Natalie Simak Acupuncture in Columbia, MD

Natalie Simak is a licensed acupuncturist and registered nurse. She treats her patients at the Four Gates Wellness Center in Columbia MD. She has been working in the health care field for over twenty-five years.

She received a Master's Degree of Acupuncture from the Tai Sophia Institute (later renamed to Maryland University of Integrated Health), and she is a Diplomate of Acupuncture from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

Ms. Simak is trained as a certified National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) specialist and an Aroma therapist. She is a current member of the Maryland Acupuncture Society and National Certification Commision for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

Her medical background includes a Bachelor's degree in Nursing from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in 1997 and 17 years of experience working as a registered nurse at the adult medical unit at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and to improve functioning. This is done by inserting fine needles or applying heat at specific acupuncture points. Acupuncture has been used in China for over 2,500 years for both medical treatment and general health improvement. Today acupuncture is used in virtually all countries as a proven therapeutic technique. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, over 3.1 million U.S. adults and 150,000 children reported using acupuncture in the previous year. Between the 2002 and 2007 NHIS, acupuncture use among adults increased by approximately 1 million people.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction to the movement in these meridians dams up the energy on one side, while cutting off the supply downstream. The meridians can be influenced by acupuncture needles applied at certain points. The acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions and reestablish the regular flow of energy.

Pain? We Can Help!

Whether you have headaches, back pain, foot pain, neck pain, joint pain, shoulder pain, pain from arthritis or menstrual cramps, we can help!

Pain is a feeling triggered by the nervous system. It may be sharp or dull, off-and-on or steady, as well as localized or widespread. Pain can last for weeks, months, or even years. Sometimes, pain alerts us to injuries and illnesses that need attention. Chronic pain may be due to an ongoing condition, such as arthritis, abnormal activity in pain-sensing regions of the brain, or the cause may not be known.

To suppress pain, many take over-the-counter medications — either acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Stronger medications, including NSAIDs in higher dosages and narcotics, are available by prescription only.

Acupuncture is the first alternative to drugs for pain relief.

Many women are asking if acupuncture can help with infertility. Infertility could have many underlying causes that your acupuncturist really needs to look at your particular case in order to determine the answer and the right treatment. Female reproductive system is one of the most complicated and fragile systems of the human body.

In general, acupuncture works to restore the flow of Qi — your essence, your body energy. With regards to infertility, acupuncture treatment has a calming, restorative effect that increases a sense of well-being and ultimately helps the body to accept the creation of life. Acupuncture research doctors around the world have conducted a number of studies that show that acupuncture definitely increases your chance of getting pregnant.