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https://www.cityacuwellness.com/

City Acupuncture and Wellness Clinic, Mill Creek, WA (2025)

04/29/2023

Trigger Finger (stenosing tenosynovitis)
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Trigger finger is a condition where a finger gets stuck in a bent position and then snaps straight. This happens when there is an inflammation on the tendon sheath, narrowing the space within the sheath that surrounds the tendon in the affected finger. It can affect any finger and more than one finger.

Repeated movement or prolonged use of hand with high tension are some of the main causes of trigger finger. Tendons and muscles in your hands and arms straighten your thumb and fingers, and it can also happen if the tendons get inflamed.

Main risk factors:
• Repeated gripping – Individuals who do repeated finger and thumb movements, such as farmers, industrial workers, or musicians
• Age – Most common between ages 40 to 60
• S*x – More common in women than men
• Health conditions – diabetes, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis can lead to trigger finger
• Carpal tunnel syndrome surgery – can happen in the first 6 months post-surgery

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your treatment may require surgery. If trigger finger gets severe, your finger could lock in a bent position. Non-surgery options are (1) avoiding the problem activities (2) splints (3) stretching exercises (4) NSAIDs (5) steroid injections. Acupuncture is another option you could explore.

Seek medical care if you have stiffness, catching, numbness or pain in a finger joint, or if you can’t bend or straighten your finger.

04/19/2023

Ankle Sprain
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A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments, which can happen on the ankle, knee, thumb or wrist. The sprains that I have seen the most is the ankle sprain. The most common ankle sprain is the lateral ligament ankle sprain.

Ankle sprain is usually classified into 3 degrees.

• 1st degree – partial rupture on the ligament that led to internal bleeding, but the ankle joint is stable
• 2nd degree – rupture on the ligament impacting the stability of the ankle joint
• 3rd degree (most severe) – rupture on the ligament that caused it to be completely torn

Several possible causes of a sprained ankle: (1) Awkward landing on your foot while playing sports (2) A fall that causes a twist on the ankle (3) Walking or exercising on an uneven surface (4) Wearing shoes that don’t fit properly (5) Weakened ankle due to previous injury

The ligament that is typically impacted the most is anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). Calcaneofibular ligament or posterior tibiofibular ligament can be damaged in parallel.

Since X-rays do not show ligaments, orthopedic tests are used for a diagnosis. The best advice for the ankle sprain is to prevent a sprained ankle or recurring sprain by warming up before playing sports or avoiding the causes of sprained ankles such as wearing proper shoes. If you happen to have a sprained ankle, acupuncture is one of the most effective methods for recovery. Give us a call if you have any questions.

#발목염좌

04/14/2023

Golfer’s elbow
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Golfer’s elbow, aka medial epicondylitis, is very similar to tennis elbow; however, unlike tennis elbow, it causes pain and inflammation on the inside of your elbow. Golfer’s elbow isn’t limited to golfers. It could happen to anyone who uses their wrists or clenches their fingers repeatedly. The pain gets aggravated when you flex your wrist toward your palm

Golfer’s elbow isn’t just a muscle pain. If untreated, the tear on the muscle and tendon would become aggravated, which can lead to chronic pain. If it becomes severe, the pain can interfere with your sleep at night. If you’ve been experiencing the golfer’s elbow symptoms for more than 8 weeks, it is strongly recommended that you receive treatments to prevent the condition from becoming chronic. The main symptoms of golfer’s elbow are:

• Pain and tenderness on the inside of your elbow, which can extend to the inner side of your forearm
• Stiffness on the elbow, sometimes pain with a fist
• Weakness in your hands and wrists
• If you have numbness or tingling sensations radiating to your ring and little fingers, it is considered a more severe condition.

Similar to the treatment for the tennis elbow, surgery and non-surgery options are available for golfer’s elbow.

Early detection and treatment are the keys for fast recovery. Also, its recurrence rate is high and thus it is strongly recommended that you follow up with arm strengthening exercise and stretching after the treatment.

03/24/2023

Tennis Elbow
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People often injure their elbow when they stay active. In the next few posts, I will go into common elbow injuries I have treated.

Elbow pain can be caused by several reasons; thus, accurate diagnosis is required for proper treatment and fast recovery. For example, if you treat radial tunnel syndrome with a tennis elbow treatment, the patient can feel worse.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, involves damage to the muscles and tendons of the forearm. The forearm muscles extend the wrist and fingers, which are used repetitively when you do the groundstroke of tennis, or other similar non-tennis activities. The main tendon associated with tennis elbow is attached to the lateral epicondyle.

Various options, such as medication, physical therapy, acupuncture, PRP and steroid injection can be used for tennis elbow. Steroids are highly effective for reducing pain and inflammation, but it can weaken and damage the tendon; thus, it is recommended that you avoid the repeated injections. Radial Shock Wave Therapy can also be an effective treatment, but some women find it painful.

Here is one of the studies that shows the effectiveness of acupuncture for the condition: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11476196_Acupuncture_in_chronic_epicondylitis_A_randomized_controlled_trial. This research shows that individuals who received acupuncture treatments seem to alleviate not only pain but also improve the function of the arm

01/31/2023

Trigeminal Neuralgia
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Trigeminal Neuralgia usually happens for women who are in their 40s and 50s. The symptoms usually show up around the mouth or all over the face with constant irregular nerve pain. It could happen with just a touch of wind or an object, or it could happen without any specific reason.

The severity of pain and the characteristic of pain vary as some individuals feel more achiness, whereas someone else might experience a stabbing or electric-shock-like pain

The western medicine approach for trigeminal neuralgia consists of surgery and medication. One of the most immediate/primary medications used is carbamazepine, which helps reduce nerve pain early on. However, with long-term intake that lasts more than 5 years, its effectiveness goes down. Carbamazepine also has some side-effects that include sleepiness, dizziness, and feeling or being sick. Other secondary medications include phenytoin, gabapentin, etc. If the medication doesn’t stop the pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia, surgery can also be performed.

In East Asian Medicine, we use a different approach by making one’s body to have improved blood and energy circulation. Acupuncture and herbs are used to regulate the autonomous nervous system so that your body can be stabilized and loosen up the muscles around the area where the nerve pain is so that you can alleviate the pressure.

I hope you take some time to consider all the options if you happen to have trigeminal neuralgia.

#삼차신경통

01/28/2023

Acupuncture & Cancer Treatment
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While the mortality rate associated with cancer is decreasing with the modern medicine, the quality of life for those who live with cancer is still considered to be low due to the side-effects from receiving chemotherapy or radiation. The typical criteria that are considered for cancer treatment are the 5-year survival rate or the size of the tumor.

Many cancer patients have shown interest in treating side-effects that occur from chemotherapy or radiation, and this phenomena has been reported by major cancer centers. People can reduce the pain by using pain medications such as opioids, but these can create other side-effects such as constipation, nausea, or vomiting, which can lower the quality of life.

Some of the common side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation are:
- Fatigue, Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation, Diarrhea, Anemia, Appetite changes, Urination disorders, Fertility problems, Mood changes, Weight changes, Peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, pain)

Researches have shown that acupuncture reduces cancer related pain. Many other symptoms can also be treated by acupuncture. According to research, about 52% of cancer patients experience fatigue during the cancer treatment.

It is important to customize the treatment plan based on one’s body constitution and condition. If you have questions on how acupuncture can help those who are recovering from cancer treatment, please give us a call.

01/16/2023

Carpal tunnel syndrome
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One of the common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome is tingling and numbness in your fingers or hand. Usually the thumb and index, middle or ring fingers are affected, but not your pinkie. You might feel a sensation of electric shock in these fingers. It usually gets worse at night, and this may have to do with how you sleep, such as with your wrists bent or holding your hand while you sleep. When it gets worse, the tingling and numbness in your hand can run up to your shoulder.

The median nerve is one of the major nerves of the forearm and hand. This nerve crosses your wrist area, and when it gets compressed, you may experience the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, which may include weakness in your hand.

Your symptoms can get worse while you’re holding something with your wrist bent, such as reading a book or driving a car. Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome are caused by a combination of factors. Women and older people are more likely to develop this condition. Some other causes are (1) repetitive motions, like typing, or holding an object with wrist movement (2) conditions associated with the syndrome, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis (3) swelling due to hormonal changes during pregnancy.

If diagnosed and treated early, its symptoms can be treated with nonsurgical treatment. Contact us if you would like to learn about how acupuncture can help you

01/14/2023

Hand/Finger and Wrist Pain
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Hand or wrist pain can occur due to various reasons, but most individuals I have met came into the clinic due to a hand/wrist injury or from overusing them. Some examples are:

- Using the hand/wrist to prevent the body from further injury during the fall
- Carrying a baby or heavy materials throughout the day
- Using the hand/wrist repetitively with a computer mouse or scissors
- Overloading the hand/wrist during exercise beyond what the body can handle

If the pain is due to overuse, the best remedy would be to use them less. However, if you have to use your hand/wrist (e.g. due to job function), the recovery period will be longer even with the treatment. If you have to continually use the same spot even when you are experiencing pain, it is highly recommended that you use wrist braces to minimize the damage.

For those who are having signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, I recommend that you see your doctor to receive proper treatment to prevent permanent nerve and muscle damage.

I will explain more about the carpal tunnel syndrome in the next article. In the meantime, please feel free to give us a call if you have any questions.

01/10/2023

Here is a research study which shows that acupuncture, herbal medicine and manual therapy can be effective in reducing persistent or recurring pain and in improving functional impairment for those who are still having the low-back pain after surgery (i.e. failed back surgery syndrome, aka FBSS).

The study sample includes those individuals who had a surgery due to lumbar disc herniation or stenosis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8071221/

01/10/2023

There are several reasons why your hands and feet can have a cold condition. Some of the main reasons are:

(1) Hypothyroidism can lower the thyroid hormone density in your body, causing your metabolic rate to go down. When this happens, your body temperature can also go down

(2) The autonomic nervous system doesn’t function properly and as a result, your capillaries get contracted and blood circulation is less than ideal

(3) If your nerves or blood vessels are pressed, especially due to spinal herniated disks, the hands and feet that are controlled by the nerves can have a cold or tingling sensation

(4) Diabetes or arteriosclerosis (i.e. the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries) can prevent smooth blood circulation to your hands, feet, and peripheral blood vessels

Cold hands and feet can cause:
- Hands/feet numbness
- Tingling sensation of hands/feet
- Restless hands/feet sensation

If you have cold feet and low-back pain, you might want to meet with your doctor to eliminate the possibility of spinal stenosis.
Cervical herniated disk or carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause cold hands/feet symptoms. It is strongly recommended that you receive treatment for cold hands/feet symptoms due to spinal stenosis, cervical herniated disks, or carpal tunnel syndromes as early as possible to prevent serious damage to your body

12/11/2022

Upper Back Pain (Part 1)
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I have described low-back pain in detail in my previous posts. Along with low-back pain, upper back pain is also a very common case.

Usually, upper back pain isn’t isolated but rather shows up along with neck and shoulder pain. In many cases, people also describe it as a pain next to the scapula or spine.

Upper back pain typically shows up in the upper thoracic spine area, between T2 and T6 (between 2nd thoracic spine and 6th thoracic spine). Depending on the characteristic of pain (i.e. stiff, achy, sharp, or burning sensation), the treatment principle varies. If you are experiencing a sharp or burning sensation, with the proper treatment, it normally goes away after 1-2 acupuncture treatments. An acute condition will be recovered sooner, but even if it is a chronic condition, you will see a noticeable difference with acupuncture treatment.

We are here to help. Give us a call if you have any additional questions.

11/04/2022

Have you wondered what happens when you are stressed?

Here is an article from UW Medicine, describing what happens to your body when you are stressed. Let us know if you have any questions

https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/mind/stress/body-on-stress

$스트레스

10/28/2022

While working at multiple clinics, I have seen a surprisingly large number of patients who were suffering from sciatica

Typical sciatica pain starts from the hip, radiating along the sciatica nerve, to the knee or toes when it gets worse. The sciatica nerve is the largest nerve in the lower body and pain gets generated once the nerve is being impinged. Pain level is high in general and as a result, it has a significant impact on daily life. Sciatica usually occurs on one of the legs but I have seen a few cases on both legs. Sciatica may cause pain in the front, back, and/or sides of the thigh and leg.

It usually happens in one of two cases (1) when a herniated disk or bone spur in the spine pressed on the nerve (2) muscle(s) tension surrounding the sciatica nerve pressed on the nerve. For the second case, it is important to identify which the muscle(s) have tension, although in most cases, the main muscle that presses on the sciatica nerve is the ‘piriformis’ muscle, which is on top of the nerve. In a clinical setting, we often see individuals with sciatica pain due to bad posture or muscle tightening when one tries to suddenly use a muscle unused for a long time.

Before you consider pursuing any options (e.g. surgery for a herniated disk), it is important to find out what might be causing sciatica in order to come up with the proper treatment. In many cases, acupuncture and massage can help you deal with sciatica.

#요통 #좌골신경통

08/19/2022

In the movie “Minari”, one of the main characters, the grandmother, caught a stroke overnight. I was sad to see her suffering from it, especially knowing that there are ways to handle the stroke condition better.

Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks or narrows an artery (i.e. blood vessel) leading to the brain. When this happens, blood cannot circulate well and blood cannot feed nutrients and oxygen to the brain, causing the death of brain tissues. Hemorrhagic stroke (a blood vessel bursts or leaks) can also occur, but it is less common.

If the stroke is detected and thrombolytics (i.e. breakdown of blood clot) can be received within 3 hours of the first stroke symptoms, it can help limit stroke damage. If you miss the 3 hour golden period or you are suffering from an after-effect of a stroke such as trouble speaking or paralysis, it is important to receive treatments within 3-6 months of the first stroke symptoms for maximum recovery. If you miss this timeline, it becomes extremely difficult to see good recovery. Acupuncture and herbs can help maximize recovery by minimizing additional damage and by improving the functions surrounding the areas of the dead brain tissues

Diabetes, overweight, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels are major risk factors of the stroke. Once you reach your 40s, it is highly recommended that you take enough fibers whether or not you have constipation.

#뇌졸중 #중풍

08/14/2022

Recently, there have been several individuals asking me whether acupuncture can be helpful with smoking cessation.

The answer is yes, but it also requires commitment from those who are interested in quitting smoking.

For smoking cessation, auricular needling (i.e. ear needling) is used. Auricular needling can also be used for appetite control and sleep improvement.

After the needle treatment, we place ear seeds on the spots where the needles are placed. The purpose of this is that whenever the craving for a cigarette goes up, an individual can press the ear seeds to reduce the craving, thereby not only reducing the craving but also changing the taste if he/she smokes. Depending on the effectiveness of treatment, some individuals can have nauseous or vomiting sensation, or sore throats.

Here are some other things that are recommended to achieve your goals:
(1) Avoid the places where there are lots of smoking/drinking activities
(2) Avoid food that has a stimulating taste such as greasy or spicy
(3) In the process of smoking cessation, individuals usually have more cravings in the morning or after meals. In these situations, consciously drinking cold water may help reduce the cravings and help with any constipation that may come with smoking cessions

If you are depending solely on acupuncture, you will likely fail to accomplish your goal. However, if you are committed and also follow the other recommendations, the chances are higher

#금연

08/08/2022

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can lead to vertigo. In East Asian Medicine, it is categorized along with vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss, but especially with vertigo. It can also accommodate nausea and vomiting sensation.

It usually starts between young and middle-aged individuals. It is considered a chronic condition and East Asian Medicine has been known to relieve symptoms and minimize its impact on your daily life

The cause of Meniere’s disease is unknown, but it appears to be the result of an abnormal amount of fluid (endolymph) in the inner ear. Factors that affect the fluid include (1) inherited tendency (2) improper fluid drainage (3) autoimmune response (4) hypothyroidism (5) allergic reaction (6) viral infection (7) nutritional disorder (8) stress

If not managed properly, the disease can unexpectedly interrupt your life, causing unnecessary stress and fatigue. Vertigo can cause you to lose balance, increasing the likelihood of falls or accident.

08/05/2022

I’ve recently seen a few cases of essential tremor and I thought it might be beneficial for people to learn a bit about it.

Essential tremor is a nervous system disorder that causes rhythmic shaking. The exact cause hasn’t been identified but some scientists speculate that it might be related to a mild degeneration of the cerebellum which controls movement. The severity of a tremor varies by individual but it usually accompanies 4-12Hz frequencies.

Essential tremor most often affects the hands, affecting one hand or both hands, but it may also affect the head, voice, arms, or legs. Unlike Parkinson’s disease, it worsens with movement such as writing or eating. During sleep, there would not be any trembling. It may be aggravated by emotional stress, fatigue, caffeine, hypoglycemia, or extreme cold/hot conditions.

This disorder is most common in people aged 40 or older. Essential tremor isn’t usually a dangerous condition, but it typically worsens over time. If you are interested in learning more about it, give us a call

07/23/2022

Most of us have experienced sleep difficulty at least once due to high stress or anxiety. This temporary insomnia usually goes away once the stress is relieved. If the stress cannot be relieved and the insomnia becomes chronic, the body often shows similar symptoms to the overactive sympathetic nervous system.

You could have symptoms such as indigestion, gas in your stomach, or a sensation of stuffiness in your abdominal area. You tend to be more sensitive, feel heat in your face, or get annoyed easily. Sometimes, you could also experience stiff neck, red eyes, or heart palpitations. When it gets worse, you could also feel depression.

East Asian Medicine, by using acupuncture and herbs, helps stop insomnia by diminishing the overactive sympathetic nervous system.

#불면증

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Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	12pm - 6pm
Friday	12pm - 6pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm