May 1, 2017

Meet James Baltz of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Center in West Hollywood

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Baltz.

Thanks for sharing your story with us James. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I came to acupuncture and oriental medicine from a background in qigong and tai chi. The philosophy and theory you learn when studying these arts is the foundation of diagnosis and treatment in eastern medicine. My undergraduate work was in anthropology and world music, before going on to earn a master’s degree in acupuncture and oriental medicine, I spent years working in non-profit education outreach and as a museum curator. As in education, I enjoy working closely to help people progress and better themselves. Much of my family has worked in various medical fields as well, and eventually my desire to help people enjoy better health and an improved quality of life led me to the field of acupuncture and herbal medicine. I believe strongly that the more options people have in overcoming health issues, the better off we all are as a society. Oftentimes people feel they have exhausted all of their medical options, or have been basically told, “good luck”, by professionals in the field of biomedicine because frankly so many conditions are simply not understood or have no western medical treatments. This is where oriental medicine really shines in my opinion, because nothing falls outside of the scope of diagnosis. I think you know you have arrived at the right place when you really love learning more about a subject. And I really enjoy diving in more deeply to do my best to help people overcome health issues they may be struggling with.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Honestly, I can say it has been relatively smooth, but the degree is extremely broad and can be overwhelming. It is typically a four-year graduate degree and includes a lot of western biomedicine, as well as acupuncture, herbal medicine, herbs and formulas, diagnosis, and about a thousand hours of clinical practice. Chinese herbs and herbal formulas can prove a pretty daunting obstacle, but at the same time it is a completely fascinating subject. It is always a challenge to continually review a learn more in striving to get the best possible outcomes for your patients. But it is a challenge that is enjoyable and rewarding.

Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Center – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We provide medical care for people looking for help with all kinds of conditions. Obviously, treating pain conditions is something that acupuncture in the west is famous for doing very effectively. It is always nice to see people finally get relief from any kind of pain, because it is never easy to suffer for more than about a week. Women’s health, digestive health, insomnia, depression and anxiety, dermatological issues, and autoimmune conditions are all very common in the clinic as well. It is rewarding to help someone overcome, make progress, or manage a health concern that has eluded most if not all of the other modalities they have sought out for help.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
If you are able to continue to do the work of helping people, then that seems like success to me.

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