Ryan Senneff is my patient and has been receiving acupuncture and acupressure based treatments for the past two years per my recommendation. His conditions include trisomy 21, constipation, hypothyroidism, unilateral small kidney, autism, and food sensitivities.

Ryan's conditions have improved since beginning acupuncture. These improvements include improved behavior and cognitive development, improved vision, decreased hospitalization, improved thyroid function, improved kidney growth and function, and decreased constipation. He was initally on a higher thyroid dose, that has been reduced despite his congenital hypothyroidism. His neutropenia has improved, with WBC being 6.6, up from 2.2. When I began seeing him his kidneys were both small for his age and one was 2 standard deviations smaller than the other. Now both are normal for his age/size. His vision has improved from 20/70 to 20/30 and previously monocular vision is now binocular. His overall health has improved and he is showing greater resilience in many core functions since starting acupuncture treatments. He has been able to reduce hospitalizations and the need for specialists. If further information is needed regarding his health improvement, I am happy to provide you with that information.

I feel strongly that the acupuncture/pressure treatments should be covered by insurance as they are necessary to the treatment of his conditions. Along with behaviour modification and diet, these are the only therapies that have truly worked to help this young man stay out of the hospital and in his classroom regularly. His Optometrist, his kidney doctor, the NIH following his brain MRI have all been dazzled by his improvement that is far beyond that of any kid his age with trisomy 21! I hope that this patient scenario,will also serve as inspiration and a model for care that is truly integrative.

Varsha Rathod, MD

Rheumatologist and Functional Medicine Physician

After experiencing back pain or many years and utilizing all traditional methods, short of surgery, prescribed by my doctors I was made aware of Dr. Shanna. Of course I was concerned about needles but I was searching for relief. My pain was relieved after treatments. I can again take walks, get rid of my hard rocking chair to again sit on a soft couch and stand for an extended period of time. Thank you Dr. Shanna.

H. M. E., from Chesterfield, MO

I met Dr. Shanna Zhang a couple of months ago. At that time, I was suffering from my tailbone, low back, numbness, cramps and pain in my both legs. I couldn't sit or walk for more than 30 minutes a day. I had to deal with that chronic pain and frustration for almost two years. I couldn't take care of my two little boys and chores at home. I couldn't deal with the fact that from a very active and energetic woman, I was very limited with my physical activities. I did a lot of tests. While the orthopedic doctors diagnosed me with coccydynia, the neurologist couldn't come up with any diagnoses at all.

As soon as Dr Zhang diagnosed me a couple of months ago, she started using acupuncture treatment. I was able to tell the difference right way. I still go to Dr. Zhang, she uses more advance techniques now, and my numbness and overall pain has been reduced, my energy level is up and I feel much better taking care of things I couldn't do previously. Dr Zhang also describes me some herbs that I use weekly for my overall wellness. I am very happy that she is looking not simply at my particular health problems, but at my body as a whole. I am amazed by the way she does it! A quiet, but yet, opened, gentle and thoughtful person, Dr. Zhang is fast in finding the most accurate treatment for you.

I am very lucky to benefit from her experience, knowledge, and passion in using Oriental Medicine. I highly recommend Dr. Zhang for all sufferers out there.

Barbara-patient

In 1993 while in my early 20s I had a knee surgery that left me with a serious life-threatening debilitating condition called DVT or Deep Venous Thrombosis. I have suffered these past 16 years from additional cascading complications including edema, post thrombotic syndrome, serious ulceration, severe continuous pain and other obvious signs of concern such as portions of my foot and toes becoming severely discolored when I am in the most severe pain or simply when the weather turns cold (I was told by western doctors this was a complication of a drug I was prescribed over a decade ago). I have previously been considered disabled and in 1995 I was told by a head surgeon at a major metro area hospital my prognosis for improvement was "minimal at best". Over the years I have followed up with numerous doctors and had repeat tests performed - not only was the underlying condition stagnant, I continued to develop serious cascading complications.

I finally discovered alternative wellness principles a few years ago. With a combination of alternative therapies and supplements the underlying condition finally began showing slight improvement and the underlying complications finally stopped progressively getting much worse. However, something was still missing in the puzzle of regaining my health... After witnessing Dr. Zhang's work with my husband, I decided to seek her treatment for my debilitating conditions. Since seeking the assistance of Dr. Zhang, I have experienced a marked improvement in my own situation. She has the experience and the knowledge of not only ancient Chinese herbal wisdom, but combined with her knowledge and experience in Neurology, she has been helping me to improve my situation far greater than I had ever hoped after Western medicine practitioners left me with no other treatment options. Dr. Zhang has become my inspiration to keep progressing forward with an otherwise incurable and untreatable situation. I now have an improved range of motion, my strength/mobility is increasing, my pain level is subsiding and overall I feel better than I have in nearly 2 decades - more than half of my life!

Thanks Dr. Zhang!!

J.Z

I am a 72 years old woman who was diagnosed with cervical dystonia. I was told there is no cure for this. My head keeps turning to the side and is very, very painful so much so that I couldn't cook, clean or do anything. I tried several times and ended up laying flat on the floor, it was so bad.

I have been treated the following: 7 rounds of Botox shots to no avail, Went to 2 pain management groups to no avail, Had 8 painful shots, And had 4 rounds (3 months each) of physical therapy. None of which helped me. I was so miserable that I thought of taking my own life. I decided to check into acupuncture and found Shanna.

She gave me my life back after a few treatment of acupuncture. I'm not completely cured but I'm able to do most of the things I use to. I have to rest in between chores, but then I can get up and start again. I would recommend acupuncture to anyone.

I also get lower back pain once in a while and acupuncture took my pain away. Every once in a while I'll get it again after doing some household chores. I get my treatment on my lower back and that takes it away.

If you are not being helped with your regular medical treatment I would highly recommend trying acupuncture with Shanna. She truly cares about you and so wants to help you. I truly love her (I'm no relative).

Kay Burke

I have been under Dr. Shanna's care for more than one year. When I first went to her, I was suffering from an enlarged prostate, which was causing me to experience frequent urination, especially at night. My primary care physician had prescribed medication to control the urge to urinate, but the medication did not address the issue of the enlarged prostate. At the suggestion of a friend, I went to Dr. Shanna to ask if Chinese medicine could actually alleviate the prostrate enlargement and thereby deal with the problem of the frequent urination. Dr. Shanna said that indeed Chinese medicine, including herbal therapy and acupuncture, could shrink my prostate.

Dr. Shanna prescribed a regimen of herbal teas, acupunture, and ultra-sound therapy. The regimen has lasted for more than 9 months, initially requiring weekly treatments but now reduced to monthly treatments. Early on in the treatment, I discontinued use of the medication prescribed by my primary physician. Any time I had done this before, I immediately began to experience the urination problem again. In this instance, however, the nighttime urination did not recur. My most recent examination by my primary physician indicates that my prostate has returned to its normal size. As a result, I no longer experience the problem of frequent urination and interrupted sleep.

Based on my experience, I would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Shanna and traditional Chinese medicine for any chronic medical complaint.

VS

I have been a patient of Shanna's for the last 6 months. I am astounded at the progress I have made under her care. Not only is Shanna a gifted healer and physician she is a caring, gentle and extremely intelligent practitioner.

I have been to several other Oriental MedicineDoctors in St.. Louis and was disappointed with the results of the care I received. I have made more progress with Shanna in 6 months then I had made in years with other OMD's.

I thank God for Shanna every day, and plan on being a patient of hers for many years to come.

TD

I came to Dr. Zhang after we had been trying to conceive for 10 months. I had two relatives, both women in their late 30's, and one who had failed several attempts with IVF, who successfully conceived naturally after acupuncture. Given my age, 38, and my husband's age, 41, we knew we did not have a lot of time. When I met Dr. Zhang, I was very impressed with how kind and personable she is. She is also very meticulous. She told me it would likely take 2 months to 1 year to conceive. She gave me a combination of acupuncture and herbs. She tailored the herbs to my specific needs and symptoms. She said her success rate was almost 100%. Well, in just 2 months I became pregnant! I have become a believer in the power of acupuncture with herbs for the treatment of infertility as well as female problems. I highly recommend Dr. Zhang!

Written by SR

I am a 32 year old female going through early menopause. In my early 20s, I started to have irregular menstrual cycles and slowly over the next 10 years, my cycles were growing further apart. At times, I couldn't remember when I had my last period. I was advised my gynecologist to take birth control pills to strengthen my bones and occasionally shed my uterine lining to prevent from getting cancer. Only while I took these pills did I have my monthly period.

Prior to meeting Dr. Zhang, I went off my birth control pills to see if I could menstruate regularly on my own and conceive. However, I was not able to menstruate and after several exams, a fertility doctor confirmed that I was in early menopause. Due to a friend's recommendation to try Chinese medicine, I started to see Dr. Zhang. She had me start on daily consumption of herbal tea for 5 months and followed up with weekly acupuncture sessions. After two months of acupuncture with herbal tea, I had my first period. I continued with my acupuncture treatment and herbal tea and after another month, I had my period again. I am very surprised by my results so far and I will continue my treatment.

JK

I have been seeing Dr. Shanna Zhang to treat me for infertility as a result of PCOS. Never in my adult life have I had a natural period and now after only 2 months of weekly acupuncture treatments and chinese herbs, I have become regular in my cycles. I have tried western infertility treatments which caused great anxiety along with physical and emotional side effects, but with Dr. Zhang's help I have achieved hormonal balance without any negative side effects. I recommend her for any ailment. She is awesome at what she does and she treats the whole person, not just the symptoms. She truly cares about her patients and will go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure satisfaction and above all, healing. Thanks Dr. Shanna. You have made a tremendous difference in my life.

Rhonda Hannah

I am in my 30s and while trying to conceive a child, I learned that my sperm count and morphology was abnormally low and poor. Over the last year, Dr. Zhang provided a combination of acupuncture and herbs and in subsequent lab analyses, my sperm count and morphology improved to normal levels. She and her staff have always been pleasant to work with and Dr. Zhang has always been very personable and accommodating. Highly recommended.

LK

I am a 64 year old female who has been in menopause now for several years. The onset of symptoms were many, but the most problematic for me was Uncontrollable weight gain in my mid section. Believe me when I say I had Tried as many different diets I could get my hands on, some of them worked, but Most of them had limited results, Coupled with many hours of exercise at the gym, I lost the weight, only to have it come back faster than losing it. It seemed as though my body was literally making fat.

I even tried hormone therapy, but had little affect on the abdominal, muffin top, bra line annoying fat!!!

Out of desperation, and I what I felt was my last resort, upon recommendation from a friend who had seen Dr. Zhang for hormonal imbalances, I decided to see her for a consultation, just to see if there was anything she could do, all the while Being skeptical that no one could help stop the fat accumulation. We started Acupuncture therapy and within a few sessions, the inches literally started to Melt away. And once we saw results, it kept getting better and better, and the Fat cells kept shrinking. By the end of my first session, which lasted several weeks as I was preparing for a wedding, I had lost a total of 5 inches in the Mid section and was down 3 dress sizes !!! I felt and looked fantastic !!!

Back to what my shape was prior to menopause. And my self confidence came back, because I was feeling good about the way I looked, and felt. That was 3 years ago, and every year, I revisit Dr. Zhang for a refresher, just to keep on track and maintained, to keep my body balanced. The results do not happen overnight, be patient, because the mid section abdominal fat is very difficult to treat, and if you are reading this, then you already know that. Dr. Zhang will work with you to fine tune your treatment to your individual body composition. No two are the same. What worked for me, may not work for you, but Dr. Zhang will create a treatment plan customized to your unique body’s needs.

I am a 52 year old male and was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2003, an incurable disease by western standards.

After 26 month cycles of chemo and 2 bone marrow transplants my cancer was still “smoldering”. My doctor concluded it would return and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I refused to believe that changes in my diet or alternative medicine could not slow down the progression of this disease. I met with Dr. Shanna and we discussed herbal methods for boosting the immune system and fighting cancer cells.

I have been drinking herbal teas and meeting with Dr. Shanna for 14 months and tracking my blood cell counts and protein level. The growth of the myeloma cells has slowed down and dropped to immeasurable levels. My energy level is high and my overall health is very good.

Dr. Shanna is very skilled at integrating oriental medicine in conjunction with results of blood tests from western doctors. I am very fortunate to have found Dr. Shanna and benefited from her experience, diligence, knowledge, and passion for oriental medicine and her patients.

Thank you!

I am 56 years old. In 2008, I suffered several major medical problems including bouts of pneumonia, a heart attack, 3 invasive heart procedures and experienced temporary death while in the care of a local ER team (being dead is NOT conducive to health!) After local area cardiologists had stated to my wife "his next step is a heart transplant" and "he'll be dead within 2 weeks, most likely a couple days", I knew I needed to take action, but realized that local Western Medicine had little more to offer to me. I was referred to the published protocols of Dr. Stephen Sinatra M.D. who's "awesome foursome" of vital nutrients selected to restore energy to the heart helped to get me back onto my feet. I was showing improvement, but something was still missing...

In 2009 I then suffered a serious setback that was misdiagnosed as a stroke or TIAs, but it was never fully understood, nor properly diagnosed, so it was never effectively treated. This latest round left me with "unilateral partial paralysis" - I was unable to walk, at one point I wasn't even able to swallow! All I know is I began with flu-like symptoms for several days before the condition worsened while I was in the hospital where several doctors kept insisting I had suffered a stroke despite all tests for strokes and TIAs were negative (several family members also experienced flu-like symptoms). Whatever stemmed from the viral attack was never fully understood and never fully explained by western medicine. Additionally, after that event I suffered from atrial fibrillation which I feel was attributed to one or more of the medications prescribed to treat whatever the viral ailment was that left me partially paralyzed. My wife again rescued me from the hospital and consulted with a number of people. Dr. Shanna Zhang was mentioned several times, so we made an appointment. I'll admit I was a skeptic...

Due to the partial paralysis, I still had lack of sensation on the whole right side of my body, and especially in my hand and leg. With the help of Dr. Shanna Zhang, I am regaining the use of my hand and leg and regaining sensation in the areas that I had minimal to no sensation. I feel stronger, more coordinated and have better ambulation with each treatment session with Dr. Shanna Zhang. I am now a FIRM believer in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Dr. Shanna Zhang is very skilled with successfully using acupuncture to restore sensation due to neurological conditions and she has an impressive knowledge of properly utilizing chinese herbs for a variety of ailments such as diabetes and cardiac concerns including hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and cardiac arrhythmia. When I first met Dr. Shanna Zhang, I still required the use of a walker. Within a few sessions I was able to discard the walker for a cane, then I was able to be free of the cane. Today I have returned to work full-time to a very demanding job. I feel I would not have been able to continue working and would have been forced to seek disability assistance if I had not been treated by Dr. Zhang.

I have also come to realize Dr. Sinatra's combination of cardiac nutrients along with Chinese herbs helped to restore my levels of ATP as western scientists understand, or CHI/QI energy as Asian practitioners understand the life-force energy. Dr. Zhang's experience with reopening the energy meridians with acupuncture was the missing link I needed to revitalize my physical body after my series of traumatic cardiac experiences.

Respectfully,

R. Z.

I am 61 year old male who suffers from Ankylosis Spondylitis of the whole spine from neck down to my tail bone. This condition has caused me to be in constant pain with limitation of movements and lack of flexibility of the whole spine. My posture was that of an old man who had trouble raising his head to see properly.

Dr. Shanna Zhang has been taking care of me for last 18 months with combination of herbs, acupuncture and cupping technique which has given me such impressive results that even my orthopedic doctor is impressed with the results. My pain is about 80% less, my flexibility of the spine has improved by 70% and my body posture is lot more acceptable. I am very grateful to Dr. Shanna for giving me so much relief from pain and sufferings. I have full confidence in her clinical judgment, her impressive experience from China, Her multiple degrees in Oriental and Western medicine but over all her kind and pleasant disposition which makes any patient relax and open up to her treatment.

Thank you again Dr. Shanna for making life better.

Sincerely,
LKA

I met Dr. Shanna Zhang about two years ago when I was suffering from whole body pain, stuffy head and dry cough which were not responding to the usual regular treatments of taking decongestants, analgesics and /or antibiotics. Finally, frustrated and discouraged, my wife advised me to try Oriental treatment for my problem. Reluctantly I agreed and had good fortune to see Dr. Shanna the first time.... She took my pulse, looked at my tongue and prescribed some herbs for me to take. To my surprise I was up and about with in 24 hours and back to my regular routine job within 48 hours. Needless to say, I have been a believer of Oriental Medicine ever since.... Beyond the effective results from medications, the bedside manners of Dr. Shanna, her kind and gentle disposition with genuine show of concern makes the patient fell better faster. I will highly recommend Dr. Shanna to anyone suffering from ailments that requires treatment with thorough knowledge of herbs, acupuncture points, cupping etc...

Thank you for reading this testimonial.
Dr. L.A

On December 3 rd 09, I had surgery for the removal of the whole prostate gland because of cancer of the prostate. Surgery was done by Da Vinci Robotic equipment by an excellent surgeon with least amount of trauma to my body, but it took him 3 1/2 hours to complete the procedure. Dr. Shanna Zhang came to my room on the day of the surgery, gave me treatment with metal rings in my right ear in three different locations which was so effective in pain management that I did not need any Pain medication at all after the surgery. The auricular rings also accelerated my kidney output to clear my body of anesthesia that was needed to complete 3 1/2 hours of surgery. My post surgery recovery was very smooth and fast... thanks to intervention done by Dr. Shanna, I returned to work with in 2 weeks after surgery. I would recommend Dr. Shanna whole heartedly to any one who needs help with pain management, detoxification of the body from different contaminants and /or management of chronic ailments like hypertension, diabetes, arthritis etc. I base these recommendations on my personal experiences of Dr. Shanna's treatment successes with my family and me.

Thank you.
Dr. Abi

I began bringing my daughter for acupuncture to slow or stop her seizures. She started Oct. 9th, 2010 and has many (six) treatments. She has had hardly any seizures. If any, was hardly noticeable, very short and not severe. Previously she had numerous seizures in the night and or when she falls asleep. This always awakened her and keeps me up to. We will continue coming to Dr. Shanna Zhang and hope to stop meds.

Tina

I am a 60 years old female treated by another acupuncturist for severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. After six months I was better and off my regular medications. Few months later I had extensive Shingles (Herpes zoster) and went back for treatment. Had several acupuncture treatments, but there was no improvement. In fact, it was getting worse. I decided to try Dr Shanna, and after 3-4 treatments, the pain reduced and blisters dried up. The best thing also was I did not suffer from scarring and post herpetic neuralgia (severe pain after Shingles healing). My point is that it is very critical to choose a knowledgeable, experienced acupuncturist using the best treatment options available for different ailments.

Dr. FA

My mother is 80 years old who suffered from severed rashes all over her body especially on the waist and on the back last year. I brought her to see a western doctor every month, but the rashes were getting more and more for 6 months. One day, I decided to let her see Dr Shanna Zhang. She prescribed some herbs for my mother to take and to soak. After the first week of treatment, my mother started to feel internal comfort from the body. And, after 2 months, the rashes was 90% gone and she became emotionally stable. Thanks to Dr Shanna for her accurate judgment regarding my mom's illness and prescribed the correct herbs for her. I will highly recommend Dr Shanna to those who suffer from such severed illness.

Thanks for your excellent practice!
BW

Dr. Zhang has been instrumental in facilitating my return to aggressive sports. Before receiving acupuncture from Dr. Zhang, my back pain (due to degenerative disks in the lower lumbar) prevented me from enjoying intense athletic pursuits. I was limited to one day of racing because my back would lock up and my achilles tendons would tighten, causing pain, if I tried to engage in a physically demanding activity the following day.

Now, I am able to race cyclocross on Saturday and race in a biathlon on Sunday with no pain. The tension that I felt in my body before working with Dr. Zhang limited my enjoyment of outdoor sports. Last weekend, I competed in my first 12-hr adventure race and aside from the stinging nettles, poison ivy, and thorns my body felt surprisingly good. I attribute my decreased muscle soreness and faster recovery rate after competitions to the wonderful, professional care that Dr. Zhang provides athletes.
CG

I have severe allergy to Virginia Creeper, within a day of being exposed to this plant. I have severe swelling in my feet and ankles with intense itching and developed severe inflammation on my arms. With acupuncture and herbal treatments from Dr. Zhang the itching is alleviating, and the skin lesions are healing.

Mare Prosso, --Patient of Dr. Zhang

My name is Grit Wallek. I am a fifth-year medical student from Germany, The United States and Germany are very similar in trusting the Western approach to medicine. Nonetheless I am very interested in Traditional Chinese medicine and the Oriental approach to helping people.

So I decided to spend my summer in St. Louis shadowing a Chinese Acupuncturist. I contacted several places to complete my observation. I was very fortunate in finding Dr. Shanna and am honored that she allowed me to observe her.

I got the chance to observe her for five weeks. In those five weeks, I learned a lot and saw a lot of different cases. Some of the illnesses/conditions she treated were sciatica, headaches, depression, joint pains, back pains, sexual dysfunctions, and paraplegia. It was amazing to see how Dr. Shanna was able to help her patients find relief - even though some of the cases were so severe that I was doubtful that acupuncture could improve their conditions.

Dr. Shanna is a great Doctor. She is very open-minded, friendly and her main focus is on helping her patients get better. I am impressed with the way she addresses every patients’ needs and does not only focus on their diagnoses. Dr. Shanna does a great job incorporating Western medicine and ensures that the patient does not have an undiagnosed underlying condition.

I am very grateful for the time with Dr. Shanna and the knowledge she has shared.

Sincerely,
Grit Walllek

Dr Shanna Zhang,Thank you so much for allowing me to observe you in practice. I learned a lot in the short amount of time that I shadowed you, and I know it will help me greatly in the care of my patients in the future. I am amazed by how much you know! You patients are luck to have you. Thanks again!

Sincerely,
EG

I appreciate the time and expertise and care you have shown me as I try to find out the cause of my head pressure. Having this condition for 16 straight months and seeing many different doctors and experts, I have felt fortunate to have you treat me as great as you have. You make me feel like family and that is best feeling for a patient to have.

GWH