Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: DC’s Story

Living with Chronic Pain After Military Service

Sixty-three-year-old DC says chronic pain has been part of his life for years. A military veteran who served for 23 years, including a tour in Iraq, DC says he lives with service-connected injuries and a 100% disability rating. Before finding Queen City Acupuncture & Wellness Center, his pain was often at the high end of the scale. “My pain scale used to be around the 8, 9, 10 level all the time,” he says.

With pain affecting so many parts of his body, DC began looking for more natural ways to find relief. He says he had already started researching long-standing wellness practices from other countries and wanted to understand whether acupuncture could help him function better day to day.

His first experience with acupuncture elsewhere was discouraging. DC says he had visited another Charlotte-area practice but did not see improvement. He also recalls moments when needles were left in after treatment. “I’m driving home and I’ve got needles in my neck or wherever,” he says. “So I wasn’t too happy about that.”

Finding a Different Kind of Acupuncture Care

DC says he does not remember exactly how the referral happened, but he was referred to Queen City Acupuncture & Wellness Center through the Charlotte VA. Because of his earlier experience, he came in with some hesitation. “I was skeptical at first because of my past experience,” he says. That began to change after he started seeing Garrett Krause at Queen City Acupuncture & Wellness Center in Matthews, North Carolina.

Personalized Treatment That Helped Lower His Pain

From the beginning, DC felt that Garrett’s approach was different. He began to see results. “Because of Garrett and what he does, he’s able to get me down to a five or six, which I can live with,” DC says. For someone who had been living at the higher end of the pain scale, that change mattered. “To me, that’s a game changer,” DC says.

Treating Back, Neck, Knee, Foot, and Nerve Pain

DC describes his pain as widespread, including back and spine pain, neck pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, plantar fasciitis, nerve pain, and unpredictable flare-ups. He says a neck injury fused his C2 and C3, and doctors have discussed additional spinal fusion. For now, DC says he wants to avoid more invasive procedures if possible. He says acupuncture and related treatments have helped him manage pain in a way that keeps him moving.

One of the things DC says that he appreciates most is that Garrett does not take a one-size-fits-all approach. “He takes the time to target different areas every time you come,” DC says. When DC arrives with a specific concern, he says Garrett adjusts the visit rather than repeating the same treatment each time. DC says he has received acupuncture, dry needling, cupping, and shockwave therapy during the course of his treatment. “He does a lot even in one visit,” DC says. “I am so thankful for him because if it wasn’t for him, I’m not even sure how I’d be able to get around.”

Acupuncture for Veterans Through VA Community Care

DC also appreciates Garrett’s commitment to veterans. He says navigating VA authorizations can be difficult, especially when treatment approvals are limited. According to DC, veterans may sometimes receive a limited number of visits, often around 8 to 12, with the expectation that those visits will last an entire year. For people living with chronic pain, he believes more consistent care can make a meaningful difference. “Every couple of weeks we could use those kind of treatments because it does make a big difference,” he says.

There have been times, DC says, when VA payments or authorizations were delayed and Garrett still worked with him. “If he didn’t do that, I would never be able to even do anything,” DC says. He says Garrett also makes time for him when he calls, and that responsiveness matters. At one point, when DC had not been coming in, Garrett called to check on him. “People just don’t do that anymore,” DC says. “Garrett genuinely cares about the patients.”

Whole-Body Support Alongside Acupuncture

DC says that he also values Garrett’s broader knowledge of wellness. When DC developed shingles, he used the Evil Bone Water herbal spray that he purchased in Garrett’s office. DC says his symptoms were not as severe as what he had heard from others. “At his suggestion, I took this stuff early on and it kept it from being major. It kept the scarring on my forehead to a minimum.”

What has kept DC coming back is not only the pain relief, but also the trust he has built with Garrett. “He treats everybody equally,” DC says. “He gives the same level of care to every patient who comes in.”

Advice for People Considering Acupuncture

For someone considering acupuncture for the first time, DC’s advice is to give it a fair chance. “They can’t just let one treatment define all the treatments,” he says. He recommends trying several visits before deciding whether acupuncture is helping. “Give it three or four treatments before you decide and see if there is a difference, because you can’t go by one treatment period,” he says. Acupuncture may not be the right fit for everyone, he adds, but his own experience has been clear. “I’m one that has definitely seen a difference.”

A Better Quality of Life with Less Pain

“I know that I’ll never be totally pain-free. I know that,” he says. “So I accept it for what it is. But this is a game changer for me. I’m dropped down to a pain level that allows me to have a life.  As long as Garrett’s still in business, I’ll be figuring out a way to make sure I can keep seeing him,” DC says.