Designed to be a go-to reference for assessment and treatment planning in the clinic, this is a clear and concise handbook for students and practitioners of dry needling, or medical acupuncture. It includes: * Comprehensive medical illustrations demonstrating trigger point locations and associated pain referral patterns * Easy-to-follow instructions and photographs demonstrating musculoskeletal dry needling points and electroacupuncture techniques * Dedicated section on the acupuncture treatment of tendinopathy * Vital information on palpation and correct needling techniques * Practical guidance on best practice, safety and treatment planning * Overviews of the history and key principles of Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture * Up-to-date research on the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of MSK conditions, myofascial pain, trigger points (MTrPS), fascia and pain. The book will be an essential aid for osteopaths, physiotherapists, sports rehabilitators, chiropractors, massage therapists, as well as traditional acupuncturists wishing to understand a Western approach on acupuncture. Other health professionals incorporating, or looking to incorporate dry needling into their treatment programme, will also find this book an invaluable resource.

From tulsi to turmeric, echinacea to elderberry, medicinal herbs are big business - but do they deliver on their healing promise - to those who consume them, those who provide them and the natural world? 'So deeply honest, sincere, heartful, questioning, and brilliant. . . . [The Business of Botanicals] is an amazing book, that plunges in, and takes a deepening look at those places where people don't often venture.' Rosemary Gladstar, author of Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs 'For those who loved Braiding Sweetgrass, this book is a perfect opportunity to go deeper into understanding the complex and co-evolutionary journey of plants and people.' Angela McElwee, president and CEO of Gaia Herbs Using herbal medicines to heal the body is an ancient practice, but in the twenty-first century, it is also a worldwide industry. Yet most consumers know very little about where those herbs come from and how they are processed into the many products that fill store shelves. In The Business of Botanicals, author Ann Armbrecht follows their journey from seed to shelf, revealing the inner workings of a complicated industry and raises questions about the ethical and ecological issues of mass production of medicines derived from these healing plants, many of which are imperiled in the wild. This is the first book to explore the interconnected web of the global herb industry and its many stakeholders and is an invaluable resource for conscious consumers who want to better understand the social and environmental impacts of the products they buy.

The role of intuition is seldom identified in acupuncture training as one of the keys to effective practice. John Hamwee here explores its paramount importance in diagnosis and treatment, showing how development of the intuitive sense, and its appropriate use in the treatment room, is vital to building the most effective individual practice. Through discussion of theory, clinical example, and the experiences of leading acupuncturists, the author shows how intuition, or the grasping of subliminal clues, can be developed, based on the practitioner's growing `storeroom' of clinical experience and why it is so useful for this to become a conscious and rigorously examined process. He discusses the process of testing intuition against objective observation of the patient, and how an intuitive leap can provide a shortcut across an innumerable series of diagnostic steps, and lead to diagnostic and treatment decisions that make complete sense of the observable phenomena. He suggests that learning to trust the intuitive faculty, while still fully interrogating conclusions, is the basis of better patient outcomes and significantly advanced practice. This thoughtful and engaging book will be one that acupuncturists will want to read and reread, and will speak to all therapists, counsellors, and health practitioners.