Afshin’s first exposure to Chinese Medicine was in grade school while taking martial arts.  He witnessed firsthand how the students who would spar and get bruised would apply this dark oily stuff to the bruises that smelled like vinegar – herbal linaments to make the bruises heal faster.   There was also the constant reference to acupoints as targets!

Turning to healing, Afshin went through a massage therapy program that introduced more about the traditional Chinese medical perspective on health.  It was at that time, around ’94,  that Afshin started practicing Jin Shin Do, a unique style of acupressure, and also taiji (tai-chi).

Before long, Afshin went back to school to get his Masters of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  This was where he was first made aware of the diversity of techniques and thought processes available to the practitioner of Chinese Medicine, even just in the realms of acupuncture.  Also this is where he started to gain interest in his specializations in pain management, diabetes, asthma, & womens issues such as excessive bleeding during the cycle, …

After graduation, licensure, and the start of the professional practice, there was a need to specialize. There is a lot of different styles in what we call traditional Chinese medicine.  For centuries now, the medicine has flourished in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and beyond.  These places have all made tremendous contributions and fostered their own versions.  They all have unique approaches to diagnosis, acupuncture point selection and technique, all still based on the classic texts.  The medicine is huge.

Today Afshin combines a variety of acupuncture styles.  He uses the best of what he learned from the Japanese and Chinese schools of thought.  Some approaches work better for some problems, and other approaches work better for others.   For example, for relief of general or specific pain, just using ear acupuncture will give good results, however if the patient has range of motion issues, then points on the rest of the body can be more effective.  Selection of needle-type and depth of insertion in his practice reflect more the Japanese style, which uses thinner needles, inserted less deep.

For herbology, Afshin is a big fan of the Shanghan Zabing Lun knowledge from the Tian-Zeng lineage.  One of its beauties is its integration with pulse diagnosis and abdominal palpation.  Its appeal is use of less herbs in formulas, and functioning to restore base physiology and harmony rather than tonifying or reducing.

The depth of Chinese medical theory, and centuries of its practice provide a complete system that is able to address the range of problems that are part of the human condition.  Afshin is honored to offer his services and experience as a practitioner to the public.