My Approach to Pain Management: A Three-Step Philosophy
I believe effective pain management begins with a comprehensive and individualized approach. My process encompasses three key stages:
1. Exploration
The first step involves gaining a thorough understanding of your unique pain experience. We explore all potential contributing factors, including posture, muscle function, and nerve involvement.
We will discuss your medical history, how your pain started, its pattern, and any complicating health factors.
Additionally, we aim to understand your personal goals—whether you're looking to return to daily activities, play sports, work, or improve overall well-being.
Finally your insights about your pain play a crucial role in shaping an effective treatment plan.
2. Examination
This stage involves targeted muscle testing and orthopedic assessments to identify the specific layers involved in your pain. I evaluate for conditions such as herniation, stenosis, and facet joint issues, as well as muscle imbalances that may be contributing. Palpation is used to detect areas of tightness, spasm, and tenderness, especially important in complex cases. These diagnostic steps enable you and me to develop a precise understanding of your condition, guiding our treatment strategy.
3. Customization
Every individual is unique, and ongoing customization is vital for effective outcomes—particularly in cases involving chronic pain. From the second treatment onward, I continually analyze and refine the treatment, adjusting points based on your progress. This personalized, responsive process ensures that each session brings you closer to optimal health and pain relief.
Understanding the 3 step philosophy in real life
Betty
Exploration
Betty plays pickleball almost everyday, some days multiple times a day. To make extra money, she drives people to the airport. When betty drives, she primarily uses the same arm (with elbow pain) to drive.
Betty mentions - she experienced neck pain with tingling in the right shoulder last year. An MRI showed mild herniation at C3/4. With physical therapy her neck/shoulder pain went away. She wonders if this could be part of her current problem.
She discussed her levels of stress in her life due to a divorce. Pickleball has become a place to release her stress and needs to get back to playing to help her sleep and feel content. It was clear from our conversation, Sue is lost without pickleball and wants back in the game as fast as possible.
Examination
From muscle testing, it turns out her rotator cuff is not functioning well with weakness in supraspinatus and terres minor. It appears that her elbow pain may be related to the arm over compensating for the rotator cuff not functioning optimally.
Orthopedic testing indicates there might be a problem with her cervical vertebrae enhancing the muscle weakness in the shoulder and elbow.
Customization
Betty’s treatment protocol involved:
Points at C3/4
Points to strengthen weak rotatar cuff muscles - supraspinatus and terre minor.
Points in along the pain and affected muscles in the elbow
Adjunct points to address stress in life - to decrease general inflammation to help with the pain.
Let's take two people with tennis elbow.
Betty and Sue have the same pain in their right elbow, dull and achy on the outside of the elbow, tender to touch. They both feel that they have lost strength in their grip. On the outside - it looks like they have the same exact problem.
Sue
Exploration
Sue developed elbow pain from holding her phone as she plays video games and surfing social media. She found the distraction of the phone in the evening, helps her to wind down from her very busy day at work. Sue’s job requires her to be at a computer all day, which aggravates the elbow pain.
Examination
Muscle testing of the rotary cuff indicates no issues. Orthopedic testing of cervical vertebrae is negative. Testing for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is negative.
Sue’s elbow pain is localized and not tied to other muscle imbalances.
Customization
Sue’s treatment protocol:
Points associated with muscles attaching to the elbow - extensor carpi radialis brevis and extensor carpi ulnaris longus
Points along the bone part of the elbow to address inflammation at the direct location.
Points in the forearm and upper arm to address the Chinese channels involved.
Individualized Care for Your Success
Receive personalized and effective care tailored to your specific needs.
Feel the Difference
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Individualized Treatment
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Achieve Your Goals
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Live Your Best Life
Feel the Difference • Individualized Treatment • Achieve Your Goals • Live Your Best Life
Chronic Pain Conditions
I have treated chronic pain conditions, such as:
Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue
Rheumatoid arthritis
Cystic fibrosis
Endometriosis
Diabetic neuropathy
My experience in treating these disorders requires thought and perseverance as the conditions have multilayers creating the pain.
Part of the treatment plan includes:
Dietary considerations
Supplement support
Stress management
Sleep management
What type of pain do you treat?
I treat many types of pain. Over my career I have seen much and learned to treat pain beyond the casual back pain. Have something unusual? Reach out to me and let’s chat. I will give you a truthful treatment plan and potential outcome.
Here’s the list of some the people who enter my practice for pain treatment.
Sitting at a computer aches and pains - shoulder/neck tension, wrist pain, back pain.
Repetitive household tasks - mom’s elbow pain, hip/back pain from carrying a child or laundry, knee pain from scrubbing floors, right side leg pain from driving the kids around
Carpenter/Roofer/Painter - meniscus tears, supraspinatus tear, deltoid strain, bicipital sprain/tear, arthritic knees/hips
Lawn care/gardening - shoulder pain from lifting mulch, back pain from pushing a lawn mower, tingling hands from weed whacking
Working on cars - loss of hand strength with twisting motions, arthritic knees, tendon tears in the shoulder
Waiter/waitress - mostly shoulder pain from carrying heavy loads of dishes, plantar fasciitis
Sports Injuries
Pickle ball - tennis elbow, bruised bone pain from being hit by a ball, ankle weakness from post sprain
Tennis - tennis elbow, rotatory cuff pain, back pain
Running/jogging - shin splits, knee pain, back pain, hip pain
Weight lifting - spasming of trapezius, shoulder neck pain, back into butt pain, spasming calves
Crossfit - Shoulder stain, upper back pain, trapezius strain, sacroiliac joint pain, plantar fasciitis
Golfer - golfers elbow, back pain
Don’t see your pain situation? Are you wondering if acupuncture is can help you? Reach out ot me. I offer 15 minutes consult on the phone. We can figure out if acupuncture and the commitment is right for you. Yes, acupuncture can’t treat everything. I pride my services on clear communication and truthful treatment outcomes. No bait and switch here.
