Linda J. knew nothing about acupuncture, but she was all too familiar with pain.

Linda had been suffering from painful sciatica that caused insomnia and she was dealing with incontinence and fatigue as well as menopausal-related sweats at all hours.

 

“Western medicine was just going to give me prednisone and I really didn't want all that and they acted like ‘Well it will go away,’” recalls Linda. “It kept getting worse and I didn’t want to try those modalities.”

 

After short-lived relief from a chiropractor, Linda was turned on to the idea of meeting with an acupuncturist. “I didn’t feel like doing anything I wanted to scream because it was horrible,” says Linda. “She gave me such a testimonial on acupuncture.”

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The catch though was Linda’s insurance carrier would only cover her acupuncture after three months of “serious pain.” Linda knew she wouldn’t be able to wait that long. “I won’t even be here,” Linda thought to herself.

 

Through another friend’s recommendation, Linda discovered Five Branches University, where she was treated by then student Andrea Vance, LAc.

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After her first session at the school, Linda slept for nine hours and began seeing Andrea twice a week during that intense time.

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If there hadn’t been any relief, Linda says she’d have just “despaired.” For Linda, going from pacing all night with barely a three-hour sleep session to healthy restorative sleep and what was beginning to look like real solutions to her ails, was life-changing.

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“I just found it so miraculous the help that I received with the sciatic nerve problem and I started sleeping and walking and finally doing everything normally,” says Linda.

But Linda’s problems went beyond sciatica.

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“I had other problems I thought it's probably my MS (Multiple Sclerosis),” Linda says. “I would get housitis where when I was closed in during the winter or spring I just felt icky, malaise all over I just felt horrible or nauseated.” Linda says Andrea totally eliminated side effects like these.

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“So those things just began to resolve and then I felt like a little kid whining telling her and this hurts and this hurts,’” adds Linda, noting Andrea’s approach helped her body to heal itself.

 

Linda felt whatever issue she brought up, Andrea was truly able to resolve. “My appetite improved, my eating was better, food tasted better. She's given me a probiotic. I had digestive improvements.” 

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Linda confidently brought any problem to Andrea from seasonal allergies to hot flashes to depression and stifling pain.

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“I love that it helps your body heal itself,” says Linda. “It just works with your own body to balance you and get you well and I think that is wonderful. Why would you choose anything else. I think western medicine has its place. Honestly acupuncture is now my first go to."