Content on this website is intended for general information only. For answers
to your specific questions or to schedule treatment, we invite you to
contact us at 301-588-5858.
Referring Patients for Acupuncture Treatment
Clinical information such as diagnoses, blood chemistry reports and interpretation of imaging studies may be faxed to Dr. Windsor at 443-308-5690. Our office accepts phone calls 7 days a week at 301-588-5858. All treatments at our office are provided by Dr. Eric Windsor.
"A large part of my work is on the design of acupuncture treatment plans
which can be safely used along with many therapies which have been
studied in randomized controlled trials. This includes pharmaceuticals,
biologicals, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, physical therapy, IVF,
surgery, cardioversion, psychotherapy, TMS, ECT, or implanted devices
which might be offered by a patient's other healthcare providers."
Dr. Eric Windsor, D.Ac.
Dr. Eric Windsor, D.Ac.
For more information directed toward healthcare professionals and clinics, you can click on the buttons below. You're welcome to contact our office before providing a referral, with general questions, to help ensure that the patient's health concerns are managed appropriately. For example, depending on the condition or symptoms, we might sometimes recommend that a particular issue is ruled out before the patient is referred to us.
Autoimmune Conditions
Conditions which have typically responded well in Dr. Windsor's practice include:
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Myasthenia Gravis
• ANCA Vasculitis
• Lupus (SLE)
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MACS)
• Addison's disease
Cancer Care
Dr. Windsor provides treatments for certain side effects of chemotherapy with especially high success rates in treatment of neuropathy. He also provides treatment for side-effects of radiation thererapy. He is a co-author on publications in biochemistry including cancer research with Johns Hopkins University Department of Oncology.
Over the past 15 years, Dr. Windsor has provided acupuncture for patients with cancer of the colon, breast, pancreas, ovary, appendix, lung, thymus, prostate, liver, spine, head and neck, parotid, pituitary, thyroid, and larynx, as well as leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, MGUS, and cancer-related genetic syndromes including neurofibromatosis. Most of these conditions are relatively rare. He gained some of this experience during an internship in acupuncture for integrative cancer care at Kauffman Cancer Center of Upper Chesapeake Health.
Common Conditions
Dr. Windsor is typically successful treating patients with these common conditions:
• Ostearthritis
• Lower Back Pain
• Ankle Pain
• Sciatica
• Neuropathy
• Muscle Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Peyronie's Disease
• Migraine Headaches
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
• Many types of exercise injuries
• Certain types of shoulder pain
• Certain types of pain related to osteoporosis
Other common conditions treated by Dr. Windsor are listed under the headings of Mental Health, Obstetrics and Gynecological, Neurological Conditions, and Trauma Recovery.
Genetic Conditions
Conditions which have typically responded well to Dr. Windsor's treatment include:
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Familial Hypertriglyceridemia
Conditions which appear to respond with temporary relief include:
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Conditions which may respond favorably to treatment include:
• AAT Deficiency
• Polycystic Kidney Disease
Dr. Windsor also has experience caring for patients with:
• Neurofibromatosis
• G6PD Deficiency
Mental Healh
Dr. Windsor has typically been successful treating patients with these conditions and situations:
• Depression (moderate severity, patient is working or going to school)
• Anxiety
• Grief
• PTSD
• Panic disorders
• Alcohol overuse
• Impatience and frustration
• Anxiety after thyroidectomy
• Illness-related depression
• Existential or spiritual crisis
• A desire for personal growth
While success rates vary more widely with the following conditions, Dr. Windsor is often able to provide treatment or support for:
• Eating Disorders
• Severe Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Domestic abuse
• Narcissitic abuse
• Recovery from substance use
• Graves' Disease
• Kundalini syndrome
• Agoraphobia
TMS-Compatible Treatment
Dr. Windsor has experience crafting acupuncture treatment plans in collaboration with a psychiatrist when a patients is receiving TMS therapy for severe depression. Often this involves taking a break from acupuncture treatment for a period of time.
Safety Concerns and Contraindications
In certain cases, Dr. Windsor may require a family member to be present. Although each patient and case is evaluated individually, the following may be contraindications to our treatment:
• Respiratory depression due to ongoing opioid use
• Serotonin syndrome
• Certain types of uncontrollable physical movement
• Other servere mental health conditions
Neurological Conditions
Conditions which have typically responded well in Dr. Windsor's practice include:
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Myasthenia Gravis
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
• Alcohol Withdrawal and Recovery
• Treatment-Resistant Hypertension
• Sciatica and Herniated Discs
• Idiopathic Neuropathy
• Shingles Nerve Recovery (we do not treat active shingles)
• Trigeminal Neuralgia
Patients with multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis tend to require continued medical management even with successful treatment. Although some of the following conditions are challenging to treat, Dr. Windsor has also provided care for patients dealing with:
• ALS and other locked-in syndromes
• Encephalitis recovery
• Addison's Disease
• Stroke recovery
• Bell's Palsy
• POTS with Lyme Disease
• TBI
• Alzheimer's Disease
Dr. Windsor has typically been successful treating patients with these conditions:
• Ovarian Cysts
• Pain from Uterine Fibroids
• Pain of Endometriosis
• Certain types of Infertility
• Hyperemesis Gravidarum
• Symptoms of Menopause
• Migraines with PMS
• Persistent Uterine Pain after Surgery
• Hot Flashes after Ovariectomy
• Breast Cancer treatment side-effects
• Ovarian Cancer treatment side-effects
• Appendix Cancer treatment side-effects
Ovarian Cysts
In some cases, removal of persistent ovarian cysts has been confirmed by ultrasound 1-2 months after beginning acupuncture treatment with Dr. Windsor.
Rare or Uncommon Conditions
Some uncommon conditions that tend to respond well to Dr Windsor's treatment include:
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MACS)
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome of knee, arm, hand, or neck
• Interstitial Cystitis (with Hunner lesions)
• Cysts of the shoulder joint
• Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
• Hyperemesis Gravidarum
• Trigeminal Neuralgia
Side-Effects of Pharmaceuticals
The following pharmaceutical side-effects may improve in treatment with Dr. Windsor:
• Neuropathy
• Pancreatitis
• Recovery from Acute Kidney Injury (intrarenal AKI)
• Zyrtec (Cetirizine) Withdrawal
• Avascular Necrosis
• Diabetes due to Prednisone
• Achilles Tendon Rupture
• Recovery from Liver Injury
• Low Saliva Production
• Pericarditis (without fluid effusion)
• Joint Pain
• Muscular Pain
• Tardive Dyskinesia
• Radiocontrast dye reactions
• Gastritis from pain relievers
Side-Effects of Radiation
Targeted Radiation Therapy
Dr. Windsor has often provided acupuncture to relieve the side-effects of radiation exposure or radiation treatment during cancer treatment. His patients typically report that their radiation oncologist mentioned that they were doing very well with tolerating the radiation therapy.
Total Body Irradiation
Dr. Windsor has experience providing longer-term supportive care for the side-effects of total body irradiation which was performed as a treatment for blood cancers.
Brachytherapy
Patients undergoing brachytherapy should contact the office prior to their visit.
Other Radiology Side-Effects
Patients with kidney damage due to reaction to radiocontrast dye may benefit from acupuncture treatment to promote circulation to the kidneys.
Pre-Surgical or Post-Surgical Complications
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Dr. Windsor has experience with providing successful treatment of CRPS of the knee, arm, hand, or neck. CRPS of other body regions may also respond to treatment. He has also resolved this condition prior to surgery, enabling patients to become candidates for total knee replacement.
Avascular Necrosis
If avascular necrosis occurs as either a pre-surgical or post-surgical complication in the patient's recovery, this condition may be treatable by Dr. Windsor if the area affected is one of the following: toe, foot, ankle, knee, shoulder, wrist, hand, or finger. Avascular necrosis of the hip, spine, jaw, or elbow can also be treated but is more challenging.
Swelling of Knee
When swelling is extreme, the patient may not yet be a candidate for knee surgery. Dr. Windsor can address most cases of knee swelling, allowing the patient to become a candidate for surgery. This is further described in the section below titled Failed Total Knee Replacement.
Post-Surgical Complications
Failed Total Knee Replacement
Dr. Windsor has successfully treated extreme swelling which persisted for years after failed knee replacement surgery, returning a significant portion of mobility and comfort within the first one or two appointments. This type of reduction in swelling can enable certain patients to become candidates for revision surgery with the goal of restoring 100% function and comfort.
Failed Operations for Uterine Pain
He has helped women to become pain-free even after as many as five surgical attempts did not correct the pain. When this occurs, we explain to the patient that it is possible the combination of surgery and acupuncture may have been more effective than either treatment would have been by itself.
Menopause Symptoms after Ovariectomy
Dr. Windsor has successfully treated hot flashes in women who had received bilateral ovariectomy during cancer treatment and were unable to take hormone replacement therapy.
Other Reproductive System Issues
Dr. Windsor has provided treatment for emotional health in cases of complicated or slow healing of gender reassignment surgery. Additionally, he has successfully treated Peyronie's disease in the absence of prior surgery. These past successes might be relevant to assist with certain cases of surgical recovery involving the reproductive system.
Xenograft Wound Closure
For xenografts which are not healing correctly, Dr. Windsor may be able to assist in attachment to the xenograft. If acupuncture is used, the acupuncture points used will not be in the location of the xenograft but will be in other areas which are fully covered by healthy tissue.
Anxiety after Thyroidectomy
After treatment for thyroid cancer, some patients experience anxiety as a result of the replacement thyroid hormone. These patients have reported improvements in mood and overall wellbeing after acupuncture treatment with Dr. Windsor.
Issues Not Treated
Note that Dr. Windsor does not treat surgical infections nor provide any treatment in a local area if an infection appears to be present.
Other Surgical Complications
All patients and conditions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Dr. Windsor will consider the specific nature of the case before determining whether treatment is appropriate and likely to benefit the individual.
Infection Prevention Strategy
In most cases of post-surgical treatment, Dr. Windsor waits 2-3 weeks after the operation before beginning acupuncture treatment. This is to provide some additional time for the surgeon to assess whether the wound is healing correctly and whether any infections may be developing from the surgical procedure. Dr. Windsor has a thorough and effective strategy for prevention of infections. He takes extra caution in treatment of patients with any implanted devices due to the immune system's inability to attack pathogens from the surface of the device itself.
For More Information
Surgeons are welcome to contact Dr. Windsor at 301-588-5858 (or by fax at 443-308-5690).
Trauma Recovery
For medical emergencies, patients or caregivers should dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Dr. Windsor is typically successful treating patients with these conditions related to physical trauma:
• Lumbar disc injuries
• Toe paralysis and numbness
• Partial paralysis of limbs
• Joint pain
• Muscle injuries
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome of knee, arm, hand, or neck
• Assistance with ankle fracture recovery
• Knee bursitis due to falls
During the recovery period, the following conditions related to physical trauma may respond well to his treatment:
• Spinal injuries other than lumbar disc
• Facial or cranial nerve injuries
• Scar tissue interfering with nerve
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome of foot, ankle or toe
• Concussion / TBI
• Injuries due to falls
• Electrical injuries
• Injury due to chemical exposure
Urological Conditions
Conditions which have typically responded well in Dr. Windsor's practice include:
• Peyronie's Disease
• Interstitial Cystitis (with Hunner lesions)
• Prostatitis
Insurance Networks
Dr. Windsor is an in-network preferred provider with CareFirst, Blue Choice, Blue Cross Blue Sheild, United Healthcare, and GEHA. He accepts some insurance types out of network when the insurance company can provide clear information regarding the coverage.
Internships
Cancer Care
Dr. Windsor gained experience in this area through an internship in acupuncture for integrative cancer care at Kauffman Cancer Center of Upper Chesapeake Health, which is part of the University of Maryland Medical System.
Biomedical Sciences
He completed laboratory rotations in cancer cell biology, chemistry of cellular detoxification, muscle physiology, and analytic chemistry in several academic research labs at the University of Maryland Graduate School of Baltimore and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Psychology
Dr. Windsor completed an internship in adult psychology at Sheppard Pratt Hospital where he cared for patients with serious mental health issues requiring inpatient care.
Acupuncture Licensure
During graduate school in acupuncture, he completed a multi-year supervised internship at Maryland University of Integrative Health where he completed his M.Ac. (Master of Acupuncture) and D.Ac. (Doctor of Acupuncture) degrees.
Awards
In 2016 this practice was recognized as among the "Best Acupuncturists in Washington DC" by Expertise.com. And in 2015, this practice received the Patient's Choice Award by OpenCare. He also received the award of membership to Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, as well as to Phi Beta Kappa, during his undergraduate education.
Education
Dr. Eric Windsor completed his D.Ac. (Doctor of Acupuncture) degree at Maryland University of Integrative Health, and earlier completed his M.Ac. (Master of Acupuncture) degree at Tai Sophia Institute. He completed his undergraduate degree at UMBC magna cum laude with concentrations in biochemistry, psychology, and philosophy. After furthering his education by working in several biochemistry laboratories, he then received formal training in the five-element tradition of acupuncture in order to learn how to address health concerns through the body's natural chemistry and internal healing methods.
Teaching
Dr. Windsor is credentialed by NCCAOM to teach continuing education courses for acupuncturists in the U.S. and internationally. For 6 years, he taught meditation for Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD.
Publication
In collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Department of Oncology:
Kelley DZ, Flam EL, Guo T, Danilova LV, Zamuner FT, Bohrson C, Considine M, Windsor EJ, Bishop JA, Zhang C, Koch WM, Sidransky D, Westra WH, Chung CH, Califano JA, Wheelan S, Favorov AV, Florea L, Fertig EJ, Gaykalova DA. Functional characterization of alternatively spliced GSN in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Transl Res. 2018 Dec; 202:109-119. doi: 10.1016.j/trsl.2018.07.007. Epub 2018 Jul 26. PMID: 30118659; PMCID: PMC6218276.
About Maryland Holistics
Maryland Holistics LLC is the private practice of Dr. Eric Windsor, D.Ac., L.Ac. Our serene, professional office is located in Ellicott City, MD. Maryland Holistics has provided care to thousands of satisfied customers since opening in 2009. Dr. Windsor is a preferred provider in the CareFirst, Blue Cross Blue Shield, GEHA, and United Healthcare networks.3525 Ellicott Mills Dr., Ste E
Ellicott City, MD 21043
Phone: 301-588-5858
Fax: 443-308-5690
You May be Interested In:
Contact Our OfficeConditions A-Z (list and web links)
Pain Relief
About Acupuncture
Before Your Visit
Testimonials
Information for Physicians
Directions
About Dr. Eric Windsor
Biochemical Research on Acupuncture
How We Work with Lab Tests and Imaging