Acupuncture for Rheumatoid Arthritis

My husband and I had been trying to conceive for over a year. When we first moved to Seattle last fall, I found the Downtown Seattle Acupuncture website and read about the benefits of acupuncture for fertility. I went to see Monica for about a month of treatment, and then I got pregnant! It happened fairly quickly. Thank you so much Monica!

Monica saved me!! I really mean it! I broke out in hives all over my body--literally from head to toe. I've never had hives before, so I assumed they would just go away after a few days. Well, after 10 days of unbearable itching (even while taking benedryl), I went to the Doctor. He didn't have any remedy and said to wait 2 more weeks to see if they'd go away. I thought I would go crazy from the itching! That's when I called Monica.

She got me in the next day and did a treatment for the hives. In LESS THAN 24 hours the itching/redness decreased by 80%! Seriously! It was a miracle. She also had me take some herbs, which helped a ton. 3 days after the initial treatment the hives were gone!! I had a few follow-up treatments and continued with the herbs as directed. NO MORE HIVES! I've always had positive experiences with Acupuncture; this experience was the most profound. Monica is excellent at what she does. She is very thorough and explains the treatment in simple terms. Monica listens and answers all questions. She is compassionate and has a high level of integrity! I felt comfortable right away. The office atmosphere is peaceful, friendly and professional. Do yourself a favor and go see Monica!!

I started seeing Monica after a coworker recommended her after success she had seen during her pregnancy. I was experiencing very bad sciatica and lower back pain related to my pregnancy. I could barely walk, so was looking for any relief possible to get me through the final weeks of my pregnancy. Monica was a great listener and answered all of my questions and concerns as I had never received acupuncture before. I started to feel a little relief after my first appointment so decided to continue. After my third treatment I began to feel considerable relief and felt this was the most beneficial of all the specialists I had been seeing. I continued to see Monica through the rest of my pregnancy until the day after my due date. My son was born almost exactly 24 hrs after my last visit to Monica. Even though this was my second child, and it is expected to be a shorter delivery, I really think that all the treatments from Monica leading up to delivery made labor that much quicker and more manageable.

Symptoms of fatigue and weakness had set in my body from overwork and embodiment of emotional stress. I experienced profound response to my acupuncture treatments and herbs and my health improved drastically.

Monica's compassion and patience toward my condition and her understanding of Chinese medicine restored my energy (chi) and brought about a greater awareness of creating balance between yin and yang in my life. I continue to incorporate all aspects of Chinese medicine as a preventative measure and continue to reap great rewards in terms of my health, mental attitude and emotional well being.

All I have ever heard about knee injuries is how lengthy and painful they are with little to no hope for full recovery. When I hurt my knee, the day after I went to go see Monica for acupuncture and my pain went from a level 9 pain to a 4. It was almost instantaneous. Knowing that she has this ability to help has completely given me confidence in a full recovery. I know with her guidance + acupuncture she is helping me recover without painkillers and other typical Western medicine methods. My only regret is that not everyone knows what acupuncture can do for their injuries and specifically knees.

After years of chronic migraines and lower back pain (resulting from a bulging and two degenerating discs) I was desperate for relief. I had been unsuccessfully treated by physical therapists, massage therapists, various pharmaceutical interventions, yoga and pilates, I finally found relief with Monica's acupuncture treatments. I have tried several other strongly recommended acupuncturists and found minimal relief. Monica's direct and focused approach to acupuncture yielded pain relief that went far beyond anything I ever expected. 

I had my first appointment with Monica during an acute lower back spasm. I shuffled in, unable to stand up straight and walked out totally upright with a quarter of the pain. Since then she has been able to keep my lower back pain, and corresponding hip pain, to a minimal.

Additionally, after nearly a decade of bimonthly migraines, with regular acupuncture appointments I was able to go over 3 months without experiencing a migraine.

My only wish is that I'd found Monica sooner! It would have saved me years of pain and hundreds of dollars spent on treatments that yielded little to no relief.

When I first met Monica, I was new to acupuncture, but desperate for help with chronic migraines. I received treatment weekly for several months, and was very pleased, both with the outcome (dramatic reduction in frequency) and Monica’s approach as a whole. Monica’s bedside manner is wonderful, she is calm and kind, takes time to ask questions, and will adapt her plan for treatment to incorporate additional ailments (ie adding an additional site for stress or congestion). Much to my surprise, I often fell asleep during the treatment and enjoyed a deep relaxation. 

As I was preparing for the birth of my daughter, my doula suggested acupuncture as a way to prep the body for labor. Excited by this prospect, and encouraged that acupuncture is one of the only treatments that has been researched and shown effective, I again sought Monica’s help. I found the sessions relaxing and Monica graciously offered additional support and resources for pregnancy, the post-partum period, and breastfeeding. The plan was to start gentle labor preparations at 36 weeks, and move to more active preparation/induction if it became necessary. This round of acupuncture was a quick one, as I only made it to 2 visits before labor began all on its own... a healthy 2 weeks early :)  I’ve been quite pleased with the care and treatment I have received from Monica over the years. I have highly recommended her to friends and clients, and will continue to return to Monica myself as need.

I went to Monica when we first started trying to conceive. Her treatments were very calming, relaxing, and always made me feel better. Once I became pregnant, I continued to get acupuncture treatments throughout my first trimester to help ease the nausea and promote the positive energy I needed to make it through that fragile time period. I believe my acupuncture treatments helped me both physically and mentally to achieve a happy, healthy pregnancy.

I recently had a ganglion cyst near my wrist and went to see Monica for treatment. As a percussionist, I count on the health of my hands, wrists, and arms to be able to play so it was really important to me. Monica was very professional and reassured me that acupuncture could help me. Two treatments later, the cyst was gone and has not returned! I would recommend Monica without hesitation and have continued to see her for general health and wellness.