If you have ever suffered from dizziness, you know how profoundly it can affect your life. Whether from Meniere’s disease, auditory nerve damage, high or low blood pressure, or an inner ear infection, severe dizziness can leave you pinned to one spot due to a fear of falling or aggravating your symptoms.

While a number of health condition may cause you to be dizzy, not all dizziness is the same.  The severity of symptoms can run the whole gamut from disabling to mildly annoying.  People who suffer from vestibular (inner ear) problems may describe their dizziness as the sensation of the whole room spinning, or vertigo, accompanied by severe balance problems.  However, someone who has low blood pressure may feel temporarily light headed when they stand up. To make things worse, dizziness may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating, and even fainting.

According to the principles of Chinese medicine, dizziness is usually classified as some kind of wind.  Wind is a tricky pathogen, in that it tends to move around (making you dizzy).  It usually affects the upper part of your body, much like the wind outdside, and its effects are intermittant, just like strong gusts on a windy day.  In Chinese medicine, wind is frequently the diagnosis not only in cases of dizziness, but also with tremors, some headaches, numbness, high or low blood pressure, and even itchy skin conditions.

The root cause of wind is almost always a deficiency of some vital substance in your body, such as Qi, Blood, or Yin.  For example, anemia is considered a Blood deficiency in Chinese medicine and is a common cause of mild dizziness or light-headedness. Another example is a depletion of your body’s moistening and nourishing Yin, which can cause dizziness.  In this case, your body is like a farmer’s field that has dried out to the point where the smallest breeze will make the dust rise.

Whatever the root cause or depletion, Chinese medicine has a lot to offer to effectively treat dizziness.  The best known treatment is acupuncture, which involves the insertion of tiny needles into your body to stimulate healing.  Also effective for dizziness is scalp acupuncture, Like it sounds, scalp acupuncture entails needling acupuncture points on your scalp to affect brain function, and can be used for neurological conditions.  In many cases, Chinese herbal medicine—the use of a specific formula for a specific condition—can be effective, too. 

Some dietary and lifestyle changes that you may try to help your dizziness include:

-Skip the cocktails.  Alcohol is a neurotoxin, is dehydrating, and can aggravate your symptoms.

-Avoid hot, spicy foods, as the heat can actually make your dizziness worse.

-Avoid caffeine for the same reason.

- While you’re avoiding alcoholic drinks, be sure to drink enough water, especially in hot and dry climates or in dry indoor heating.

-Try mild physical activity to relieve your symptoms.

-When you’re dizzy, focus on a single fixed point.  This gives your brain more visual information to calm the dizziness and help you keep your balance.

-Get up slowly.  This is helpful for those of you with low blood pressure, as well as those who suffer from inner ear problems.  By rising slowly, you give your body and brain time to catch up with the change of position

-Review your medications.  Dizziness or light headedness can be a side effect of a wide variety of drugs.  Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any of the meds you’re taking could be causing your dizziness.

-In all cases, see your doctor if your dizziness is accompanied by chest pain, rapid heart beat, numbness, or blurred vision.

Have you ever heard people talk about having butterflies in their stomach, a gut feeling, a nervous stomach, or a visceral reaction? Of course you have. We use these terms because we intuitively know that our emotions are very closely tied to our digestion.

One of the most common conditions that we see in the clinic is something called a Liver and Spleen disharmony. This just means that strong emotions are interfering with the digestive process. If you’ve ever had a huge emotional upset that has ruined your appetite or given you an upset stomach, you know what I’m talking about. A Liver and Spleen disharmony is similar, but it usually works in slow motion.

Your Chinese Liver is an organ system that oversees the smooth flow of everything in your body, including digestion, bowels, circulation, menses, and emotions. Stress, anger, or an emotional upheaval can cause the Liver system to stagnate. When this happens, one of the first things it affects is your Chinese Spleen, which is your organ of digestion.

In the clinic this pattern is a player in many, if not most, conditions affecting our patients. It can manifest in conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, depression, insomnia, PMS, fatigue, and even obesity, to name just a few.

So what exactly is happening when you are stressed out, upset or worried? Your stomach is a muscle, and when you’re in the emotional wringer, that stomach muscle contracts, making it difficult for you to digest much of anything.

Why you have this reaction goes back to the fight or flight response you experience when you’re stressed or feel threatened. Your body responds by shutting down those functions that aren’t necessary to run or fight, including digestion. The idea is that in ancient times, feeling threatened was a short-lived affair—only as long as it took to chase off or kill the wild animal lingering in front of your cave.

Today, however, many of us are in a constant state of fight or flight due to the unrelenting stress of our daily lives—whether it’s a cranky boss, a sick kid, a late mortgage payment, or having too much to do. Constant emotional upheaval doesn’t give your body time to recover its equilibrium, and your digestion stays on the back burner, unable to do its job effectively.

What can you do to get your digestion back on track and working efficiently? The most important thing to know is that it’s a two-step process: getting your stress and emotions under control, while you pamper your digestive tract. Acupuncture can be extremely effective for this kind of imbalance. In fact, many of our patients who have recovered from this kind of pattern never dreamt that they could ever feel good again. Two things you can do for yourself:

-Calm down and chill out. This may seem to be the most obvious, but is often the hardest thing to do. Find time during your day to relax; whether you take a yoga class, meditate, go fishing, or take a stroll in the woods. Without decompressing, your emotions and digestion will not have an opportunity to recover.

-Pamper your digestion. This means sitting down and actually eating a meal—not something on the run in between meetings or kids’ sporting events. This also means eating good food, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and a little protein. Cooking most of your food makes it easier to digest—raw foods take more digestive effort to break down. The same goes for very cold foods; when you drink or eat something frozen, it uses up a lot of your digestive energy. Chewing your food and enjoying the dining process will help you digest your meal more effectively.

Last month I wrote about some of the common myths surrounding acupuncture and Chinese medicine.  In that article I threatened to take on more myths and misunderstandings about this medicine, so here goes:

Myth:  Acupuncture works only because of the placebo effect. Actually, there’s a lot more going on during acupuncture than just the placebo effect.  Scientific studies have documented the effects of acupuncture on brain chemistry.  When an acupuncture needle is inserted, it stimulates your peripheral nerves (those far from your brain), which sends impulses to your brain to release endorphins.  Endorphins are chemicals that act as your body’s natural pain relievers.  Those endorphins work much like the drugs morphine and codeine, but are completely natural and more effective in reducing pain.  Endorphins can also have the effect of producing euphoric feelings, modulating appetite, and releasing sex hormones.  In addition, at the site where the needle was inserted, researchers have found that white blood cell count increases up to 40%.

Many detractors of acupuncture say that the calm setting, empathetic practitioners, and relaxing nature of acupuncture cause patients to think they feel better after a treatment (like that’s a bad thing).  I would agree that these elements absolutely help someone who is sick, worried, and in pain, especially if you compare an acupuncture treatment to some of the painful, impersonal,  and invasive treatments associated with Western medicine.  However, the science is there as well – acupuncture works by causing physiologic changes in your body.

Myth:  Acupuncture is sketchy.  Isn’t it performed by aging hippies and tie dyed new agers?  Uh, you actually need to be licensed by your state’s Board of Medical Examiners to perform acupuncture.  Licensed acupuncturists complete a three year accredited master’s program, take a national exam, and are licensed by their state.  Chiropractors and physicians who perform acupuncture must also take some additional coursework in acupuncture in order to perform it on patients.  As for the aging hippie thing, if they’ve taken the coursework (which is grueling!), put in their time in the clinic, and passed the exams, you might find one or two practicing acupuncture.

Myth:  Poking needles in people is the only thing an acupuncturist does.  Actually, acupuncture is only one modality under the large umbrella of Chinese medicine.  Many acupuncturists are also nationally certified Chinese herbalists.  Beyond herbs and acupuncture, a practitioner may use food therapy, heat, cupping (a kind of suction), different kinds of bodywork, Qi Gong (like Tai Qi), and lifestyle changes to help the healing process.

Myth:  My doctor will think I’m crazy for trying acupuncture.  Currently, many large hospitals offer acupuncture to their patients.  Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have conducted research documenting the benefits of acupuncture for arthritis. Many doctors are strong supporters of using acupuncture as a complementary therapy for their patients. On a personal level, I have a number of doctors and other western health care providers who frequently refer patients to me.  I believe that many western doctors embrace acupuncture, especially when other treatments have failed.  Admittedly, there are certain medical conditions that should absolutely be treated through western medicine, but for many conditions, acupuncture is an appropriate treatment.  If your doctor gives you negative feedback about acupuncture, chances are that they’ve never even tried it.

There is nothing worse than a shower drain full of hair, especially if it’s yours and it’s falling out fast. Or perhaps you run your fingers through your hair and come up with a handful. Your hairbrush is full and you’re finding stray hairs – lots of them – on your pillowcase. What’s going on?

Your hair is constantly falling out and regrowing, and most people lose an average of 50 to 100 hairs a day. However, if you’re noticing an increase in shedding or if your hair is noticeably thinning, you’re probably losing more.

Your hair grows in cycles during which it actively grows for about two to three years and then rests for a couple of months. During the growth phase, a hair generally grows about 1/2 inch per month. At the end of the resting phase, the strand of hair falls out and a new strand begins to grow. Noticeable thinning of your hair is due to an above average number of hairs resting at the same time.

In Chinese medicine, the Kidney organ system governs the hair on your head. The Kidney system is also responsible for body functions related to growth, fertility, menopause, and aging. As we get older, your Kidneys become weaker, and one way that weakness is reflected is through the health of your hair. Hair loss, gray hair, and unhealthy hair are all signs that your Kidneys could be a little stronger.

In addition, your Kidney system is one of the Chinese organs most deeply damaged by stress. The adrenal glands sit right on top of your Kidneys, and in Western medicine, adrenal fatigue is the direct result of unrelenting stress. Extreme levels of stress can cause your hair to prematurely go into its resting phase, causing hair loss and thinning.

Beyond stress, there are other reasons that your hair may be falling out. Among them:

Poor diet. Remember the season of Survivor (Australia) when Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s hair fell out by the handful? The contestants didn’t have anything to eat, and Elizabeth’s hair began to fall out as a result of poor nutrition. Extremely low calorie diets or a diet low in protein can cause your hair to fall out.

Hormones. Many women complain that once they went through menopause their hair became much thinner. The decrease in estrogen after menopause can be another culprit in hair loss. In addition, an imbalance in your thyroid hormones can raise the levels of a chemical called DHT, which causes your hair to fall out faster than normal.

Low iron. Iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss. Low levels of iron decreases the level of red blood cells necessary for healthy hair follicles. Also, it’s possible to have low iron stores (ferritin), but not be anemic.

Medications. Some antidepressants, diuretics, and certainly chemotherapy can cause hair loss.

Health conditions. Scalp infections, frequently fungal in nature, can cause your hair to drop. In addition, diseases such as diabetes and lupus can be associated with hair loss.

Hair treatments. This one may seem like a no-brainer, but how you treat your hair can have a direct impact on the health of your mane. Harsh chemicals, tight braids or pigtails, and brushing too vigorously can damage your hair and scalp and cause your hair to fall out.

So what can you do if your hair is falling out? Make sure your diet is sufficient in protein and iron, to nourish your body and hair. Don’t supplement with iron unless you’re sure your levels are low. Check with your doctor if you think low iron or hormone imbalances might be to blame. Also ask your doctor about adjusting the dosage or changing your prescription if hair loss is a side effect of any medication you’re taking. If stress is the problem, work on coping using Yoga, meditation, visualization, acupuncture, and any other relaxation techniques that work for you.

A practitioner of Chinese medicine would deal with your hair loss by strengthening your Kidney system through acupuncture and the use of herbs. A common herbal formula for hair loss and premature graying is called Seven Treasure Formula for Beautiful Whiskers, which nourishes the Kidney and benefits the hair.

Most people never think about being thirsty.  However, your level of thirst can offer up a lot of clues to your health if you know what to look for.

If you’ve ever been to an acupuncturist, you may be surprised to have them ask you whether or not you’re thirsty, and what you like to drink.  In fact, when asked, many people have to stop and think about how to answer.

I have found however, that those people who are really thirsty won’t need to think about it.  In fact, they look at me like I’m brilliant for knowing how thirsty they are.  I have had a few patients who are so parched that they constantly chew ice chips or eat unthawed frozen vegetables to try to quench their constant thirst.

In Chinese medicine, being thirsty all the time, especially for cold drinks, is an indication of internal heat.  That heat can come from inflammation, infection, fever, a blockage, or deficient Yin (the moistening, cooling aspect of your body).  Other signs that you have heat may include restlessness, irritability, constipation, insomnia, and a rapid pulse.

The temperature of what you choose to drink can also tell a little bit about your internal landscape.  While craving ice cold drinks is a sign of heat, wanting to drink hot tea or soup can be a sign that you are cold internally, and crave warm drinks as a way to warm up.  Someone suffering from hypothyroidism, a metabolic disorder, is an example of internal cold, in which sufferers constantly feel chilled and struggle to warm up.

People who drink coffee in the morning aren’t necessarily cold and needing to warm up.  They are, however, drinking coffee as a way to get their energy moving, which coffee does well. 

People who drink liquids that are room temperature tend to be a fairly even temperature.  If you think of your body as being pretty comfortable at room temperature, then drinking fluids that are a similar temperature means you’re not trying to warm up or cool off.

Occasionally, I will see a patient who is thirsty, but has no desire to drink.  What?  While this seems like a contradiction, it makes sense in Chinese medicine.  Those people have internal heat which makes them thirsty, but they also have something called dampness, which puts them off drinking.  Dampness is the result of poor water metabolism in your body in which fluids tend to pool.  Edema, loose stools, yeast infections, obesity and a heavy feeling are all signs of dampness.

When we think about Chinese medicine, most of us immediately think of acupuncture, however, the use of herbs in healing is a cornerstone of Chinese medicine, too.  The theory behind herbal medicine is that each herb exerts several different effects on the body through its inherent temperature, actions, and the organ(s) that it affects.  

Like herbs, foods also have healing properties. However, some foods have stronger actions on the body and are in fact considered herbs as well as foods.   Among them:

Ginger is best known for its ability to settle an upset stomach.  Also considered a very warm herb, ginger can be combined with scallions in broth to fight off the early stages of a cold.

Walnuts have been getting the thumbs up lately as a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids.  However, walnuts are also used in Chinese herbal formulas and in food therapy to moisten the intestines and relieve constipation.  Walnuts are also considered a good tonic for the Chinese Kidney – think longevity.

Watermelon is a food you often crave on a hot, humid day, and for good reason.  Watermelon is cooling and moistening, and is used in Chinese medicine for a condition called Summerheat, which is that blah nauseous feeling you get when it’s really hot and sticky out.

Mung beans are also good for Summerheat.  Boil the mung beans until they are soft and drink the water they were cooked in.  If that sounds gross, just add a little broth, seasoning and some vegetables, and make it into a soup.

Cinnamon is warm and gets your energy moving.  It’s good if you have a cold with lots of aches and pains.

Scallions are also warming and dispersing (moving).  They are most commonly used in the early stages of a cold boiled with ginger.  Drink the broth and go to bed – these herbs are used to cause a mild sweat, which can diffuse a cold before it gets too severe.

Hawthorne fruit can be found in Asian markets, as a supplement, or as a sour candy called Hawflakes.  Hawthorne is good for something called food stagnation in Chinese medicine, which is similar to indigestionGarlic is known to kill parasites.  It’s used as a flu preventative in Chinese medicine, as well as for food toxicity (food poisoning), with symptoms such as diarrhea and dysentery.

Chinese dates are great to tonify the Chinese Spleen.  Signs of a Spleen weakness include shortness of breath, fatigue, poor appetite, lack of energy.  Chinese dates can also be found in Asian markets and some health food stores.  They can be eaten alone or added to salads and other dishes.

In the last couple of years, Goji berries have gotten a lot of attention as a food for health and longevity.  Also known as Chinese Wolfberries, Goji berries are red, sweet and sour, and can be eaten or added to foods like raisins.  In Chinese herbal medicine Goji berries are used for eye problems like blurred vision and diminished eyesight due to aging.  Eating Goji berries for longevity wouldn’t be wrong, as they also benefit the Chinese Kidneys, which are associated with aging.

Are you one of those people who learn that you’ve overdone it by receiving a special delivery notice from your knees?  Have you ever had a knee just go out and fold up like a card table?  Maybe you’ve had a knee lock up, blow up, blow out, or just plain hurt.  For knee pain sufferers everywhere, this blog’s for you.

Knee pain and problems are probably only second to back pain in incidence.  If you have knee pain, you’re not alone; over 50 million Americans suffer from knee issues. The causes of knee pain are varied, and can stem from overuse, overweight, weak leg muscles, trauma, or deterioration from wear and tear.

Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for knee pain. In Chinese medicine, knee pain is a sign of stagnant energy.  The Chinese believe that our body’s energy moves in pathways, and when there is pain of any kind, it means that the flow of energy is impeded.  Knee pain or weakness can also be a sign that the Chinese Kidney system is weak.  When this is the case, the pain in your knees is frequently accompanied by dull achy pain in your lower back.  For a full explanation on the Kidney system and Chinese medicine, go here.

The good news with knee pain is that there are things that you can do to alleviate that pain and even prevent episodes in the future.  Among them:

-Strengthen your leg muscles.  The muscle groups that move your knees include your quadriceps on the front of your thigh, and your hamstrings on the back.  To strengthen your quadriceps, start with some simple leg lifts:  lie flat on the floor, keeping your legs straight, turn your right foot outward about 20 degrees.  Lift your right leg off the floor a few inches, hold for the count of three and bring it down.  Start with 20 repetitions and work up to 50.  Repeat with the left leg. For your hamstrings, you can do simple leg curls:  begin either lying face down on the floor or standing, attach an ankle weight (start with one pound and work up) to your right ankle.  Slowly bend your right leg at the knee 90 degrees hold for three seconds then slowly lower your leg back to your starting position.  Repeat the set with your left leg. Start with 20 repetitions and work up to 50.

-Go easy on the activities that are hard on your knees.  Activities such as running, hilly hiking, and stair climbing aggravate knee pain because the movements involved forcibly push your kneecap against your thigh bone.  Avoid any activities that aggravate your knee pain until you have strengthened your leg muscles and your pain has calmed down.

-Check out your shoes.  Make sure you’re wearing the right shoes for you and your sport.  In addition, look for signs of wear on the soles of your shoes and replace sports shoes frequently.  Sales people at a good athletic shoe store can look at your gait and help you choose the right shoe for you—it’s worth spending a little more to not have knee pain.

-Lose a little weight.  This is pretty self-explanatory – if you’re sporting some excess weight, it’s hard on your knees.

-Know when to brace and when not to brace.  Wearing a knee brace can help stabilize your knee early on in the injury cycle.  However, if you depend on a knee brace too long, you won’t build up the muscles that support your knee.  Once you’re on a healing track, give the knee brace a rest so you can build up knee strength.

-Know when to check with your doctor. If you have injured your knee, if you notice swelling, your knee locking, giving out, or pain that goes beyond mildly achy, it’s time to get your knee assessed by your doctor.  While these symptoms may be garden-variety knee pain, they can also be signs of serious internal damage to your knee.

I have seen people in my clinic before complaining of a lump in their throat, but Alan’s symptoms were the most severe I had every encountered.  Alan was a 42 year old realtor and father of three.  He came to me because he had the feeling of a lump in his throat, which was making it difficult for him to eat solid food.  Every time he tried to eat, he was unable to get the food down past the lump.  By the time he came to me, he was only able to drink liquids and was rapidly losing weight.

In my clinic, I see a number of people who are looking for relief from stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.  Many of my patients who are struggling with their emotional health also report feeling something like a lump caught in their throat.

These patients describe this lump as the feeling of something being caught at the bottom of their throat, and it won’t go away no matter what they do.  The lump can be mild, and mentioned only when I ask, or it can be so severe, like Alan’s, that it will limit a patient’s diet.  For some people, certain foods seem to aggravate the feeling, among them meat, onions, acidic foods, and alcohol.

So what is this lump and where does it come from?  In most cases, this lump sensation is a spasm of one of the muscles of the esophagus.  It can physically be caused by a throat infection such as strep, being overweight or esophageal reflux.   Difficulty swallowing can be the sign of more serious conditions, and should be checked out by your doctor if it lasts for more than a week or two.

In Chinese medicine, this lump is called Plum Pit Qi because it feels like a plum pit is caught in your throat.  The Chinese believe that Plum Pit Qi is the result of a situation that is figuratively too hard to swallow, so it gets caught in your throat.  That’s why all of the patients I have seen with this condition also are struggling with some kind of life stress or mental health issue.

Plum Pit Qi is a diagnosis that encompasses a Liver and Spleen disharmony combined with phlegm.  A disharmony between the Chinese Liver and Spleen, in general, means that your energy is stagnating (usually emotional energy) and beginning to mess up your digestion.  In Chinese medicine, phlegm can be both visible (what you see when you blow your nose or cough) and invisible.  Invisible phlegm can be the result of energy stagnating combined with poor fluid metabolism, and is the cause of many lumps and bumps in your body.  Things like goiters, tumors, and cysts can be considered invisible phlegm.

In the clinic, Plum Pit Qi can be successfully and naturally treated.  I like to combine acupuncture with Chinese herbs for this condition.  The formula Ban Xia Hou Po Tang is formulated specifically for Plum Pit Qi, is safe, and works incredibly well.  Self care for Plum Pit Qi includes tracking the foods that aggravate your symptoms, and working on resolving stress, anxiety, and the situations in your life that are too difficult to swallow.

For more information on Qi stagnation, specific action steps for a Liver and Spleen disharmony, resolving phlegm, and foods for your particular body constitution, check out  Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health.

We’ve all been there, hunkered down over the toilet with an upset stomach.  Whether from the stomach flu, something you ate, or a few too many cocktails, an upset stomach is no fun.  Most of us have almost funny stories of vomiting in inappropriate places or at the wrong time.  This includes my kid, who has never been able to make it to the toilet in time.  The one time he made it to the toilet; he failed to lift the lid, so it doesn’t count as a home run.

There is nothing funny, however, about chronic nausea, whether due to morning sickness or as the result of chemotherapy treatments.  It can result in dehydration, exhaustion, weight loss, and may aggravate already existing health conditions.

In Chinese medicine, nausea and vomiting are the result of something called counterflow Qi, or energy moving in the wrong direction.  Ideally, stomach energy moves downward, but under certain circumstances, it can move in the wrong direction.  Other examples of counterflow Qi include the hiccups, heartburn, coughing, and in some instances, diarrhea.  Nausea and vomiting can have a number of underlying causes in Chinese medicine, including a Liver/Stomach disharmony, food stagnation, an external pathogen (the flu), and even phlegm and dampness.

Chinese medicine has much to offer to relieve nausea and vomiting.  One of the best known remedies for nausea is ginger root.  Ginger was found to be effective in relieving chemotherapy related nausea in a recent study at the University of Rochester.  The results of the study indicated that ginger capsules taken prior to the administration of chemotherapy drugs were effective in decreasing nausea in cancer patients.  Ginger can also be taken in the form of tea, or can be grated into food or taken with hot water.  In addition to ginger, there are a number of Chinese herbal formulas that effectively calm an upset stomach. 

Acupuncture treatments can also successfully treat nausea and vomiting.  An acupuncturist would determine the underlying pattern causing your nausea, and develop a treatment to relieve the symptoms and deal with the cause.  One point that you can use at home with acupressure is called Pericardium 6.  It’s found on the palm side of your wrist about two inches from your wrist crease (in the direction of your elbow), right between the tendons.  Feel around in the area for a slightly tender spot, and stimulate that point by applying pressure for a few minutes with your finger or thumb.

We’ve all heard the figurative term that something is a pain in the neck, but the reality of neck pain can cause sleepless nights, limited range of motion, and make your life miserable in general. There are a number of causes of neck pain, including trauma, turning and reaching at the same time, drafts, and bad ergonomics.

The most common cause of neck pain, however, is stress. Most people who are overwhelmed and under a lot of stress will tell you that they physically carry that stress in their neck. This has been the case since caveman times, when our furry ancestors raised the hackles on their neck in threatening situations. While a cranky boss, looming deadline, or a failing relationship isn’t the same as the threat of being eaten, your body still reacts in the same way, resulting in a tight, stiff neck.

In Chinese medicine, your stiff neck is a classic case of stagnation. The tightness in your upper back and neck create a slowdown in the circulation (stagnation) of blood and energy in the area. In addition, as that area becomes tight, it can move upward causing headaches, tooth grinding, and jaw pain; or move downward and cause back pain and tightness.

The antidote to neck pain in Chinese medicine is acupuncture, which works on two levels. It can help relieve the pain and tightness in your neck, and it can also help relieve stress.

You should check with your Western doc if your neck pain is accompanied by confusion, fever, or drowsiness. Also, if your neck pain radiates into your arms or hands, or if you feel numbness or tingling, it may be the sign of disk involvement and should also be checked out.

Some things you can do on your own to relieve neck pain include:

-Get some heat on it. Take a warm shower, use a heating pad, warm rice bag, or a towel soaked in hot water. By putting heat on your neck, you are increasing the circulation, loosening tight muscles, and enhancing your range of motion.

-Increase your flexibility. After you have warmed up your stiff neck, move your head up and down as if you were nodding yes. Then slowly move your head from side to side as if you were saying no. Tilt your head, moving your ear toward your shoulder on each side. These stretches will help increase your range of motion, but remember, don’t do anything that is intensely painful.

-Sleep on it. Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. This helps you maintain the natural curvature of your spine, and will help you avoid sleeping on your side, which can aggravate a stiff neck.

-Hold the phone. Keep the phone off of your shoulder. If you’re on the phone a lot at work, get a headset or hold the phone with your hand.

-Take a break. If you’re on your computer all day, make sure you take regular breaks to get up, stretch, and walk around.

-Eyes forward. Make sure that your work station is ergonomically correct. This means that you shouldn’t have to look sideways to see your computer screen, look downward all day long, or be sitting in an uncomfortable position.

-Stay away from drafts. Cold air blowing on your neck can be an underlying cause of a stiff neck. Avoid sleeping in a draft, and be sure to wear a scarf on cool, cold and windy days.

-Get some acupuncture. In most cases, your stiff neck will be gone in a few days. However, acupuncture can be extremely helpful in speeding up the healing process.