Specialties
Favorite Specialties and Unique Techniques
Japanese Muscle Melting—a technique based off of Japanese Acupuncture and Hara Diagnosis that literally dissolves muscle tension. It is an effective treatment in sports medicine for anyone with stress or muscle tension.
Muscle Channel Technique (MCT)—a dynamic active acupuncture technique used to treat pain and injury, developed by Frank He L.Ac. Quickly becoming one of the most important techniques used in modern Chinese Sports Medicine, Melody is proud to have learned it directly from Frank, one of her most beloved mentors.
Chinese Abdominal Organ Massage—a gentle external massage technique focusing on the abdomen, and working directly on the abdominal organs. It is particularly helpful for treating women's health and digestive issues.
Tui Na—Yang Style is the physical medicine side of Chinese Orthopedics. It is what chiropractic medicine is based on and in China even includes bone setting. Here in the USA it mostly just focuses on deep tissue massage, joint work, and stretching to treat injury. It is not always comfortable, but is very effective, particularly when combined with acupuncture and herbs. Yin Style is a gentle holding technique used with chronic or stubborn injuries and for internal conditions. It is particularly helpful for Parkinsons disease. www.pdrecovery.org.
Kinesio Taping—is one of the most ingenious new medical techniques to have come out in the last 30 years. It is noninvasive, comfortable, and has virtually no side effects. It works by combining two basic mechanisms syergisticly. First it tents up the skin slightly which increases the space in the fascia (superficial connective tissue) which in turn relieves pressure on the superficial nerves. This reduces pain and also increases circulation to draw away fluids and reduce swelling and inflammation as well as promote healing. Secondly, the tape is designed to have stretch in some directions and not in others—depending on what percentage of stretch is used and the recoil factor. It is used to stabilize an area/joint and/or to mimic the muscle it is layered over to do half of that muscle's work. This allows injured/overused muscles to heal while maintaining dynamic motion, which means a reduction in compensation injuries, less range of motion loss during healing and use of the injured body part while it is still healing! Kinesio Tape is used mainly for injuries, sports medicine, chronic or acute swelling and structural issues—especially in children—in for example scoliosis. It is now starting to be used for a variety of internal conditions as well. For more information visit www.kinesiotaping.com
Cupping and Gua Sha—are traditional techniques used in Chinese medicine and found throughout the world's native medical traditions. These healing modalities are used to increase circulation, promote healing, reduce fever, relieve toxins, expel acute illness and reduce pain as well as a multitude of other conditions. Both techniques are diagnostic as well as therapeutic. Cupping uses suction to invigorate the Qi and increase circulation and Gua Sha employs a gentle scraping motion across oiled skin to bring the body's circulation and energy awareness to the surface. Initially both techniques can leave temporary marks that fade in a few days. But these marks can also provide wonderful opportunities to confound one's friends with such stories as "I was attacked by a giant squid" or "I was caught in a front of and automatic tennis ball machine" or even "No, really I got pepperoni tattoos."
Chinese Herbal Medicine—is one of the most advanced and thorough herbal systems in the world. Chinese herbal formulas are highly personalized. They are created or chosen based off of each individual's pattern and the way their body is exhibiting a condition, rather than on the condition itself e.g. not everyone with a cold would get the same formula. Chinese herbal preparations are given to a patient to help move them to optimum balance and health. In Western medicine, a person's body becomes dependant upon a drug and so over time may require higher and higher dosage levels. In contrast, Chinese herbs are needed less and less and eventually are not required as the body re-balances itself. We use only the best Chinese herbal products purchased from companies who maintain the highest quality standards.
Dietary Therapy—is in many ways the most gentle and basic of Chinese Medicine's tools. The foods we eat have a huge influence on our constitutional patterns and overall health. Each food and type of preparation has its own therapeutic properties. Assessing which foods and types of preparation are appropriate for each individual is instrumental in shifting patterns of disharmony and regaining balance and health.
Moxabustion—is a fundamental warming technique in Chinese Medicine. I mainly use lion warmers (for large areas), tiger warmers (for small areas), warm needle technique (for specific points) and ginger moxa for reducing scar tissue. This technique is particularly helpful for patients with colder conditions especially ones that are worse in the winter.
"Sticker Therapy"—a technique Melody originally developed while still a student under the tutelage of Lucy Hu L.Ac. (department head of pediatrics at Five Branches). It uses ear seeds on body points for lasting stimulation, with optional fuzzy animal stickers for kids and the young at heart.
Children's Tui Na and Shonishin—a variety of gentle therapeutic massage and non-needling techniques for children, used both instead of and in tandem with pediatric acupuncture.
Japanese Muscle Melting—a technique based off of Japanese Acupuncture and Hara Diagnosis that literally dissolves muscle tension. It is an effective treatment in sports medicine for anyone with stress or muscle tension.
Muscle Channel Technique (MCT)—a dynamic active acupuncture technique used to treat pain and injury, developed by Frank He L.Ac. Quickly becoming one of the most important techniques used in modern Chinese Sports Medicine, Melody is proud to have learned it directly from Frank, one of her most beloved mentors.
Chinese Abdominal Organ Massage—a gentle external massage technique focusing on the abdomen, and working directly on the abdominal organs. It is particularly helpful for treating women's health and digestive issues.
Tui Na—Yang Style is the physical medicine side of Chinese Orthopedics. It is what chiropractic medicine is based on and in China even includes bone setting. Here in the USA it mostly just focuses on deep tissue massage, joint work, and stretching to treat injury. It is not always comfortable, but is very effective, particularly when combined with acupuncture and herbs. Yin Style is a gentle holding technique used with chronic or stubborn injuries and for internal conditions. It is particularly helpful for Parkinsons disease. www.pdrecovery.org.
Kinesio Taping—is one of the most ingenious new medical techniques to have come out in the last 30 years. It is noninvasive, comfortable, and has virtually no side effects. It works by combining two basic mechanisms syergisticly. First it tents up the skin slightly which increases the space in the fascia (superficial connective tissue) which in turn relieves pressure on the superficial nerves. This reduces pain and also increases circulation to draw away fluids and reduce swelling and inflammation as well as promote healing. Secondly, the tape is designed to have stretch in some directions and not in others—depending on what percentage of stretch is used and the recoil factor. It is used to stabilize an area/joint and/or to mimic the muscle it is layered over to do half of that muscle's work. This allows injured/overused muscles to heal while maintaining dynamic motion, which means a reduction in compensation injuries, less range of motion loss during healing and use of the injured body part while it is still healing! Kinesio Tape is used mainly for injuries, sports medicine, chronic or acute swelling and structural issues—especially in children—in for example scoliosis. It is now starting to be used for a variety of internal conditions as well. For more information visit www.kinesiotaping.com
Cupping and Gua Sha—are traditional techniques used in Chinese medicine and found throughout the world's native medical traditions. These healing modalities are used to increase circulation, promote healing, reduce fever, relieve toxins, expel acute illness and reduce pain as well as a multitude of other conditions. Both techniques are diagnostic as well as therapeutic. Cupping uses suction to invigorate the Qi and increase circulation and Gua Sha employs a gentle scraping motion across oiled skin to bring the body's circulation and energy awareness to the surface. Initially both techniques can leave temporary marks that fade in a few days. But these marks can also provide wonderful opportunities to confound one's friends with such stories as "I was attacked by a giant squid" or "I was caught in a front of and automatic tennis ball machine" or even "No, really I got pepperoni tattoos."
Chinese Herbal Medicine—is one of the most advanced and thorough herbal systems in the world. Chinese herbal formulas are highly personalized. They are created or chosen based off of each individual's pattern and the way their body is exhibiting a condition, rather than on the condition itself e.g. not everyone with a cold would get the same formula. Chinese herbal preparations are given to a patient to help move them to optimum balance and health. In Western medicine, a person's body becomes dependant upon a drug and so over time may require higher and higher dosage levels. In contrast, Chinese herbs are needed less and less and eventually are not required as the body re-balances itself. We use only the best Chinese herbal products purchased from companies who maintain the highest quality standards.
Dietary Therapy—is in many ways the most gentle and basic of Chinese Medicine's tools. The foods we eat have a huge influence on our constitutional patterns and overall health. Each food and type of preparation has its own therapeutic properties. Assessing which foods and types of preparation are appropriate for each individual is instrumental in shifting patterns of disharmony and regaining balance and health.
Moxabustion—is a fundamental warming technique in Chinese Medicine. I mainly use lion warmers (for large areas), tiger warmers (for small areas), warm needle technique (for specific points) and ginger moxa for reducing scar tissue. This technique is particularly helpful for patients with colder conditions especially ones that are worse in the winter.
"Sticker Therapy"—a technique Melody originally developed while still a student under the tutelage of Lucy Hu L.Ac. (department head of pediatrics at Five Branches). It uses ear seeds on body points for lasting stimulation, with optional fuzzy animal stickers for kids and the young at heart.
Children's Tui Na and Shonishin—a variety of gentle therapeutic massage and non-needling techniques for children, used both instead of and in tandem with pediatric acupuncture.
