Dr. Richard Hazel, DAc - Range Of Motion Acupuncture

04/22/2026

04/21/2026

https://youtu.be/PFrqRgYWS3g?si=AoWrID7Rm9NwyhqF

What's the difference between TCM Acupuncture and Functional Acupuncture?

04/20/2026

Functional Acupuncture
Gets you back to your Best Life

04/20/2026

Have you been dealing with mysterious ear ringing, dizziness, or headaches, but your tests keep coming back normal? 🧐 The real culprit might actually be hiding in your neck!

Meet the Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)—a prominent muscle located on the front and side of your neck. When this muscle gets overloaded and develops "trigger points" (tight, hyperirritable knots), it can refer pain and create bizarre symptoms that perfectly mimic complex neurological or ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) disorders.

Here are some of the sneaky ways SCM trigger points can trick you and your doctors:

🧠 **Neurology Mimics:** SCM knots are "masters of the migraine" and can trigger severe tension headaches, atypical facial pain, blurred or double vision, and even cause dizziness, vertigo, or a weird "floating" sensation.
👂 **ENT & Sinus Mimics:** They can cause unexplained ringing in the ears (tinnitus), deep ear pain that mimics an infection, sinus pressure, a runny nose, excessive eye tearing, and even a sore throat or difficulty swallowing.
🦷 **Jaw Mimics:** They frequently refer pain to the cheek and jaw, closely resembling TMJ dysfunction or dental issues.

**Why does this happen?** The SCM's nerve supply is intimately connected to the brainstem, your balance centers, and your cranial nerves. When the muscle stays chronically tight from poor posture (like "tech neck"), emotional stress, or an old whiplash injury, it sends distorted signals to your central nervous system, and your brain projects that pain and dysfunction right into your head and face.

I just recorded a podcast episode about this. The Acupuncture Outsider Podcast

04/19/2026

https://youtu.be/9dpXZHBNEXw

The SCM and its Crazy Symptoms

04/19/2026

Watering eye or drooping eyelid? one-sided nasal congestion? Ringing in your ear? Ear pain? Sinus Pain? Dizziness? These are some of the crazy symptoms from myofascial trigger points in the SCM. Here are the reasons this happens. Online Courses: https://richardhazel.podia.com Instagram:

04/18/2026

Did you know that a muscle in your core might be completely missing? 🤯 Meet the **psoas minor**!

This fascinating "vestigial" muscle sits right in front of the psoas major, but it is **absent in 40% to 70% of the population**. Even when it is present, it can be found on just one side of the body or bilaterally.

If you are one of the people who has a psoas minor, its structure is highly unusual because **it is mostly tendon rather than muscle**! Studies show that of its average total length of about 215 mm, the **long, slender tendon makes up approximately 145.7 mm**, while the **short, fleshy muscle belly accounts for only about 67.7 mm**.

The psoas minor is also a master of variation when it comes to its attachments. While it typically originates from the T12 and L1 vertebrae, it can also arise from the crus of the diaphragm. Its insertion point is equally unpredictable, attaching anywhere from the iliopubic eminence and pectineal line to the inguinal ligament or even the neck of the femur.

Why does this matter? Because of its high variability and location, an inflamed or overly tense **psoas minor can actually mimic abdominal emergencies like appendicitis**!.

04/16/2026

🚨 Struggling with wrist pain and numbness that just won't quit? It might be a "Double Crush" of the Median Nerve! 🚨

📍 **What is it?**
Double crush syndrome happens when a single peripheral nerve is compressed or injured in more than one location along its path. For the median nerve, a classic example is suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (compression at the wrist) while simultaneously having Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (compression higher up in the shoulder).

💥 **The Symptoms:**
The compression higher up in the shoulder disrupts the nerve's normal internal flow, making the lower part of the nerve highly vulnerable to the second squeeze at the wrist. Because of this combined stress, you experience a level of pain and dysfunction that is significantly worse than what would be expected from either entrapment on its own. Because the symptoms from the two sites overlap, it makes diagnosing the exact source of the pain quite tricky for most clinicians.

You must know the possible entrapment zones and how to palpate them .

04/14/2026

Treating the Site of Pain is a White Flag of Surrender! 🏳️

Stop chasing the symptom and start fixing the PROBLEM. 🧠🔥

If you’re only sticking needles where it hurts, you’re missing the big picture.

🖼️ That knee pain? It’s probably a victim of your hip. 🍑 That SI joint pain? Likely a trigger point in your glute medius or a tight psoas pulling your spine out of alignment. 🌪️

Why the "Local Approach" Fails:
❌ It’s Palliative: It’s basically the acupuncture version of Ibuprofen. It feels good for a day, then the pain returns because the movement pattern is still broken.

❌ It Ignores the Chain: Joints are the first victims of muscle imbalances. If your hip abductors aren’t stabilizing, your knee is going into a valgus strain every time you take a step. 🚶‍♂️💥

❌ It’s Structural, Not Functional: Western medicine is obsessed with the "white stuff" (tendons, ligaments, joints). We focus on the "red stuff"—the MUSCLES that actually move the joints!

The Winning Strategy:
✅ Correct the Pelvis: Most issues start here. If you have an anterior pelvic tilt, your glutes are shut off like a parking brake is on while you’re trying to drive. 🚗🛑

✅ Release What’s Tight, THEN Strengthen: You can’t exercise your way out of an overuse injury. You have to reset the shortened, ischemic muscle first. 🔄

✅ Restore Range of Motion: As the legendary Vladimir Janda taught, if you restore joint function and mobility, the pain will subside on its own. 📈
My goal isn't to see you every week for the rest of your life. It’s to fix your movement so you can get back to the sports, hobbies, and family time you love. 🏅🏔️

Stop managing pain. Start correcting it. ⚡️

04/14/2026

https://linktr.ee/richhazel

Doctor of Acupuncture and Orthopedic Acupuncture educator.