Acupuncture & Holistic Health Associaties

Short Version:
Friendly and clean place, did not help manage pain caused by Hypermobility, 2 stars lost due to less than desirable interactions with acupuncturist, and subsequent infection of ear cartilage which most likely could have been prevented with simple instruction…
Long Version:
I won a drawing I entered into at Germanfest for $ 250 worth of free treatments at this place, though failed to read the fine print, which apparently stated it was only good for the initial consultation, which I had already received for free, after signing up for it at the same time. I was notified by voicemail, and then had to call in a few times over a couple weeks to finally follow up on it with someone, Curry Chaudoir. This is when I found out about the fine print, and was quite crestfallen, as I have a syndrome which causes me chronic pain on a regular basis, Hypermobility, and I was excited to see if acupuncture could succeed where other treatments haven’t, in helping to manage the muscular tension and spasms that I experience much of the time. He was nice enough, but I couldn’t get over the way he almost made me feel bad for asking to receive the $ 250 worth of treatments beyond the consultation. I declined to take the medical exam and first treatment for free, which had already been quoted to me at $ 39, both because I could not afford to proceed beyond that, as I would need more than one treatment to really tell if it was helping, and because I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with who I was speaking with… It just felt more about the money than about helping someone in pain.
I received a call back from Mr. Chaudoir, who said the office manager there had offered me four treatments for free, which was worth $ 243. Willing to give this place a chance, I went ahead and scheduled the sessions, optimistic about the opportunity to try something new that might help me with my chronic pain.
The first three sessions were fine, people there are super nice and friendly. It’s a very serene environment, and not at all dirty or unsanitary-​feeling. I was never able to doze off during the treatment, since the rooms are all open to the hallway and I am too light a sleeper to ignore the footsteps racing back and forth, the door to the waiting room opening and closing, as well as other patients talking a bit too loudly, but hey it gave me time alone with my thoughts, not a bad thing.
Overall, I didn’t notice any positive changes, not even immediate and temporary, so I’ve been able to rule out acupuncture as an effective treatment for my condition. I am grateful for that, and I would like to thank the practice for letting me try it out.
However, I had to take two stars off, each for a different reason. The first, are the few unpleasant-​feeling interactions I had with Mr. Chaudoir. Although in person he was very nice and seemed understanding and sympathetic, I felt a lot of disinterest and passive-​aggressiveness during our interactions over the phone. When I had to call off my appointment on Monday, realizing there was no way I felt safe driving 30 mins to the place because of the utter exhaustion I was feeling (due to both a crazy weekend at work and my condition, which often suddenly strikes the morning after physically rough days), he cut me off numerous times, interjected that I was «trashed», and again made me feel bad and guilty. I get that it’s inconvenient for the practice, but seeing as you all treat people with chronic pain, surely you can empathize that not everyone can know 24 hrs ahead of time that they will not be ok to come in? In any case, I declined to reschedule my fourth and final appointment because of this, although I also do not think it would have helped me anyway.
The second star is due to my now infected ear cartilage. There is no other reason or way it could have become infected. I’m not calling «dirty needles» on this practice, simply saying that it may be prudent to warn your clients about ear cartilage in particular, if you will be treating them using that area. Until it began feeling inflamed, hot and swollen, itchy and pulsing, I didn’t realize the very real danger with the cartilage being infected. Now that I know it’s even difficult to treat with oral antibiotics, since there’s not much bloodflow there to carry the antibiotics to the infection site, I really wish one of the acupuncturists had said, treat this like an ear piercing and make sure to wash with saline solution and keep it as clean as possible, no contact with hair products, etc. I don’t have health insurance at the moment, so I’m really hoping the infection does not cause an abscess and require surgery, removing part of my ear. I am doing what I can to treat it at home, and hopefully with time it will heal. Just saying, the form everyone must sign beforehand, saying they understand the risk of side effects, and mostly claiming those side effects are toxins leaving the body and such, that is not enough.

This place is the best! I began going to Acupuncture & Holistic Health Associates (AHHA) about 7 years ago, and I swear to you, it’s changed my life. I came in as a 20 year old with oodles of random issues, some more serious than others.
Today, I am healthy and have learned so much about the human body. The acupuncturists are truly one-​of-​a-​kind and really care about their patients. They take the time to chat with you and really understand your issue. So often, the response these days is «oh, there’s a pill that can fix that,» when in reality, they mean to say «oh, there’s a pill that will cover up your problem and you can deal with the root of it later. or never.»
At AHHA, their goal is to figure out the root right away. From their advice, I have also been able to fix some issues by simply changing my diet or doing an at-​home remedy myself. I no longer take pain relievers and barely take medicine at all (and trust me, I needed my fair share of medicine in the past). I always thought of myself as a fairly health-​conscious individual, but after learning so much from these acupuncturists, I understand why so many adults are clueless about health, in general, and approaches one can take to fix issues. Americans are accustomed to western medicine, but AHHA uses an eastern medicine approach. All I have to say is that I’ve had much better luck with their guidance than I’ve had with MDs.
It’s truly an inspiring place to go, and I am so thankful I came across this clinic. Wonderful staff and facility. I highly recommend this place if you’ve been teetering with health issues. If anything, it’s worth a try. If it’s not for you, then it’s not for you.
Also, don’t be intimidated with the needle aspect. They’re microscopic, it’s not like they’re using a sewing needle! Quite frankly, whenever I go for treatment, I fall asleep :) It’s a guaranteed nap for me. I even wake up feeling better, like I just did yoga. Honestly, check it out!