Grace & Qian Acupuncture Herb

Oh, how I miss Grace and her magical hands. Every time I go back to visit the Los Angeles area, I make time to see Grace and have her work her magic. No, acupuncture is not magic. But Grace’s hands are. I have not been able to find another acupuncturist (and I have tried many) who can compare or even come close.
I have a slipped disc and sciatica. Unfortunately, this happened when I had no medical insurance. So, for one year, I was flat on my back in excruciating pain, popping prescription cocktails, mixing any and all pain relievers, muscle relaxers and anti-​inflammatory pills just to relieve the pain a little, but not much. One day, a friend asked if I had tried acupuncture. No, not a single time. So, he referred me and was kind enough to drive me (since I couldn’t drive).
Grace is the most petite little lady, and she has the most gentle face! She takes you into a private room and asks about your symptoms and medical history. Then she gives you a hospital gown and leaves the room. I put the hospital gown on and keep my loose shorts on. Then she comes back and starts to work.
My pain was so bad, and my muscles had tensed up so much, that she had to do a deep tissue massage before she could start the acupuncture. Oh, WOW. I couldn’t stop laughing! I was laying there on my stomach, laughing through the hole in the massage table. Did it tickle? No. Was I feeling bashful? No.
I was laughing because I thought, «I’m paying this little lady to beat the ish outta me!» But that’s my reaction to deep tissue ;-) The truth is, her deep tissue did not leave me sore afterwards (and I have had some very expensive deep tissue massages from some very pricey places that always leave me sore).
Grace takes as much time as is necessary to make you feel better. Post deep tissue massage and acupuncture (order varies, depending on what your body needs), she stretches you out and has you feel out how you feel. For me, considering I often walked in hunched over, stumbling in, she would have me get up and walk back and forth a few times. Strange, I can walk normally… and straight!
In the cases when I was in a very bad state and the two treatments didn’t cut it, she pulled out the cups. Oh, how I love cupping. She places these suction cups along the appropriate meridians or lines, and you can feel the toxins being sucked out of your body. Funny thing is, she told me they will only leave those bruise/​red marks if there is pain. Pschaw. Yeah right! So she put them all along my left leg (which isn’t affected by sciatica and has no pain) — just as many as she used on the sciatica stricken right leg. I was shocked! My right leg was covered in circular purple marks. My left leg? As she removed the cups, there was a light pink ring from pressure which disappeared within minutes. No marks on the left leg!!!
I kid you not, I walked normally out of every session. I started seeing her weekly or bimonthly. And as I got better and better, I went once a month for maintenance.
Also, you can’t beat the price! $ 40 per session. How long is each session? As long as you need. My sessions ranged between 1 hour and 2 hours. Was there any extra charge for going over or adding cupping or extra acupuncture? Not a penny.
She does accept some insurance, but I never used insurance. I couldn’t tell you if she takes cash only. I just always took cash.
If you want to give her a try, call her. But get the location. She has moved locations, but her number is the same. I would update the location, but I have misplaced the address since I moved to San Francisco. On my next visit to Los Angeles, I will go visit her and update the address. ;-)