Uptown Acupuncture

I had so much pain muscle pain due to the surgery and Morton neuroma on my foot. I had three sessions with Kirk which helped tremendously with pain effects. Kirk was really professional during sessions and very knowledgeable in this field. The facility has its own parking and the rooms are very quiet and nicely decorated.

I found him on Yelp and am so happy I did!

Popak R.

“I am writing to express my gratitude for the services Justin Penoyer has provided me over the past 1.5 years.

I went to him seeking help with infertility issues and have been more than pleased with the result:
I became pregnant with my second child, Samantha, and am currently pregnant with another baby! Justin’s services have been instrumental in bringing about a solution to infertility‐related issues I have been facing for seven years.

I have found Justin to be very personable, flexible, and loyal to his patients. At times I’ve truly seen him go above and beyond in meeting the needs of his patients. I felt he actually listened to me first, and then created a strategy that, admittedly, has brought me to the healthiest state I have ever been in. I have recommended Justin to many of my friends, and am more than happy to drive down from North San Diego County. I wholeheartedly recommend him to you, and I plan on continuing to see him throughout this pregnancy and beyond.”

Willer, P.
10/28/10

For those reading on Twitter and Facebook, the full testimonial is available online at www.UptownAcupuncture.net

I have a medical condition known as stenosis, which is the narrowing of the spine.

When aggravated it can cause difficulty walking, numbness in legs and arms and severe pain. Often times my stenosis would require me to take extended time off from work due to the intolerable pain. In the past my doctors treated me with a combination of anti-inflammatory or pain medication and on severe instances with back injections.

I started seeing Kirk because there just wasn’t anything more the doctor could do for me.

I’d never had acupuncture but I was in such pain and discomfort that I was willing to try anything.

I found Kirk and Uptown Acupuncture San Diego, using my insurance directory for optional treatment.  Then I read his reviews on Yelp and felt he would be the one for me.  My doctor told me that because of the stenosis I would always have some sort of pain. So I wasn’t sure what to expect but hoped acupuncture could at the very least make the pain manageable.

What I got was much more than I could have ever imagined.

Within a few treatments not only was the pain gone but also I could feel all my fingers and all my toes again.

My doctor told me I probably wouldn’t ever get that feeling back. In addition to helping the stenosis his treatments helped me sleep better at night, which made me feel more energized during the day.  I had a history of poor sleep. So much so I would dread the night because I knew it would be another struggle to fall asleep.  Now I just LOVE sleeping and look forward to it everyday.

I’m feeling so much better that recently I started working out again.

Something I had been terrified to do because it would only be a matter of time before it would aggravate the stenosis and I’d be back to my pain pills and back injections.  Thanks to my regular acupuncture appointments, pain pills are a thing of the past.

I cannot say enough about Kirk’s treatments; he has absolutely changed my life!

I’m more active and energetic and feel healthier and stronger than I’ve ever felt. The whole experience has left me feeling renewed and revived. The only side effect I know of is that I can’t tell when it’s going to rain anymore.  And that’s a side effect I can certainly live with.  He has such a fun personality that I look forward to and enjoy our sessions.  He will walk you through the entire process so you are comfortable and at ease.

I highly recommend Kirk and Uptown Acupuncture San Diego to anyone considering acupuncture.

Dina Muller

El Cajon, CA

2/2010

Winter and Fall allergies can cause a great deal of discomfort in many people, young or old.

Symptoms include sneezing, congestion, runny nose and red, itchy eyes. Western medicine typically prescribes antihistamines, decongestants, or drugs that act on the nervous system. Dovetailing these efforts are steps to avoid the allergens altogether. While these may be effective in treating the allergic response, they often have undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness, immune system suppression or over-reliance on medications.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can offer an alternative to these Western approaches, treating the whole person and recognizing that people with chronic allergies often show signs of spleen or kidney deficiency,(low battery power is a good analogy) even lung problems. TCM considers allergies or hay fever as a manifestation of Wind invading the upper body. This occurs because one’s Wei (or protective Qi) or the “Force Field” as Kirk calls it, has been weakened, which explains why a Chinese herbalist may address these allergies by building up the body’s defensive Qi.

The goal is not only to treat one’s acute symptoms and provide immediate relief, but to treat any underlying immune system imbalances, which may be the real cause of one’s allergy problems.

Such treatments may take the form of acupuncture and revising one’s diet, including the addition of specific herbal formulas.

There are many holistic Chinese herbal formulas that TCM practitioners use to treat allergies.

Xiao Qing Long Wan or Minor Blue Dragon is one often-prescribed formula. It is usually taken when one suffers from a sensitivity to cold, or to treat chills, fever (without sweating), body aches, wheezing, a cough that produces clear to white mucus, congestion in the chest, and a thick white coating on the tongue. The pills should be taken with plenty of water and for short duration only.

Astra 8, another herbal formula, combines the advantages of an immune system enhancer with an energy tonic. It contains astragalus (huang qi), a herb that some believe can enhance the body’s immune system and offers some antiviral properties. What’s more, the herbs in Astra 8 are Qi tonics that support astragalus to boost the immune and energy systems. Other formulations include Pei Min Kan Wan, which can relieve the discomfort of fall allergies, and Fang Feng Xin Yi Wan, which may help those suffering from hay fever.

Besides these formulas, TCM further advocates replacing coffee with catechin-rich green tea, which provides anti-allergy actions. Even Chrysanthemum tea-made from dried flowers-can also help reduce allergy symptoms. Some TCM herbalists may recommend quercetin, a bioflavonoid, which has been shown to stabilize mast cells (this slows down the body’s release of histamine and other chemicals related to allergic symptoms). This is something that is in Aller-Essentials by Pure Encapsulation, available at Uptown Acupuncture San Diego. Lest we not forget radishes; they cool and moisten, which makes them ideal for treating dry, itchy allergy eyes. They can also help clear the sinuses, drain mucous and ease sore throats.

Those sensitive to ragweed and similar fall blooms, should boost their immune system before the fall allergy season arrives. That means seeing one’s TCM practitioner about acupuncture now, for it can take awhile for these procedures to help with allergic symptoms. People who wait until they start sneezing or suffer from a sinus headache, will find they’ve acted too late. Building immunity to fall allergies is best done weekly for four to six weeks. Those who suffer from ragweed allergies should begin treatment immediately. Individuals who can’t tolerate cedar should start treatment no later than October 1.

Washing the sinus cavities with a Netti pot and a saline solution or Simply Saline spray can wash the reactive allergens out.

When you are exposed to grasses or pollens or anything outside, it sticks in the wet nasal mucosa and will begin to irritate, causing a histamine reaction. By irrigating the sinus, you remove the reactive agent and can drastically reduce symptoms naturally.

We recommend in all cases that you consult with a trusted health care professionals like Justin and Kirk at Uptown Acupuncture San Diego before taking any nutritional supplements or discontinuing any medication.

By Alex A. Kecskes, additions by Kirk Pfeiffer M.S. L.Ac.

What is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. Functional medicine practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. In this way, functional medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.

Why Do We Need Functional Medicine?

• Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.
• The system of medicine practiced by most physicians is oriented toward acute care, the diagnosis and treatment of trauma or illness that is of short duration and in need of urgent care, such as appendicitis or a broken leg. Physicians apply specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or surgery that aim to treat the immediate problem or symptom.
• Unfortunately, the acute-care approach to medicine lacks the proper methodology and tools for preventing and treating complex, chronic disease. In most cases it does not take into account the unique genetic makeup of each individual or factors such as environmental exposures to toxins and the aspects of today’s lifestyle that have a direct influence on the rise in chronic disease in modern Western society.
• There’s a huge gap between research and the way doctors practice. The gap between emerging research in basic sciences and integration into medical practice is enormous—as long as 50 years—particularly in the area of complex, chronic illness.
• Most physicians are not adequately trained to assess the underlying causes of complex, chronic disease and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet, and exercise to both treat and prevent these illnesses in their patients.

How is Functional Medicine Different?

Functional medicine involves understanding the origins, prevention, and treatment of complex, chronic disease. Hallmarks of a functional medicine approach include:

• Patient-centered care. The focus of functional medicine is on patient-centered care, promoting health as a positive vitality, beyond just the absence of disease. By listening to the patient and learning his or her story, the practitioner brings the patient into the discovery process and tailors treatments that address the individual’s unique needs.
• An integrative, science-based healthcare approach. Functional medicine practitioners look “upstream” to consider the complex web of interactions in the patient’s history, physiology, and lifestyle that can lead to illness. The unique genetic makeup of each patient is considered, along with both internal (mind, body and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect total functioning.
• Integrating best medical practices. Functional medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with what are sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine, creating a focus on prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise; use of the latest laboratory testing and other diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines, supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, or stress-management techniques.

Working with a Functional Medicine Practitioner

Functional medicine practitioners promote wellness by focusing on the fundamental underlying factors that influence every patient’s experience of health and disease.

The Functional Medicine Approach to Assessment

The functional medicine practitioner assesses the patient’s fundamental clinical imbalances through careful history taking, physical examination, and laboratory testing. Multiple factors will be considered, including:

• Environmental inputs – The air you breathe and the water you drink, the particular diet you eat, the quality of the food available to you, your level of physical exercise, and toxic exposures or traumasyou have experienced all affect your health.
• Mind-body elements – Psychological, spiritual, and social factors all can have a profound influence on your health. Considering these areas helps the functional medicine practitioner see your health in the context of you as a whole person, not just your physical symptoms.
• Genetic makeup – Although individual genes may make you more susceptible to some diseases, your DNA is not an unchanging blueprint for your life. Emerging research shows that your genes may be influenced by everything in your environment, as well as your experiences, attitudes, and beliefs. That means it is possible to change the way genes are activated and expressed.

Through assessment of these underlying causes and triggers of dysfunction, the functional medicine practitioner is able to understand how key processes are affected. These are the body’s processes that keep you alive. Some occur at the cellular level and involve how cells function, repair, and maintain themselves. These processes are related to larger biological functions, such as:

• how your body rids itself of toxins
• regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters
• immune system function
• inflammatory responses

All of these processes are influenced by both environmental factors and your genetic make-up; when they are disturbed or imbalanced, they lead to symptoms, which can lead to disease if effective interventions are not applied.

A Comprehensive Approach to Treatment

Most imbalances in functionality can be addressed; some can be completely restored to optimum function, and others can be substantially improved.

• Prevention is paramount. Virtually every complex, chronic disease is preceded by long-term disturbances in functionality.
• Changing how the systems function can have a major impact on the patient’s health. The functional medicine practitioner examines a wide array of available interventions and customizes a treatment plan including those with the most impact on underlying functionality.
• Functional medicine expands the clinician’s tool kit. Treatments may include combinations of drugs, botanical medicines, nutritional supplements, therapeutic diets, or detoxification programs. They may also include counseling on lifestyle, exercise, or stress-management techniques.
• The patient becomes a partner. As a patient, you become an active partner with your functional medicine practitioner. This allows you to really be in charge of improving your own health andchanging the outcome of disease.

©2008 The Institute for Functional Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest continuous systems of medicine in history, with recorded instances dating as far back as two thousand years before the birth of Christ. This is in sharp contrast to the American or Western forms of health care, which have been in existence for some 150 years.

Traditional Chinese medicine is a major healthcare system for over one quarter of the world’s population, and is the fastest growing medical profession in the United States. Chinese medicine is a major health-care method in the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. Its apparent success there has led to its adoption in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.

Chinese herbal medicine is today practiced in some of the most advanced hospitals around the world. Right now, acupuncturists are working side by side with medical doctors, and herbal solutions are administered via IV drips. Common, chronic diseases and non-emergency medical needs are being managed with natural medicines, food, and lifestyle modifications.

In recent years, the healing properties of natural herbs have received wide public attention and medical validation in the West. With a growing recognition in the West of the medicinal values of Chinese herbs, there is a greatly increased demand for trained herbal physicians with advanced understanding of biochemistry and drug-herb interactions. However, many American patients and physicians remain unaware of when it is appropriate to seek a TCM practitioner, or what Chinese medicine effectively treats.

To the casual observer, an herbalist skilled in the methods of clinical Chinese herbology appears to operate as any other herbalist around the world. However, if we look more closely at the routine of a skilled herbalist, we will observe several curious techniques that are considered essential by all properly trained Chinese herbalists.

While taking an individual’s pulse the herbalist seems to take an inordinate amount of time; palpation of the radial pulse is performed not just at one position, but at several positions and depths at both wrists. The Chinese herbalist also carefully inspects the tongue, noting the color, thickness and distribution of tongue coating, and color and texture of tongue body. She will ask about the individual’s complaints and symptoms, especially those which reveal the individual’s metabolic and neuro-endocrine characteristics, such as thirst, appetite, perception of body heat or coolness, general energy level, urination and bowels, moods and mental states. After pondering and evaluating all of this information, she will develop an herbal formula that is tailored to her patient’s constitution, as well as the chief complaint and primary symptoms.

This is the specialty of the skilled Chinese herbalist—the art of herbal compounding. In laymen’s terms, that’s the ability to blend herbs together in a way that increases its effectiveness and decreases the likelihood of adverse effect. This is in contrast to Western herbalism, which primarily uses single herbs to treat the same symptom or disease found in all patients, regardless of the individual constitution that underlies their illness. This is why you hear one person say they tried an “herb” at the health food store because their friend received results and they had no results at all.

Chinese herbal formulas may include as many as 15 different herbs that are crafted carefully to work synergistically,  including herbs that treat a patient’s main symptoms as well as the their entire constitutional presentation. This prescription-writing method allows the practitioner maximum flexibility in writing an individualized and easily-modifiable prescription. So when the patient complains of the flu, they receive herbs that are known virus-killers as well as herbs that treat how the flu is presenting, at that moment, in the patient. That is the beauty, and strength, of Chinese herbal medicine.

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I recently visited Kirk at Uptown Acupuncture San Diego for my first acupuncture treatment.

I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive at first because I was skeptical that it would actually work.

And there was also the whole thing about having needles placed all over my body that caused me to not be too excited.

I play the piano and after years of beating up my hands I was at a point where I was experiencing constant pain and could barely make a fist. Kirk immediately put me at ease and made me feel very comfortable. He explained the entire process and answered all on my questions. He also gave me a lot of good everyday advice I could follow to help elevate my pain.

The process itself was effortless.

He had soft music playing and after he had placed all the needles in the right spots to move my energy around, I simply closed my eyes and relaxed. After he came back in the room and removed the needles I instantly felt relief. I knew immediately that this was a wise decision.

I played the piano the next day at church and I was able to play some awesome chords and do some really quick runs that I hadn’t been able to play in years.

With a few more treatments people might mistake me for Liberace – now I just need the frilly outfits and off the Vegas I go

Thank you Kirk. I am looking forward to coming back and continuing my treatment. I really appreciated your genuine concern for me and for helping me to experience to benefits of acupuncture.

Jeff Hall   44, San Diego

At Uptown Acupuncture San Diego, we take great pride in facilitating a great first experience for our clients. We know the idea of having needles placed in the body can be unnerving for some people. The fact that our first timers stay with us and continue treatment is just another reason why you should give acupuncture a try at Uptown Acupuncture San Diego!

For those on Facebook and Twitter, the full article can be seen on www.uptownacupuncture.net, thanks for reading!
Having had a severe on the job injury about 12 years ago, I have become accustomed to regular flare ups in my neck and back about every six months. Yesterday morning I awakened to the worst neck and back pain I have felt since the initial injury. Merely moving my fingers wracked my body in pain and made me yelp out to the point where my dog was getting scared for me.

After dealing with the nightmare for half a day, and taking medications that did not work. I contacted Kirk and thought I would give his acupuncture a try, he was able to move things around and see me that day!

I had never had acupuncture before, as I am a “needle-phobe”. I was willing to try anything at that point. Kirk’s demeanor is very relaxing and he was able to find the problem spots very quickly, I actually could have stayed on the table all evening. After an hour of his treatment I was able to put my shirt back on by myself, lifting my arms over my head, with minimal discomfort.

This morning when I awoke, knowing I had 3 important appointments, I then realized I had ZERO pain, and no side effects or discomfort whatsoever.
I am no longer a “needle-phobe”, and will be a regular client of Kirk’s when the need arises in the future.

Glenn Burch, age 40

1/21/10,  Hillcrest. CA

Heike (65 yo tax preparer – Jul 14, 2009)

note:  The balance method is just one of the many acupuncture styles employed by Kirk, point selection is based on pattern differentiation and constitutional client type.