In Virginia, late February to summer tends to be the worst for allergy sufferers. According to an article from VirginiaENT.com: “Tree pollens such as oak, maple, and river birch are blooming during this time. The dry wind we see in early spring will spread allergens and raise the pollen count.” To make matters worse, there is evidence that pollen season is getting longer thanks to climate change.

Moxibustion involves burning the herb mugwort near specific acupuncture points to stimulate and warm the area. For breech presentations, the focus is on the acupuncture point UB67, located at the outer corner of the pinky toe. The heat generated by moxibustion is believed to stimulate prostaglandin receptors, leading to mild uterine contractions that can encourage the baby to move into a head-down position.

A “cun” (also called a “body inch”) is a relative unit of measurement used in traditional Chinese medicine to locate acupuncture points on the body.

I began receiving regular acupuncture treatments in my early 20s. At first the medicine felt mystifying, almost magical. As I continued to receive treatments I began to recognize a pattern between what I would tell my acupuncturist and where the needles would be placed.