that may help support their overall well-being. Many have heard that Chinese medicine and acupuncture may help them manage symptoms. One herbal ingredient that frequently appears in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas is Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis), also known as Chinese Skullcap. For centuries, Huang Qin has been valued in Chinese medicine for its ability to help clear heat, calm inflammation-like patterns, and support balance within the body. This Chinese medicine is one of the most beneficial anecdotally among those who try it, which is why we keep it in stock at our office in Portland. In this post, we’ll explore how Huang Qin is traditionally used, why it may be considered in Chinese medicine approaches for Lyme disease symptoms, and the...
read moreGluteal Tendinopathy – It’s Complicated.
A Whole-Person Perspective on Gluteal Tendinopathy. Gluteal tendinopathy – often presenting as lateral hip pain, tenderness, and difficulty lying on the affected side – is a problem that anyone can have, but is perhaps increasingly recognized in women transitioning through perimenopause. Clinically, this condition falls under the umbrella of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) and often reflects degenerative, not purely inflammatory, changes in the gluteus medius and minimus tendons. From both a chiropractic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, this is not just a local tendon problem—it is a biomechanical, hormonal, and systemic condition that requires a layered treatment strategy, without which, you’ll be missing the mark. In our clinic we’ve dealt with this condition in a variety of people, but in line with the statistics, more in perimenopausal women. For this reason, this post will lean in that direction. Approaching 25 years in practice, I have accumulated a lot of insight into this condition. I welcome you to read on for my perspective. Understanding the Causes Gluteal tendinopathy arises from a combination of mechanical overload and impaired tendon healing in the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the hips, pelvis and glutes. These aforementioned causes are often associated with...
read moreSurviving gigs while healing: Musician injuries and healing while playing
Can you heal while playing? What to expect. If you’re a working musician, “just rest it” isn’t practical advice, any more than not practicing and seeing how the show goes, works. You’ve got gigs, rehearsals, teaching, touring—and your livelihood likely depends on showing up and making people happy. You want your audience to leave and talk about how great you were, not about how painful it was to watch you work through your own pain. So let’s be crystal clear about what you’re dealing with: You’re trying to heal while continuing to stress the very tissue that’s injured. That changes everything about the healing process—and your expectations need to reflect that. First, Let’s Talk About What’s Actually Injured Most playing-related injuries fall into the category of repetitive stress injuries (RSIs)—not sudden trauma, but micro-damage over time. They are also known as Playing Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMD) Common examples I see in musicians: Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) – common in guitarists, violinists, drummers Shoulder impingement – especially in string players, drummers, pianists Neck pain and tension syndromes – nearly universal across instruments These are not random. They are predictable outcomes of repeated movement, load, and posture. What’s happening in your...
read moreYou’re not imagining it: the business side of healthcare is swallowing the care side.
You’re not imagining it: the business side of healthcare is swallowing the care side. Here’s what that means for you as a patient, and why choosing a small, independently owned practice is often your best move if you want doctors who put health over shareholders. What “consolidation” in healthcare really means for patients: (Think AMAZON.COM vs. Your Local Store) In plain language, consolidation means fewer, bigger players running more and more of healthcare: Large hospital systems buying up local practices Private equity firms (think venture capitalists and hedge funds) buying medical groups and squeezing them for profit Insurance companies not just paying claims, but quietly shaping how, where, and if you get care On paper, this can sound efficient. In real life, it often means: Fewer truly independent doctors in your community Less choice about where you can go, because your plan or network steers you into certain systems Care that is increasingly designed around financial targets, not around you Why so many doctors are leaving private practice Fifteen or twenty years ago, being in private practice was the norm. Many doctors owned their own offices, set their own schedules, and had long-term relationships with families. That world is...
read moreComputer Mousing, Track Pads, and the Musician’s Hands ~ Dr. Lou Jacobs – Portland, Maine
Computer Mousing, Track Pads, and the Musician’s Hands A Small Daily requirement for many, with Big Consequences For many musicians, computer time feels harmless compared to hours spent practicing or performing. Email, notation software, recording edits, social media, booking gigs, and none of it feels physical in the way playing does. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: “Mousing” and track pad use can quietly load the same tissues musicians depend on to play, and often with less variety and recovery than their instrument provides. When computer use stacks on top of repetitive instrumentalism, problems may add up fast. Normal Use vs. High Use: Why the Difference Matters Normal Use Occasional computer work, short sessions with breaks, generally doesn’t cause trouble by itself. The body can adapt when: Sessions are brief Positions change The hand gets rest between tasks High Use Problems arise when musicians spend hours a day: Editing audio or video Teaching online Managing promotion, booking, and admin work Scrolling and replying on phones and laptops High-use mousing often means: Static wrist positions Sustained finger flexion Repetitive clicking Minimal shoulder and elbow movement Neck posture locked forward This creates a low-grade, all-day load that primes the system for injury....
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