Every patient's journey is different. These are a few of the stories from people who came in looking for relief - and found it.
We've helped patients across North Atlanta work through chronic pain, migraines, fertility challenges, anxiety, digestive issues, and the long road of post-stroke and cancer recovery. Below are a handful of the stories they've shared with us.
Three patients on longer treatment arcs - chronic pain, IVF support, and post-stroke rehabilitation - in their own words.
I spent six years chasing relief for lower back pain. Physical therapy helped some. Steroid injections helped less. Muscle relaxants helped me tolerate the pain but never addressed what was causing it. I went into my first session with low expectations.
By my third visit I slept eight uninterrupted hours for the first time in six years. It wasn't magic - Dr. Qiao was clear from the start that it would take 8 to 12 weeks to see lasting change. What I appreciate most is how honest he was about the timeline, and how much time he spent explaining what he was actually doing.
I'm still a skeptic about a lot of alternative medicine. I'm not a skeptic about this.
After two failed IVF cycles, our RE mentioned that some of her patients had seen better outcomes adding acupuncture to their cycle. We were willing to try anything. Dr. Qiao built out a treatment plan that synced with our IVF calendar - sessions before retrieval, sessions before and after transfer.
He coordinated with our RE's office without us having to mediate. Our third cycle was successful. Obviously we can't prove the acupuncture was the deciding factor, but the whole experience of being treated with this much care - after two years of feeling like a number at the fertility clinic - was a gift in itself.
Our son is four months old as I'm writing this.
My mom had a stroke at 72 that left her with very limited function in her right hand. Her physical therapist said honestly that we were probably at her baseline after the first six months. Dr. Qiao had a different view. He had treated many post-stroke patients over forty years and said he saw meaningful recovery possible with a long, consistent course of treatment.
We committed. Six months of weekly visits, sometimes twice a week. My mother can button her blouse again. She can write shakily but legibly. Her neurologist was honestly surprised at her last appointment.
I am not someone who writes reviews but I felt I had to for this one.
A cross-section of the conditions we treat most - pain, migraines, digestive issues, sleep, stress, women's health, and supportive care.
"After 10 years of monthly migraines I went from 2 or 3 episodes a month to maybe one mild one every couple months. Took about 8 weeks of weekly sessions. Life-changing."
"Started coming for anxiety around a big job transition. I sleep now. That's basically the whole review."
"Three years of IBS and my GI had nothing left to offer. The combination of acupuncture and an herbal formula Dr. Qiao prescribed has been genuinely transformative. My digestion is normal for the first time since I was 27."
"Commute-related sciatica that had me popping ibuprofen daily. Six sessions and I'm off the pills. Dr. Qiao took time to explain what was happening in a way my orthopedist never did."
"Coming here during chemo was the best decision. The nausea was manageable. My energy held up better than my oncologist expected. Dr. Qiao worked with my oncology team and they were fully on board."
"Tennis elbow from pickleball of all things. Improvement was gradual but real - around visit 6 I noticed I could grip things without pain. Still maintaining with monthly visits."
"Brought our 12-year-old son for severe seasonal allergies. Dr. Qiao used laser acupuncture since our son was nervous about needles. His allergies have been 80% better this spring compared to last year."
"Hot flashes that were waking me up 4 or 5 times a night are now maybe once a night, sometimes not at all. I wish I had tried this two years ago."
"Frozen shoulder that limited my reach for almost a year. Around session 4 I could reach behind my back again. I'm now two months out and fully mobile."
"Came here as a last resort for work burnout. The hour of silence in a dark room with needles in was the first full hour of peace I'd had in six months. I've restructured parts of my life because of what I noticed while I was lying there."
"Chronic neck tension from my desk job. Two sessions a week for three weeks, now I come in monthly for maintenance. The difference is night and day."
"I was grinding my teeth to the point my dentist was worried. Acupuncture plus a night guard finally worked after nothing else had. Amazing practice."
"Chronic fatigue that no GP could figure out. After about 10 sessions my energy is the best it's been in five years. I'm not 25 again but I can function."
"Knee pain from running that had me about to give up the sport entirely. Three months of treatment and I'm back to my normal mileage."
"I came in for a back thing but the real win is I sleep. I haven't slept like this since my twenties. Everything feels lighter when you sleep well."
"After knee replacement my surgeon was encouraging me to try acupuncture for faster recovery. I was skeptical but my daughter pushed me. I healed faster than my rehab PT expected. Would do it again."
These are a curated handful of stories. For the full picture, see our reviews on Google, Healthgrades, Yelp, and Facebook.
Bring your questions, your history, and whatever isn't feeling right. We'll give you an honest assessment of whether acupuncture is a good fit - no commitment, no pressure.