Baltimore Acupuncture For Health

Jill Ellen Smith, L.AC, M.AC, Dipl. Ac., NCCAOM, RN, MSN has been practicing in the Healing Arts for over 40 years. Her career began as a Registered Nurse at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland where she specialized in Med/Surgical nursing and later Psychiatric nursing when she received her Masters Degree in Nursing at the University of Maryland. Her graduate degree in Nursing was a natural first step into the holistic approach and philosophy of her graduate degree in Chinese Medicine. Jill blends her vast nursing background into her acupuncture treatments as she treats a wide variety of physical and emotional/spiritual issues. She has effectively treated anxiety, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, skin disorders, fibromyalgia, menopausal and menstrual disorders, TMJ, infertility and back/neck/shoulder pain, just to name a few. She holds a Masters degree in Acupuncture and is Licensed and Nationally Certified with NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine - Public Protection Through Quality Credentials). Jill's patients benefit from her years of academic studies, her acupuncture treatment experience, and her life experience as a wife and a mother of two teenagers.

Our Philosophy

At Baltimore Acupuncture, we believe that all suffering is rooted in the Spirit, as stated in Chinese classics. Our acupuncture experience can be a part of the journey that brings healing and balance. We combine life coaching with acupuncture because lifestyle assessment and "tweaking" are always addressed. The biggest difference between eastern and western medicine is the empowerment for the patient. We believe that the patient is not a passive recipient, but rather the most significant factor in the progress made.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the practice of stimulating the meridians of the body to effect our qi (or Energy). Traditionally, the meridians have been stimulated by using needles to insert through the acupuncture points on the skin. An acupuncturist is trained to diagnose where the imbalances are in the body (mind and spirit), that are causing the symptoms.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) encompasses several methods designed to help patients achieve and maintain health. TCM incorporates acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion; manipulative and massage techniques - tuina and gua sha; herbal medicine; diet and lifestyle changes; meditation; and exercise - qigong or tai chi.

Nutrition

Nutrition and hydration are major forces in your restoration to balance. We believe that "you are what you eat."

Cupping

Cupping is a technique used by the practitioner to create a negative pressure inside the cup so that when applied to a patient's skin, a suction effect is the result. Some cups used actually have a port that a suction device is attached to in order to create the suction. We commonly use glass cups and create the negative pressure by lighting an alcohol soaked cotton ball with a match.

Acupuncture and Acupressure

A session may incorporate any or several of the following interventions: acupuncture, acupressure, essential oils, electrical stimulation, cupping, gua sha, moxa.

Nutrition Coaching

Whole food nutrition is the key to a healthier diet. If a patient wants to delve deeper, we can look at patterns and habits in life that may not be serving your own growth or journey.

Health Coaching

A symptom or complaint usually does not occur as an isolated incident. Together we will explore lifestyle patterns that are contributing to your disharmony.

Effective Treatment

The National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize acupuncture to be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of problems. Some of the issues that we commonly treat in our practice include: Allergies, Anxiety-Depression, Arthritis, Asthma, Back and Disc Problems, Blood Pressure, Cancer-Oncology, Cholesterol, Colds, Cough and Flu, Diabetes, Diet and Nutrition, Digestion-Intestinal issues, Headache-Migraine, Menstrual disorders, Muscle Aches, Sprains and Strains, Pain Management, Skin Problems-Dermatology, Sleep/Insomnia, Spinal Problems, Stress, Women's Health-ObGyn, Yeast.