Its been nearly 17 years since I started studying Chinese medicine (Chinese medicine includes acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and other modalities). People ask me weekly or even more often how I got interested in this field. Here is a short version: I was a computer guy at Dell computers in Austin Texas for nearly a decade. I was pretty good at computers but I didn't feel like I wanted to do that forever. Someone at Dell loaned me, seemingly randomly, a book on Chinese medicine call 'The Web That Has No Weaver.' I read it and really connected with the philosophy of this medicine that I had never even considered before. At the time I had great health insurance with Dell (I think I paid $40 a month and a $10 copay!) so I went to the doctor whenever I sneezed. I also found that I usually tossed the inevitable prescription in the trash as I walked out the door. I think I was beginning to wonder if there was a better way to stay healthy. So a few years later I left Dell and started my journey into Chinese medicine. They say that in ancient China the doctor of the Emperor would get paid while the Emperor was well, and would not get paid when the Emperor was ill. Though this probably would not work nowadays, a do like the philosophy of prevention that is associated with our medicine. 

Many people have pain in the scapular region and we have had what I would consider very good results treating it. Scapular pain can be from using a mouse too much, from muscle tension due to stress, or can be from injury leading to a pinched nerve. The pain can usually be narrowed down to one or maybe two 'trigger points' and this is where the treatment will focus. This type of pain can often refer down the arm. The fix is choosing acupuncture points in the area and into the arm and even hand, followed by cupping to the area where the trigger point is. This usually takes a few treatments but can be very successful.