Most people have just a few needles in their homes: on the record player, at the sewing machine or in a haystack. But in Ocean City, Md., one man is surrounded by needles, and they’re not for sewing.
Mark Stoehr is a licensed acupuncturist. He specializes in pain management, weight loss and wellness promotion using a method that might, speaking plainly, freak some people out. Stoehr, though, said it should do anything but that.
“It’s harmonizing. It’s very gentle,” said Stoehr. “It’s bringing the person back into balance.”
Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into certain places in the body.
“By inserting the needles, you’re manipulating the body’s nervous system – that’s the Western way of looking at it,” said Stoehr.
The Chinese, who have practiced acupuncture for thousands of years, would say the needles manipulate the body’s energy.
“A lot of people think this energy thing is farfetched, but really it’s just the energy that keeps your heart beating and your eyes glistening,” said Stoehr. “It’s pretty straightforward.”
Stoehr compared the treatment to dealing with a kink in a garden hose. By un-kinking the channels, water can flow freely. When energy flows easily through the body, there is less emotional and physical pain. But if water (or energy) doesn’t flow, then the plants (or human body) will not be nourished.
“People have these obstructions, and they get depressed because they’re not getting the right blood or energy flow to the brain,” Stoehr explained.
Scientifically speaking, acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release endorphins and neurotransmitters that can block pain and literally heal the body. The body reacts and heats up with increased circulation.
“It’s pretty founded in science,” Stoehr said.
A common misconception about acupuncture is that it’s only to treat pain, but Stoehr said he is trained to treat almost any ailment, except emergent issues.
Acupuncture, he said, can help with allergies, depression, headaches, hypertension, nausea, arthritis, insomnia, gynecological issues, effects of stroke, weight management, pains all over the body and more.
Stoehr’s own medical issues led him to acupuncture during college. He suffered from a tumor, which meant surgery, radiation and complications leading to a lot of pain. Western medicine wasn’t doing the trick, and doctors had no other options.
That’s when his aunt recommended acupuncture, from her own experience with cancer. At last, Stoehr found some relief in acupuncture, meditation and herbal medicine.
“That really saved my life,” Stoehr said. “I was just a young guy, and I couldn’t have gone through the rest of my life in that much pain.”
Stoehr graduated with a degree in business, but the unique medical treatment lingered in his mind. He realized he wanted to help other people through acupuncture. So he earned a second bachelor’s degree, majoring in pre-med, and a master’s degree of acupuncture from Tia Sophia Institute in Laurel, Md.
The master’s degree required three years of study, similar to a nurse practitioner or physical therapist. He also taught at the institute for two years while simultaneously practicing in Ocean City, Md.
Acupuncture isn’t just about poking people.
Treatment varies from person to person, depending on the ailment and cause. There may be specific protocol for treating an ailment, but Stoehr also looks for the root of the problem.
“I attempt to look at what is happening in that person’s life to contribute to their emotional suffering,” Stoehr said, “because there’s a huge body-mind connection.”
One person might have been in a car accident, which has very obviously contributed to her back pain. Another person might be dealing with stress that has manifested itself physically.
Stoehr’s training included counseling, which helps determine the lifestyle factors that contribute to pain. Grief, anxiety and depression lead to negative energy, he said, which can be revealed through physical pain. Sometimes Stoehr just talks to people and provides an element of human interaction.
“A lot of times, by helping someone to see the world through a new perspective, it relaxes the mind, and then the body relaxes, and then they’re in less pain, emotionally and physically,” Stoehr said.
His multifaceted approach for each treatment usually includes acupuncture, herbal medication and nutritional counseling.
Depending on age and ailment, a person might get anywhere from five to 50 needles on various channels along the body.
“We’re not injecting anything into the body,” Stoehr emphasized. “We’re inserting needles and letting the body heal itself with its own healing ability that we’re all born with.”
The needles themselves are sterile, disposable and single-use only. They are not thick, compared to a syringe needle. The smallest needle is just a half-inch in length and flexible like a paintbrush bristle. Stoehr said most people wouldn’t even feel it at a quarter-inch depth.
Others pins are several inches in length. These might be inserted in a fleshy hip area. Many needles are silicone-coated, so they just slide right in the skin.
“That’s a little creepy,” Stoehr laughingly admitted. “It brings them a lot of relief. Most of the time people honestly don’t feel it.”
Hands and feet are very sensitive, so Stoehr is careful if he ever places a needle there.
Ultimately, Stoehr works to a patient’s comfort level, although sometimes a person needs a little jolt to start healing.
Needles are not everyone’s cup of tea. Stoehr suggested people give it a chance, because he’s helped some folks overcome their fear of needles. But he can also do acupressure, laser acupuncture or just massage and herbal supplements.
Stoehr never guarantees that people will be healed, but he said most patients get great results. Sometimes people have a specific ailment that does not improve, but another aspect of their lives will improve. A patient’s back pain might not heal, but a week later, she’ll mention that her acid reflux disappeared.
“Not everyone benefits the same way,” Stoehr said. “I really work hard to make sure they get some sort of relief.”
One acupuncture session may have miraculous results for one person, while 10 treatments provide no relief to another. That’s why Stoehr’s practice also incorporates herbal medicine, massage and stretching.
Perhaps further proof of acupuncture’s versatility is its successful effect on animals.
“It’s amazing. You see an animal limp into an office, they get a few needles, and they walk out. And that’s not in their head.”
Stoehr plans to soon be certified in animal acupuncture.
Stoehr admits he’s “passionate” about acupuncture and nutrition. He regularly treats himself for ailments and doesn’t need to visit the doctor often.
“It is empowering for me to know that there are alternatives and I can utilize them,” he said.
Although he respects traditional medicine, Stoehr said he is concerned about the safety of it. He said he sees medical errors, such as staph infections resulting from minor surgeries or prescribed medications that harm the body. Stoehr himself once suffered from a serious drug interaction that nearly resulted in overdose.
Herbal medicine is plant-based, so, Stoehr said, it’s generally milder than traditional pills. If white willow tree bark eases pain, then aspirin synthesizes the bark’s medicinal property and pumps up the dosage, Stoehr said.
Herbal supplements don’t use the strong synthesized pills that have a reputation for being dangerously addictive, such as amphetamine or oxycodone.
“Nothing that I prescribe is at all habit-forming. I won’t prescribe anything unless it’s 100 percent safe,” said Stoehr, who often researches nutritional supplements.
Acupuncture is similar to physical therapy, so it’s becoming more mainstream. Many insurance companies now cover treatment, and there has been Congressional discussion about adding it to Medicare.
“I don’t consider it to be alternative healthcare,” Stoehr said. “It certainly can be, to surgery or medication. I consider it to be at even level with any other medical approach.”
Stoehr’s primary form of medicine is Chinese medicine, and he said people can choose if they prefer a more conventional approach or a more natural way.
More information on acupuncture can be found online at www.marksacupuncture.com or at Mark Stoehr’s practice at (410) 707-1540.
“For me it’s about safety. It’s about the long-term effects on my body.”
