Federal Hill Acupuncture

18/07/2024

Another great review from a client😊

“I have been working with Chris for a year and a half for a variety of issues including overworking, anxiety and digestion. What has stunned me is how Chris picks up on issues that I didn't even think were relevant and linked it to my overall condition. My partner also started working with Chris and after one session had a transformative mind-body response. I can't recommend Chris enough--thoughtful, technical, deeply experienced, and has a fantastic bedside manner. He's also trained in yoga and recommended exercises for blockages in my hip”.

L.L. - Professor at Johns Hopkins U.

11/09/2023

Yoga backbends are a powerful way to open up energy in the chest, and greatly energize the heart and the lungs, they are usually done as a climax to a yoga practice before relaxation poses.

In Chinese Medicine, the inner heart is seen to be very pure, it’s open and vulnerable and feels love. The Pericardium is seen as the protector to the heart, it absorbs all of the insults, hurts and blows from life. When the pericardium is circulating energy and blood, this shows up as the different emotions, the pericardium is also the ambassador of expressing love.

When the pericardium is overwhelmed or when there’s resistance to life, there’s a protective mechanism to protect the inner heart which tightens and constricts the circulation of energy in the chest and restricts the feeling of emotions and love. Backbends can significantly relax this protective mechanism and allow the circulation of the pericardium to flow.

Symptoms of a person with a tight/ constricted chest and heart Qi may be not being able to relax and rest in oneself easily, feeling numb to emotions, difficulty feeling emotionally connected with others, overly abstract and intellectual thinking, disconnected busyness, shallow chest breathing, insomnia or restless/surface sleep, anxiety or dis-ease, depression, frustration from bottled up emotions, lacking compassion for self or others, long term can lead to heart problems.

A person with energy more opened up in the chest and heart Qi flowing will feel more connected to themselves and others, will feel the flow of feelings and can access love, can rest comfortably in themselves and also sleep deeply, their intellect is connected to their heart, will feel at ease within themselves and more at peace even within a chaotic world, will be able to express themselves easily, will be able to breath deeply.

In Chinese Medicine the organs are seen as a hierarchy of officials, the heart is the monarch and the center of the kingdom. When all is well with the heart, all is well in the kingdom of the body. When the heart is not well, chaos ensues in the kingdom. This might be analogous to the chaos we see in the United States because of the lack of strong leadership.

In this reflection, yoga backbends are a wonderful way to open up the heart and release the protective mechanisms which may inhibit that.

I am an acupuncturist practicing in Baltimore and Columbia Maryland. If you would like to schedule an appointment, go to www.BaltimoreAcupunctureCenter.

01/09/2023

Sitting here between acupuncture patients, happy Friday😊

25/08/2023

Emotions in Health and Disease

Emotional health is a very important component of overall health. Out of balance emotions are a significant cause of disease according to Chinese Medicine. This is especially so given modern day stress. Emotion is a term meaning energy in motion, wherever our minds go, energy follows. Emotions are a part of life. We should strive to cultivate positive emotions because they keep our body and mind in harmony. However, it is the negative emotions which are problematic over time. What we generate in our minds become embodied.

The Chinese texts state that anger injures the liver, too much excitement injures the heart, worry injures the spleen, grief injures the lungs, and fear injures the kidneys. Lack of emotion is problematic too, indicating chi deficiency or blockage of the meridians. What we should practice is a balanced emotional life.

Optimally we have equal access to all 5 emotions. They flow through us without getting stuck. Problems arise when we become habituated to one form of emotional expression over others and tend to live from that place. It’s like the needle on a record player that gets stuck in a groove preventing the music from playing on. One indication of this is when someone expresses emotions that are not appropriate to the situation. For instance, someone goes into a rage about bearing a slight inconvenience or someone shows a lack of assertiveness when being taken advantage of. These examples point to a habitual way of being which indicate how the body is functioning or malfunctioning as well.

For most of us these habitual ways of reacting go back to our early life. Over time, layers upon layers of reaction have created the neural circuitry of our bodies. On the body level acupuncture is great at breaking through this body level programming, and mindful awareness is great at reconditioning the mind to respond to the world in a more healthy way.

Emotions are a form of chi. Chi is the immaterial energy of the body and is colored by the emotional lens. This is why acupuncture is so powerful with working with the emotions because it’s working at this causal level. Anger originates from the liver, joy from the heart, worry from the spleen, grief from the lungs, and fear from the kidneys. Acupuncture points along the respective meridians release or reduce excess emotion and supplement deficient emotions. They are powerfully effective at getting you out of the emotional whirl pool and cutting through it. This is why acupuncture is a great compliment or alternative to talk therapy; because it gets down to the energy behind everything. When we are out of the emotionally reactive place then we can approach our life from a fresh place and choose to respond in a more mindful way.

22/12/2022

Acupuncture and Natural Therapies for Headaches

Headaches are one of the most common medical complaints in America. This is due to a variety of causes, but the primary factor involved in chronic headaches is stress. Stress headaches (also called tension headaches) are reaching epidemic proportions in the modern world. Migraine and cluster headaches are also becoming more prevalent. Most people will either suck it up and live with the pain or will turn to conventional medicine to find some pain relief. While medications do seem to help with the pain of certain patterns, many people would prefer to avoid this route because of the cost and possibility of side effects.

Fortunately, there are a great number of natural treatment options for headaches that can effectively eradicate the cause of the headaches or, at the very least, reduce the pain to a more tolerable level. Identifying the cause of headaches is one of the central challenges that all practitioners face. In particular, migraine patterns can be mysterious and spontaneous. They can be due to food allergies, stress, hormonal imbalances, emotional issues, dehydration, trauma, genetic factors, heavy metal poisoning, or intestinal toxicity.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Chinese medicine is that it looks for a unifying theme through the patient’s entire presentation, not just their distinct symptoms. We can’t simply say, ‘OK, here is the herbal magic bullet for headaches.’ What we can do is identify a pattern of disharmony that is based on all of the patient’s symptoms, along with their pulse and tongue diagnosis. This helps us to get a deeper picture of what is occurring. In Chinese medicine, we want to see everything improve, not just the presenting complaint. For instance, if a patient comes in with temporal headaches (pain in the side of the head), constipation, and irritability, and they have tense pulses and swollen sides to the tongue, the Chinese medical diagnosis would be liver qi stagnation. This means that the liver isn’t functioning optimally and that the circulatory function of this vital organ is impaired. By regulating the liver qi, all of these symptoms are expected to improve.

In Chinese medicine, it isn’t necessarily important what kinds of headaches are occurring. As long as the correct pattern is identified, the headaches should be treatable. Below are a few common headache patterns along with their herbal treatments.

Liver Qi stagnation:
Temporal headaches, worse with the me**es, PMS, irritability, menstrual cramps, gas, muscle tension and stiffness, red eyes, ear ringing.
Herbal formula:Xiao yao wan

Liver Heat:
Temporal headaches, red eyes, ear ringing, rage, high blood pressure, jaw tension, subcostal pain, consistent agitation, dream-disturbed sleep, and more severe symptoms.
Herbal formula: Long dan xie gan tang

Liver Wind:
Migrating headache, high blood pressure, dizziness, tremors, memory impairment, slurred speech.
Herbal formula: Tian ma gou teng yin

Wind cold pathogen:
Pain at the nape of the neck, occipital headache, ongoing cold/flu, dizziness
Herbal formula: Ge gen tang

Headache due to digestive weakness:
diarrhea, constipation, headache behind the eyes, bloating, fatigue, sluggish after eating, food allergies
Herbal formulas: with diarrhea—Liu jun zi tang
With constipation—Ma zi ren wan

Blood deficiency:
scanty me**es, fatigue, empty feeling in head with dull achiness, pale, coldness, listlessness
Herbal formula: Ba zhen tang

A strategy that I commonly employ is combining a formula for specific patterns with a more general headache formula that works for headaches of all etiologies. Formulas such as Head Q by Health Concerns and Head Relief by Golden Flower are examples of excellent empirical headache formulas.

Butterbur and feverfew are among the most researched Western herbs that have proven to be effective in the treatment of headaches.

The acupuncture point Large Intestine 4 is an excellent area to apply pressure to when you have a headache. The point is located just off the second metacarpal bone between the thumb and ring finger. This area is usually tender with most headache patterns. In general, I consider acupuncture to be an incredibly effective and safe option for people with chronic headaches of all kinds. I recommend committing to treatment once a week for 4-6 weeks for chronic headaches, then assessing for progress.

The following supplements are also worth considering:

5HTP: Some headaches are due to a serotonin deficiency. This is a natural precursor to serotonin that is also useful for insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Start with 50 mg per day, then add 50 mg per week up to 300 mg.

B vitamin complex: B vitamins are essential for maintaining a healthy mental and emotional balance and for warding off excessive stress. Take the recommended dosage of a comprehensive B complex.

Calcium and Magnesium: these are natural relaxing agents for the central nervous system. Many headache sufferers are deficient in these essential minerals. Supplement with 500mg daily of each.

Fish Oil: Essential fatty acids have been clinically proven to reduce all kinds of pain and inflammation in the body. Take 3-4,000mg daily with food.

Massage
Excellent for tension headaches with stiff shoulders

Meditation
Induces the relaxation response to promote deep tranquility and balance and engages the rest and restore parasympathetic nervous system.

Yoga
A virtual panacea for many stress-related health problems. Many people have found permanent relief from their headaches through regular yoga practice.

Exercise
People who suffer from headaches are generally more sedentary. I recommend exercising 20-30 minutes a day, 4-5 days per week.

It is my hope that this article has given you some newfound hope in treating headaches both safely and effectively.

16/12/2022

“I just moved to Baltimore and have been working with Chris for a few months for a variety of issues related to overworking, anxiety, digestion. What stunned me was how Chris picked up on issues that I didn't even think was relevant and linked it to my overall condition. My partner also started working with Chris and after one session had a transformative mind-body response. I can't recommend Chris enough--thoughtful, technical, deeply experienced, fantastic bedside manner. He's also trained in yoga and recommended exercises for blockages in my hip”.

15/12/2022

The acupuncture point Large Intestine 4 is very effective in relaxing tense muscles throughout the body and is especially indicated for issues related to the head such as headaches, sinus congestion, and facial swelling.

14/12/2022

10/12/2022

http://www.baltimoreacupuncturecenter.com/acupuncture-and-natural-therapies-for-migraine-headaches/

04/11/2022

http://www.baltimoreacupuncturecenter.com/chronic-inflammation-causes-and-remedies/

People often come in for acupuncture who exhibit chronic signs of inflammation in the body. The inflammatory response can eventually start damaging healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring. All of these are linked to the developm...

26/08/2022

Acupuncture and Natural Treatment Options for Anxiety

Approximately 38 million Americans suffer with chronic anxiety or depression. One out of eight adults are currently taking antidepressant medications. While these medications can offer support and benefit on certain occasions, there are indeed many people that do not respond well to this form of treatment. This can be due to a number of factors including:
Various side effects that outweigh the benefits of the medication
A developed tolerance to the medication that causes the benefits to diminish
Excessive sensitivty to the concentrated nature of these medications
A belief system that suggests that the anxiety is not due to a biochemical imbalance, or that this imbalance is the result of a deeper spiritual issue
In my clinical practice, I have worked with a number of patients who were convinced that they had run out of options after finding medications and/or talk therapy to be ineffective for their needs. Many of these people try acupuncture as a last resort. Based on the experience I have had in working with numerous anxiety ridden patients, I now firmly believe that Chinese medicine, nutritional supplemenation, meditation, and yoga can offer tremendously helpful support in healing the root causes of this epidemic. This approach is much more comprehensive and much less invasive to the brain that using SSRI medications. It accounts for not only biochemical factors, but also energetic, nutritional, and spiritual influences as well.
Acupuncture
Practiced for over 2,500 years, acupuncture is a branch of Chinese medicine that treats the energetic level of the human body/mind. As surprising as it is to most people, acupuncture is usually a profoundly relaxing experience that establishes a deep quality of restoration and balance to the central nervous system. Most people feel altered, floaty, dreamy, or sleepy after treatment. This feeling tends to stick around for a few hours after the treatment and becomes a more continuous experience with repetitive treatment. Acupuncture works by balancing the flow of Qi, or internal life force, in the body. Anxiety is typically a byproduct of weak Qi in the heart or kidneys. Other symptoms such as low back pain, heart palpitations, insomnia, irritability, or nightmares commonly accompany the anxiety.
Chinese Herbs
There are a number of Chinese herbal formulas that can work wonders for anxiety disorders. Here is a brief list of formulas I commonly use in my practice to treat anxiety.
peaceful spirit formula by Golden Flower
salvia and amber by 7 Forests
heavenly emperor’s formula
free and easy wanderer
suan zao ren tang
calm spirit by Health Concerns
Western herbs can also be helpful. Here is a brief list of herbs that can be bought at the local health food store:
chamomile
valerian
lemon balm
passion flower
kava
Nutrition
One of the most important considerations here is to maintain stable blood sugar throughout the day. The majority of anxiety patients suffer from hypoglycemia. They tend to eat refined carbohydrates and/or drink coffee to start the day, only to experience the typical ‘crash’ around 2-4pm. To keep the blood sugar stable, begin the day with a high protein breakfast such as eggs, turkey bacon, whole oats, or smoothies with whey or goat protein in them. Eat a low glycemic snack every 2-3 hours. Avoid coffee and other forms of caffeine. It can also be revealing to avoid allergenic foods such as wheat, gluten, pasteurized dairy, and refined sugar for one month to see if the anxiety significantly improves.
Here is a brief list of nutritional supplements that can be very helpful in treating anxiety:
5HTP
GABA
Fish oil
B vitamin complex
Meditation and Yoga
Many people find meditation and yoga to be their most powerful allies in healing anxiety. With regular practice of various breathing techniques and yoga postures, people often feel that they have much more control over their anxiety and that it need not run their life anymore. These practices can be direct gateways to the rest and restore mode of the nervous system. On a deeper level, they can help us forge a spiritual connection with our lives that instills an unshakable sense of trust and safety in the workings of the universe.
From a holistive perspective, our symptoms are never random. There is always a reason why they creep up. In the case of anxiety, it is helpful to disengage from our personal feelings about it and look at the bigger picture. What is the anxiety telling us about ourselves and where we are at in life? Is it a warning sign that something is amiss and needs to be acknowledged or changed? In any regard, the practices mentioned here can offer a profound level of support in getting to the root of the problem and inducing a gentle course in a new direction of calmness and insight.

12/08/2022

I had a patient with an irregular heart arrythymia who was going to the doctor to get electric shocks to correct it. After an acupuncture treatment the arrythymia went away. When he came back the next week he said that heart rate had remained normal for the entire week. It's so cool what acupuncture can do.