Success Stories

I was a complete sceptic regarding Acupuncture.  I had been in constant pain for years  even with medication. After a few treatments by James Stegenga, I became convinced that acupuncture works.  It was like an epiphany when before one of my treatments James asked where is your pain and I realized there was no pain. I was shocked that after so many years the pain was G-O-N-E! The pain had been so very bad that when I was driving I could not turn my head to check for oncoming traffic. I am now convinced with the correct practitioner one can be pain free. I would highly recommend James Stegenga especially if you have suffered long term pain. Best of all my insurance covers the cost.  

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

As an aerialist who relies on bodily well-being for my livelihood, I had no idea when I came to see Jim for a neck injury that acupuncture would be one of the most effective tools for healing I had ever encountered. Since that first appointment, treatments with Jim have helped resolve hip, shoulder, and hamstring injuries, as well as issues related to stress, sleep, and other systemic concerns. Jim uses a wide range of techniques to assess problems and provide focused resolution. I am so grateful to have found Olympia Acupuncture, and have recommended them to several friends.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

When I first went to see Jim Stegenga, L.Ac., it was for my shoulder. I couldn’t lift anything at all and the pain kept me from sleeping. Jim looked at my history as well as my current issues. I had diabetes that was not controlled, headaches every day, migraines 3-5 times per month, heartburn, allergies, and couldn’t go up stairs or walk more than 50 feet without pain. In short, I felt lousy all of the time and could not see how I would be able to continue working. Jim offered to help with all the issues.

After several visits I was greatly improved and able to sleep again. By the end of 6 months, I had no more headaches of any kind, no heartburn, my shoulders and wrists were without pain, and minimal allergies. I am able to walk for as long as I want, go up stairs, and perform my job without pain.

I went from “not able to enjoy life much at all” to being “able to do pretty much whatever I like”. Jim’s help has been life-changing for me.

Also, Jim saw my mother-in-law for nausea and poor appetite during her cancer treatment, and he took care of both. He also saw my husband for thumb and heel pain, and it only took a few sessions for those issues to go away.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

I first saw Jim in June of 2006. I feel blessed to have found him. I have multiple chemical sensitivities, and it was very hard to find an acupuncturist that didn't use moxa and that had an office that wasn't full of chemicals.

Jim totally changed my life. He is extremely compassionate and listens (ok, this may be biased, but in my experience this isn't always a guy's strong suit). I was very apprehensive about seeing him, because I react to everything, and what is normal for someone else is over the top for my system. Jim totally understood. We tried the acupuncture needles first but they were too much. Jim worked at it until he found the right thing that really worked for my system... I didn't realize there are other things besides needles acupuncturists can use.

I also have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, and there as well Jim's techniques have been a godsend. They gave me energy I hadn't had in years. The pain would make me so depressed. I would walk out after a treatment with Jim totally energized.

Jim also taught me EFT, which has brought me such inner peace, which in turn helped me start to heal after a horrific divorce. EFT also help me learn to calm my body when it wanted to go into a fight/flight reaction with my chemical sensitivities... this has enabled me to go into some stores that I had not been able to enter for 10 years. Jim has totally changed my life for the better. I'm eternally grateful and he gets a Five Star rating in my book. I HIGHLY recommend him.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

I went to James Stegenga in January, 2007 to investigate the use of alternative therapy for the reduction of chronic lower back pain. In 1995, I'd experienced an injury that ruptured multiple disks. Surgeries on two of the disks were performed, but repairing the other one would have involved major surgery. Since that time, to relieve the pain, my doctor prescribed physical therapy, cortisone shots, and we finally settled on pain medication taken daily. I was, to say the least, skeptical of the benefit of acupuncture. However, being in chronic pain, there wasn't much to loose so I made an appointment. After only two visits, I'm sorry I didn't try it 8 years ago. I can now manage the pain at will with no medication. Jim provided immediate help and gave me some simple pressure points to remove the pain for days at a time. I very heartily recommend trying this medical specialty.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

I recommend Jim to my friends and relatives. We not only used acupuncture but other therapies such as Chinese herbs and acupressure. I now have less pain and stiffness in my arthritic finger joints; the chronic neck pain in my neck/shoulder is gone; my broken metatarsal (foot) healed and the pain is gone. I have benefited all three times that I was a client of Jim's over aspan of 4 years.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

I suffered a spinal cord injury in June of 1997 which left me partially paralyzed. I came to see Jim Stegenga after my back injury was aggravated in a motor vehicle collision in October of 2006. I must admit, I was very skeptical at first, but was willing to try anything to alleviate my back pain (which was quite severe.)

After only a few sessions with Jim, I had noticed considerable improvement. It is now January of 2007 and my back pain is nearly non-existent. I never saw it coming, but Jim has made me a believer in acupuncture. I will definitely see Jim again if other problems arise.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

When I first met Jim Stegenga about five years ago, I was having severe pain in my back - one of those weird twists of fate that serves to grab your attention up and re-examine your premises. The pain was so intense that I was literally immobilized, unable to get out of bed without the aid of some synthetic poppy pills. I was completely naïve to the concept of acupuncture being helpful in a situation such as mine. Acting on the tip of a friend of mine, I decided to give Jim a try. As an emergency physician who has seen many people over the years with similar symptoms, I was painfully aware that my brand of medicine had little to offer in terms of true healing. The best I could manage to offer was to help someone lessen the pain while the body healed itself. I knew that this process often took weeks. I didn't have weeks--I was scheduled to work the next three nights in a row.

I readily admit that I approached acupuncture with some degree of skepticism. Although I was vaguely aware of its long history of its use in Asia, acupuncture was but another 'alternative' therapy in this country, somehow tainted by my bias against those treatments not well explained by Western objectivism. Somehow, the intensity of the pain acted as a catalyst to move me beyond my narrow healing paradigm.

Jim sat down with me and immediately gained my trust. He was honest, unassuming, and put me at ease with his gentle manner. Although he admitted that there was no easy explanation for how his methods worked, he was optimistic that, based on his experience, that he could help me.

I struggled to climb onto his treatment table and let him do his art. I was fascinated by the process. Over the next hour, Jim inserted twenty or thirty needles at unusual locations on my body with no obvious connection to my back. The needles were so tiny that I didn't even feel most them go in.

When it came time to get off the table, I was very pleasantly surprised: my pain was barely half of what it was when I had walked in. I went on to work the next three nights with only minimal discomfort. Within five days, I was pain free-with no further treatments!

If that was the end of the story, it would be impressive. Unfortunately, I have had three recurrent episodes of severe back spasm since that time. Each time, Jim has been extremely accommodating and I've been able to see him within a day or two. Each time I have had similar helpful results after only two or three treatments.

Although I still don't really understand why it works, acupuncture has certainly been helpful for me. I have referred a number of patients to Jim, many of whom have gotten similar relief as I did. If you have a condition that you would like to try to treat with acupuncture, I would highly recommend Jim Stegenga as someone to discuss it with."

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

I've had regular migraines for over 12 years – they began after the birth of my first daughter, and I'd have them a few times a month. They made my life miserable, and nothing I tried seemed to help.

For some reason, Jim realized that the migraines might be tied in with the emotional trauma experienced during that birth. The Doctors and Nurses had been very uncompassionate during the birth, and forced me to take certain drugs and procedures against my wishes, so I felt like this precious time had been stolen from me.

I'm still amazed, but since that one EFT session many months ago, I have not had a single migraine. What a blessing!

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person

I'm so excited I had to share this news with you. I CAN WIGGLE MY TOES!!! I haven't been able to do that for years. I was putting lotion on my legs last night and looked over to see myself wiggling my toes on the other foot. So, I wiggled all of them. I know this seems silly to you but it's a major thing for me. I even called the boys into my room and showed them. They were impressed. I have you and acupuncture to thank. It's so cool. Oh and the EFT is working well also. Woke in the middle of the night a few nights ago and had to do a session. Got me where I wanted and back to sleep. That too was pretty cool. Just wanted to tell you this before I forgot.

Disclaimer: results may vary from person to person