Dr. Yousef ZarbalianMD

Dr. Zarbalian treats a broad range of rheumatologic and inflammatory conditions. His clinical focus includes rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, vasculitis, sarcoidosis, ankylosing spondylitis, Raynaud's syndrome, and dermatomyositis. He also sees patients with osteoarthritis, gout, pseudogout, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, and sports injuries.

Yes. Dr. Zarbalian holds board certification in both Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He completed his rheumatology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and his internal medicine residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Dr. Zarbalian integrates medical acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion, gua sha, Qigong, and Biofeedback into his clinical work. He completed formal fellowship training in Herbal Medicine through the Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine and trained in Medical Acupuncture at The Helms Medical Institute. He tailors these approaches to each patient's specific condition and goals.

Dr. Zarbalian has over 14 years of experience in joint and tendon injections. Over the past five years, he has concentrated on non-steroidal techniques, including dextrose prolotherapy and hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation. He also offers platelet-rich plasma injections for appropriate candidates.

Yes. Dr. Zarbalian has conducted research on vasculitis, with a focus on Giant cell arteritis. He has presented his findings at the American College of Rheumatology conferences.

Dr. Zarbalian pursues root-cause thinking alongside conventional rheumatology. He pays particular attention to microbiome health, using dietary modification and personalized herbal formulas to address dysbiosis, which he views as a contributing factor in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. He combines this with Western pharmacology when appropriate.

Dr. Zarbalian centers his care on each patient's health goals rather than on a diagnosis alone. He prioritizes shared decision-making on testing and treatment, and he emphasizes non-pharmaceutical strategies wherever clinically appropriate. Each treatment plan reflects the full picture of a patient's health, not just their diagnosis.

Dr. Zarbalian earned his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center and his Rheumatology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.