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    Why I became an acupuncturist: overcoming chronic pain

    Writer's picture: Christi the AcupuncturistChristi the Acupuncturist

    Or, how acupuncture swept me off my feet and changed my life forever - for the better!



    In my 20s I lived in a beautiful light-filled 3rd floor walk-up apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I went out dancing with friends every week, I had a full-time job, I was in a relationship, in short, I was living the life!


    That is, until, one day, quick as lightning, I felt like I’d been stabbed in the kidneys, I couldn’t stand up straight! I went from being a healthy, fit, twenty-something to someone with debilitating chronic pain that just wouldn’t go away.

    West Village street scene

    Suddenly, I felt like I was starring in a bad fairy tale, a spell was cast and -poof- I was 100 years old. Even something simple, like stepping off the curb to cross the street, became an ordeal – it was that painful.


    I did the usual rounds of GPs, orthopedists, physical therapists, and prescription drugs that made me feel woozy. The pain would ease up some but then get worse all over again, and I just couldn’t figure out why.


    I’ll never forget a meeting with an orthopedist who came in the room and told me he wasn’t sure why I had pain but on his way out of the exam room, he told me that I’d always have pain. Wow! Such a dismal prognosis, delivered in such an off-hand way. It was an unacceptable conclusion that pushed me to take the first step toward a calling I didn’t even know I had.


    I felt like I was given a second chance, re-gifted my life, my full-life, the way I wanted to be living

    So began my search for a more rewarding type of healthcare, even though I didn’t quite know it at the time. I decided that I was going to try acupuncture. I’d never tried it before and didn’t have any friends who had, but I went in fully on-board. I had a mental conversation with myself before I went in for my first appointment and decided that I would do whatever they told me to do and that I would keep coming back as long as they told me to.


    My life was transformed! If you’ve never had severe chronic pain that lasts for months and months, this might sound like an exaggeration. But trust me, I felt like I was given a second chance, re-gifted my life, my full-life, the way I wanted to be living, which included, working and loving and dancing and generally having as much fun as possible.


    Now, don’t think this was an overnight transformation. It took months and it was not a straight upward trajectory of feeling better every day. But not only did my back pain improve, my sleep improved, my energy improved, my digestion improved, and my mood soared! Before acupuncture I didn’t even realize that these areas of my health weren’t ideal, until they were so much better, I couldn’t miss the changes. At that point, I asked my acupuncturist what we could work on next, and I’ve never looked back.


    I’m still learning new things about my health, still exploring ways to live a healthier, more fulfilled, more meaningful life. I am, by no means, living the perfect life – after all, we all have room for improvement, if that’s what we’re looking for.


    Over the years, since I became an acupuncturist, my ideas of healthcare have evolved and while I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for when I started, my journey has moved me consistently toward a form of healthcare and wellness that empowers people by teaching them skills and providing them with the tools to become advocates for and architects of their own healing.


    If you want support on your healing journey, click on the button below to book time with me, I'd love to help you with that.




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