Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Touching Pain, Restoring Connection

Pain and discomfort often separate people from daily pleasures and essential functions, from eating and speaking to moving and socializing. The case reports in this issue show how East Asian medicine may relieve symptoms that conventional care struggles with, and help restore patients’ connection to their own lives and communities. Additionally, by the end of this issue, you may find yourself newly fluent in the term xerostomia.

In “Herbal Modulation of the Gut–Brain Axis in IBS-D” by Erica Yang, Joshua Park, and Timothy Ross, a classical formula, Tong Xie Yao Fang, was adapted with modern understanding of the gut–brain axis and microbiome science. This case draws from traditional literature to explain how herbal medicine alleviated chronic digestive symptoms, while, simultaneously, possible mechanisms are explored.

Kat Shea’s “Acupuncture for Chronic Coccydynia Following a Traumatic Fall” presents a condition rarely discussed in biomedical literature yet profoundly disruptive to daily life. Using acupuncture, trigger point therapy, tuina, and topical applications, Shea shows how integrative treatment can address both pain and urinary dysfunction, offering effective options for patients who have exhausted standard care.

Both of the following cases highlight how East Asian medicine can ease a common long-term side effect of cancer treatment. In “Acupuncture and Tuina for Xerostomia,” Nick Lowe describes how a patient recovering from head and neck cancer experienced sustained relief from dry mouth and neck stiffness through a year-long course of acupuncture and massage. By carefully documenting patient-reported outcomes, this case captures evidence of clinical effectiveness. Lowe also demonstrates the practical use of ICD-11 codes, part of the international effort to standardize terminology for traditional medicine. (Though necessarily broad, these codes help validate traditional philosophies and techniques, support comparisons across health systems, and contribute to a more comprehensive picture of health worldwide). Relatedly, Penny Nguyen’s “Combined Acupuncture and Low-Level Laser Therapy to Mitigate Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis” illustrates another effective approach, combining acupuncture with laser therapy to reduce pain and support recovery of salivation, taste, and appetite. 

Across these four cases, we see some of the wide range of modalities available to East Asian medicine practitioners: acupuncture, tuina, herbs, topical therapies, trigger point release, and low-level laser therapy. We also see how naturally these approaches integrate with mainstream health care, offering additional strategies for symptom management and recovery. The common thread is connection: between practitioner and patient, between traditional and modern approaches, and between symptom relief and renewed participation in daily life. These cases remind us how a whole-person approach to easing pain and discomfort can open a pathway to better well-being.

Kathleen Lumiere, Editor