John Amaro, LAc, DC, Dipl. Ac.(NCCAOM), Dipl.Med.Ac.(IAMA)
Besides pain and fatigue, I think the condition I see most often, which is generally not looked upon as a condition but as a symptom of a much larger medical entity, is probably edema.
Edema in and of itself can sometimes be more of a problem for a patient than the condition which has created it. Even though most edema is generally seen in the lower extremities, it also affects every area of the body.
Prescription diuretics are effective, as are Vitamin C and several other natural occurring substances, but personally I find nothing quite as effective as acupuncture in the vast majority of these cases.
Obviously, there are going to be cases where more heroic measures need to be taken, but in the lion's share of the cases that we see in a typical chiropractic setting, the follow points are perhaps one of the most memorable formulas for this common problem.
KI 16 ... .05 inch bilateral to navel (CV 8) KI 27 ... in small depression just below lower border of clavicle 2 inches bilateral to CV KI 2 ... (see diagram) KI 3 ... midway between the medial malleolus and the tendocalcaneus KI 6 ... one thumb-width below the medical malleolus *CV 9 ... one thumb-width above the navel (CV 9) *this point is very important SP 9 ... in the depression of the lower border of the medical condyle of the tibia SP 6 ... four fingers breadth above the medial malleolus on the midline GB 25 ... tip of the 12th rib BL 23 ... 1.5 inch lateral to the lower border of spinous of second lumbar vertebra
Try stimulating these points with a quartz-piezo stimulator or HeNe laser for greatest effect. Acupressure does not even receive honorable mention.
Incidentally, I saw a patient lose 18 lbs. of water weight in seven days with this formula. Let me know of your successes.
John A. Amaro, DC, FIACA, Dipl.Ac. Carefree, Arizona
Building on a historic March 2026 meeting between Make America Healthy Again and chiropractic leadership, MAHA has announced the launch of the MAHA Chiropractic Hub, “a coordinated national partnership uniting MAHA Center, MAHA Action, and the chiropractic profession, including national associations, state organizations, practitioners, educators, researchers, and patient advocates. The Chiropractic Hub will advance federal policy, expand patient access, and build broad public support for chiropractic care across America.”
The chiropractic profession is confronting one of the most significant federal regulatory threats it has faced in decades. A new U.S. Department of Education (ED) accountability framework – commonly referred to as the “Do No Harm” (DNH) regulation – could place many chiropractic programs at risk of losing access to federal financial aid (student loans), potentially reshaping the future of chiropractic education and workforce development across the United States.
Pain has become the dominant language of musculoskeletal healthcare. Numeric pain-rating scales and symptom reports are routinely used as primary indicators of clinical success. But while pain reduction is meaningful, it is an incomplete and often misleading representation of recovery. This has real consequences for patient adherence, long-term outcomes, and how conservative care is perceived within the broader healthcare system.
