Show Notes
Seasonal colds move like shifting weather through the body—from icy surface invasion to lingering damp in the lungs. In this Shop Talk conversation, Andreas Brüch shares how Saam acupuncture maps these changes with clarity and precision. We explore how Taiyang strategies open the surface at the earliest stage, why the Urinary Bladder meridian can be used even when patients feel chilled, and how Lung and Yangming treatments help once the cold moves deeper. You learn about differentiating fluids—dry, wet, hot, or cold—guides point selection, and how reversing Cheung Bu combinations can dry dampness or moisten dryness effectively. In this Shop Talk conversation with Andreas Brüch, we explore treating colds and coughs through the lens of Saam acupuncture. Andreas has spent decades traveling between Germany and Korea, studying the ways that six qi, five phases, and the nuances using the four-needle technique. His approach is practical, rooted in clinical clarity, and shaped by a deep appreciation for how simple, targeted treatments can bring the system back into a healthy balance.
More from Qiological Shoptalk
Some itchy dogs look like damp heat but aren't, and what you feed them can show you the difference. In this episode, we sit down with Steve Marsden, veterinarian trained in naturopathy and Chinese medicine, to explore allergies in pets. We unpack why a change of diet is the first diagnostic step, how the coat, the pulse, and the spots an animal chews point to a Shao Yang disharmony, and why a ginseng-based Xiao Chai Hu Tang paired with Si Wu Tang can calm what damp-heat formulas can't. When an allergy won't follow the rules, it isn't a failed formula, it's a clue that something is stuck at the gate between inside and outside.
Genital lichen sclerosus can take away comfort, intimacy, and quality of life, leaving patients searching for lasting relief. In this episode, we sit down with Juliette Aiyana, holistic dermatology practitioner and Chinese medicine specialist, to explore treating this challenging condition through herbal medicine. We discuss pattern differentiation, tissue repair, inflammation, and the importance of individualized treatment, alongside practical ways to protect sensitive skin. Healing requires careful observation, patience, and integrated care—helping patients find comfort, restore function, and work toward lasting improvement.
Diagnosis in Dong style acupuncture rarely comes from what the patient says. It comes from what the hands find first. In this conversation, We sit down with Sean Goodman — acupuncturist and longtime student of Dong style acupuncture — to explore how this tradition treats atopic dermatitis and other skin conditions. We discuss how palm diagnosis reads the five zang organs through discoloration and subtle shifts in tissue, why Dong style needling often works a whole area in groups of three points, and how a real case combined heart-related points with the Sima combination to clear dermatitis on the neck and arms. We also touch on the "cooling the mountain" technique, when to needle bilaterally versus unilaterally, and why Sean tries to read the body before letting his mind explain what he's finding.
Topical steroids can suppress the skin for years, then withdrawal leaves it unable to find a stable state at all. In this episode, we sit down with Mazin Al-Khafaji, doctor of Chinese medicine and co-author of a manual of acupuncture points, to explore treating TSW through Chinese medicine. We unpack what potent steroids do to the skin barrier and microbiome, the three phases of treatment, and why rushing to heavy tonics can reignite the fire you just put out. Healing skin that's been stripped of its own defenses isn't a quick fix, it's a slow rebuild that asks for patience from both practitioner and patient.
Every practitioner develops a feel for the body that goes beyond what any single test can tell you. For Brian Lau, that feel comes from decades of manual work woven directly into his acupuncture practice. In this conversation, we sit down with Brian Lau and his student Grant Rettison to explore myofascial release in sports medicine acupuncture practice. We discuss how Brian's background in qigong, tai chi, and structural integration shaped his approach, why he keeps the language of the channel sinews central to his manual therapy, and how palpation itself becomes a form of diagnosis. Brian demonstrates live on the knee and forearm, showing how tissue that pulls, resists, or lacks pliability can guide both point selection and pattern differentiation. We also explore the fascia as a fabric, the "canoeing" analogy for finding the right direction of treatment, and why unwinding restricted tissue helps restore the gliding surfaces that support movement and healing.