Patient Experiences

Because of my own successful experience, I’ve suggested and recommended acupuncture and Dr. He to several of my friends. Until recently I would never have imagined that I would seek acupuncture treatment. Several factors led me to this decision, but primarily they were that I had endured extreme, almost constant lower back pain for more than two months and also my unwillingness to have a corticosteroid injection as treatment for relief of the pain. Because I was just at the end of six and a half years of taking prednisone, a common oral corticosteroid with many negative side effects, I was certain I didn’t want more steroids in my body to continue the debilitating and damaging effects. I had learned from a spinal orthopedist that, upon the basis of an MRI, I had severe stenosis of the spine in two places and fractures in two vertebrae. Therefore, my painful condition was that I could barely move for even basic, necessary things — dressing, bathing, cooking, getting in and out of a chair, driving, etc., etc. However, even after the very first and certainly after only a few more of Dr. He’s acupressure and acupuncture treatments, they were clearly relieving my pain. With continued treatment over several months, the pain gradually decreased and eventually subsided. To my amazement and great satisfaction, I’m not only without pain, I feel better and more energetic in general. It is such a relief and joy to resume normal movement and activities, even dancing (almost a necessity). Though I don’t understand exactly how acupuncture works, I have experienced that it absolutelydoes work, without a doubt. Dr. He has laughed at my amazement. I think because, in his experience and acupuncture practice, successful recovery is common, routine and expected. Now we’ll be working on my arthritic hands. I look forward to successful progress again. 70 year old, F. April 9, 2013. E01841, H & Z Acupuncture. hz-acupuncture.com ...
Read More

I am an 85 year old, retired neurosurgeon with low back and right lower extremity pain with a lumbar spine tumor that cannot be operated because of my general conditions. As treatment for my condition, I decided to try acupuncture to solve my problem. At the present time I have had very good results with control of pain with the acupuncture. 85 year old, M. April 9, 2013. E01642, H & Z Acupuncture. hz-acupuncture.com ...
Read More

The silver needles rise a good inch out of my flesh. Scattered across the plain of my belly, they look kind of like flagless flagpoles. With my first acupuncture treatment, Eastern medicine seems to be staking a claim on me. Just a few minutes earlier, I had been faithful consumer of Western medicine as I entered a room of H & Z Acupuncture office near North Druid Hills Road. It looked like a standard examining room, with crisp white furnishings and sage-green walls. The paper napkin beneath me crinkled as I lay back and saw again those spotted ceiling panels I’ve stared at in so many doctors’ offices lately. A middle-aged Chinese man in a white coat stepped into view. “May I touch your abdomen?” he asked softly. The flesh below my belly button rises like a gently sloping burial mound. His fingertips brush old scars. “How did you get this one?” Silently, he adds the information I supplied to his growing database of facts about me: Female. 42. Osteoarthritis of the spine. Suffering low back pain. Occasional at first but constant for three months. Has seen one chiropractor, two orthopedists, two physical therapists, and an ergonomic specialist. The MRI detected a bulging disc in her lower spine. Steroid spinal injection. Cannot sit in the examining room chair for the pain. “Are you afraid of needles?” he asks. “No.” “Why not?” Taken aback by the question, I pause — I don’t know why not. But I am curious about how acupuncture will feel, and, yes, a little nervous. I try to lie still as he measures different distances across my body. The first needle enters my middle, below my belly button. It doesn’t hurt. He gently taps in several more on either side of my pelvis as I try to concentrate on my breath. Before long, there are so many needles across my midsection, I decide to lift my head to check out the view. My belly button looks like the top of a birthday cake for a very old person. Some needles stand erect. Others lean, like lopsided candles in cream-colored icing. Extremely thin, they quaver as I exhale. As the doctor tap, tap, taps more needles in – into my forearms, calves, feet, hands, forehead, and scalp – he explains a little more about the treatment. Acupuncture stimulates the body’s energy, called Qi, to promote healing. For thousands ...
Read More