East-West Rheumatology

10/22/2025

Unlocking the Healing Potential of Acupuncture in Conjunction with Western Medicine:
"When it comes to our health, the fusion of Eastern and Western approaches opens doors to a holistic medical solution. “Acupuncture first” is not just a catchphrase; it’s a paradigm shift that challenges the traditional norms of immediate aggressive interventions in Western medicine."

To learn more, click the link below:

Unlocking the Healing Potential of Acupuncture in Conjunction with Western Medicine When it comes to our health, the fusion of Eastern and Western approaches opens doors to a holistic medical solution. “Acupuncture first” is not just a catchphrase; it’s a paradigm shift that challenges the tra...

10/15/2025

What is Microneedling?

Ever wondered how celebrities maintain their flawless skin? The secret might just be microneedling, a revolutionary skin rejuvenation technique that’s been creating waves in the beauty industry. But what exactly is it, and why is it so popular? Let’s dive in.

Click the link below to learn more about the benefits of Microneedling which is provided by Nevin Turk, LAc at East-West Rheumatology:

Ever wondered how celebrities maintain their flawless skin? The secret might just be microneedling, a revolutionary skin rejuvenation ....

10/10/2025

When was the last time someone took a good look at your tongue?

Sure, we all know it helps us taste, chew, swallow, and speak, but in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it does much more than that—it’s like a mirror for your whole body’s health. A quick glance at your tongue could reveal much more than you think, making tongue examination an essential practice in this ancient healing art.

Ready to take the next step? Click the link to our website to book your appointment:
https://eastwestmd.com/

10/05/2025

Due to Congressional inaction, Medicare telehealth flexibilities expired on Wednesday, October 1. This will have an immediate impact on all Medicare patients and providers utilizing telehealth services.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare waived certain requirements it had in place for telehealth services. Due to the overwhelmingly positive results of those flexibilities, Congress continued to extend them.

However, because the extension of these flexibilities was tied to government funding negotiations, the government shutdown means that the following flexibilities have expired:
Read more below.

Dr. Zarbalian will continue to provide in-person medical care for our medicare patients. Unfortunately telemedicine flexibility is no longer supported by CMS.

https://www.entnet.org/news/medicare-telehealth-flexibilities-just-expired-now-what/

10/03/2025

"The gut microbiome is a critical player in maintaining human health, and its modulation by herbal medicines is a burgeoning area of research.
My clinical experience shows that herbal interventions can be harnessed to alleviate gastrointestinal disorders, support immune function, and even impact metabolic health.
This is accomplished by viewing the body as an ecosystem and using the traditional understanding of herbs to help balance a disordered ecosystem"-Dr. Zarbalian

Click our website link below to learn more about our practice:
https://eastwestmd.com/

aupuncture

09/24/2025

The corporatization of medicine leads to lower quality and higher costs. Eventhough the upfront cost is lower, the downstream costs of diagnoses that are missed, incorrect treatments that are provided, and the complications that arise from these mistakes are paid for by our communities and families.
- Dr. Yousef Zarbalian

Dr. Debbie Fletcher co-authored a 2022 study that uncovered the troubling lack of full-time physician presence in many ERs. In her CNN interview, she explains how allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to practice unsupervised encourages corporations to replace physicians with cheaper labor to cut costs and boost profits. https://buff.ly/SW0qQHX

09/24/2025

Welcome Dr. Rasa 🍃
One-on-one coaching! Now at East West Rheumatology- where science meets self healing.

Click our website link below for more information:
https://eastwestmd.com/

09/03/2025

💡What is Prolotherapy:

Prolotherapy is a regenerative injection therapy that stimulates the body’s natural healing response. By introducing a small amount of dextrose (a sugar solution) into targeted areas such as ligaments, tendons, or joints.
This gentle stimulation signals the body to send healing cells to the area, encouraging tissue repair, reducing inflammation, and strengthening weakened structures.
Over time, prolotherapy can help restore stability, improve function, and relieve chronic pain—especially in cases where tissues have become lax, irritated, or slow to heal.
Unlike treatments that simply mask symptoms, prolotherapy works with your body to rebuild and repair, offering a more sustainable path to recovery.

Click the link to learn more:
https://eastwestmd.com/restore-whats-worn-rebuild-whats-weak-renew-whats-possible/

09/03/2025

Dr. Zarbalian:
"Microplastics have grave impacts on human health and our immune systems that have important implications for preventative medicine. While still an early area of research, so far signs point to negative downstream impacts in terms of exacerbating disease and likely even causing disease via disruption of the gut microbiome. The Guardian's shining a light on the research work coming out of University of Toulouse is important as we grapple with the fact that our exposure to microplastics is even higher than previously estimated.⁠ "

The Guardian:
"Every breath people take in their homes or car probably contains significant amounts of microplastics small enough to burrow deep into lungs, new peer-reviewed research finds, bringing into focus a little understood route of exposure and health threat.⁠
⁠
The study, published in the journal Plos One, estimates humans can inhale as much as 68,000 tiny plastic particles daily. Previous studies have identified larger pieces of airborne microplastics, but those are not as much of a health threat because they do not hang in the air as long, or move as deep into the pulmonary system.⁠"
⁠
Lihua, Chang, and Tang Zhiyin. "Microplastics aggravates rheumatoid arthritis by affecting the proliferation/migration/inflammation of fibroblast-like synovial cells by regulating mitochondrial homeostasis." International Immunopharmacology 120 (2023): 110268.

Urrutia-Pereira, Marilyn, et al. "Microplastics exposure and immunologic response." Allergologia et immunopathologia 51.5 (2023): 57-65.

05/23/2025

As a physician board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology with additional expertise in acupuncture and herbal medicine, Dr. Yousef Zarbalian is uniquely qualified to provide comprehensive medical care for a wide variety of medical conditions. There are many medical conditions for which modern rheumatology has limited treatment options. The ability to look through a different lens (traditional medicine which includes acupuncture, nutritional modification, and herbal medicine) at each person’s unique condition opens up options which would not even be considered in a standard western medical clinic. We can provide the best of both approaches (western pharmacology as well as holistic modalities) to our patients.

With regards to hypermobility syndrome and EDS, Dr. Zarbalian brings a wealth of experience as an internist and rheumatologist with diagnosing and managing these conditions.

As a physician board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology with additional expertise in acupuncture and herbal medicine, Dr. Yousef Zarbalian is uniquely qualified to provide comprehensive medical care for a wide variety of medical conditions. There are many medical conditions for which mo...

01/17/2025

Did you know? Your “doctor” might not actually be a physician (MD/DO). In healthcare settings, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PA’s) are increasingly using the term “doctor” when they take care of patients. Their doctorate degrees – Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of DMSc – do not include the classes or experiences that are critical to patient care. Instead they are largely classes on management and quality improvement.

A board-certified physician (MD/DO/MBBS) has multiple years of standardized classes and experiences that are critical to patient care.

Know your rights: Ask for clarity about your healthcare provider’s qualifications.

PPP is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring physician-led care for all patients and to advocating for truth and transparency regarding the credentials of healthcare practitioners.