Lihua Zhang, MD

She Almost Gave Up

A woman was pinned between heavy equipment at work, and was lucky to survive. The traumatic experience caused her years of horrible chronic pain in her right shoulder and left hip.

Several surgical procedures were attempted prior to repair the physical damage, but the procedures were not entirely successful, and lingering scar tissues from surgical sites caused tremendous grief and difficulties with daily life.  She couldn't raise her right arm above shoulder level without great effort, and her sleep was frequently interrupted by sharp bouts of shooting pain. Dr Zhang offered to repair this damage with acupuncture.

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After four treatments, the patient was despondent, lamenting that the treatments were not effective, and doubted the treatment progress.

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Dr Zhang explained to the patient that much more work was needed to relieve the pain, as the root cause of her pain had to be treated first before her severe shoulder pain could be relieved.  Each injured tissue and muscle group had to be adjusted to improve range of motion, decrease inflammation, and as a result, provide pain relief.

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Fortunately, this woman continued with treatment, and by her 12th visit, she was able to experience her first and consistent good nights rest in many, many years, and her right arm range of movement greatly increased.  

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Though her pain was still present but brief with particular arm positions, she was so happy that the pain was no longer present in every waking moment of her life.  

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The Quick Fix

A patient was treated at our office a year ago. 

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Unfortunately, the same patient experienced an unexpected fall over the weekend, and called us immediately.  We took care of her knee pain in one visit the next week, and she called a few days later thanking Dr. Zhang.  

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Quite often, Acupuncture should be the first line of treatment for acute pain. 

No More Injections

A retired veteran and a single father sought pain treatment with Dr Zhang.

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The patient had previously undergone regular steroid injections on his back to relieve pain from a war injury, with only brief relief. 

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Within six treatments, Dr Zhang was able to bring the patient's back pain under control.  Now he spends more time with his son, and is able to pursue new home improvement activities.  He also discontinued the steroid injections after treatments.

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Thank you for your service, veterans.

We're here to help.

The Veteran

A grandfather referred by the Department of Veterans Affairs booked an appointment and arrived in a wheelchair.  He was suffering from chronic back and neck pain after many years of honorable service in various parts of the world. 

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Three treatments later, we were pleasantly surprised to greet him at the office without his wheelchair.  He smiled and said treatments allowed him to spend more time on his feet - enough to tinker with hobby projects in his garage.

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If you've served in the US military, the Department of Veterans Affairs may cover visits to the clinic for Acupuncture treatments.

The Car Wreck

Frequently patients book appointments after they are rear-ended.  Neck pain and back pain are common symptoms after car accidents, but the longer you wait, the harder the symptoms are to treat.  

An elderly couple booked appointments for treatment after they were rear-ended the previous year.  While the insurance companies argued in court, the couple - uncertain if the court would rule in their favor, sought treatment after chiropractors and physical therapy was costly but failed to relieve their pain.

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While we recommended the patients come in three times a week for the first two weeks, the couple could only afford to come every two weeks.  But in three treatments, the couple was able to knock their pain down from a 6 out of 10 to a tolerable two.

The Botched Surgery

Often we receive calls from people who have undergone surgery for pain relief - only to have the pain return within months, stronger, unrelieved - baffling these patients.

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A woman who underwent neck and back surgery a decade ago, booked an appointment at the office.  After two weeks of regular treatments, she stated that her pain was significantly improved - thought not entirely gone.

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With the addition of medical marijuana, this woman now has her pain controlled, and her life stabilized.

The Bedridden Grandfather

A Grandfather was brought in by wheelchair to our office one day.  Restless and irritable, he was experiencing debilitating pain and was unable to be treated with medication due to his advanced age.  He had remained in bed at home, and was watched over by his worried family.  He also said he didn't believe in Acupuncture.

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After weekly visits for two months, his attitude gradually changed, and even looked forward to the visits with our physician.  His pain was reduced to tolerable levels from a combination of Acupuncture treatments, and following the doctor's lifestyle and exercise recommendations, his pressure ulcers healed.

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He can also walk again.

The Working Mother

A mom booked an appointment at our office one day, complaining of aggravating neck and low back pain.  She was afraid of taking pain medications, citing the opioid crisis and the fear of addiction to pain medication.

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We provided acupuncture treatment, and while the pain was reduced, she had to come back monthly for repeated treatments due to her job re-aggravating her condition.

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She still comes in for monthly maintenance visits, but picked up an inflatable flexible back brace from the office to wear at work and home.

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The Skeptic

This was an amusing visit.  A patient admitted to the office with chronic low back, knee pain, and a history of controlled substance prescriptions, expressed frustration with her current pain medication. She stated her pain was a 9 out of 10, and requested an increase in dosage of her medication.

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The doctor refused to raise her dosage because it was medically unsafe, but suggested Acupuncture.  The patient had previously declined acupuncture.

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But finally, the patient begrudgingly consented.  

After treatment 30 minutes later, the patient left the office with 0/10 reported pain - relief mixed with disbelief on her face.