Unfortunately, this was the worst acupuncture experience I've had so far, and I will not be returning to Sophia.
From the beginning, she came across as rude, dismissive, and not personable. She even told my mother and me that if acupuncture didn't work for us, it was basically our bodies' fault.
When she asked where I was experiencing pain, I told her both of my shoulder blades. She asked me to be more specific, and after I explained, she proceeded to dig her fingers forcefully into both of my shoulders, moving from one side to the other. It was extremely uncomfortable and caused me more pain. I told her that it hurt. Shortly afterward, I began experiencing pain radiating from my right shoulder down my arm, into my elbow and hand--pain that had not been there before she manipulated my shoulders.
When I told her this and specifically explained that the radiating pain had only started after what she had just done to my shoulders, instead of showing concern, she dismissed me and told me that I only "felt like" it was happening and that I wasn't actually experiencing that pain. I had to tell her again that no, I was in fact experiencing pain. Having someone dismiss what I was physically feeling in my own body was incredibly frustrating.
She then asked me to open my mouth, looked at my tongue, and told me I was malnourished. Immediately afterward, she told me I needed to stop eating so many cheeseburgers. This comment was completely bizarre and inappropriate. I do not regularly eat cheeseburgers--I honestly cannot remember the last time I had one--and neither my mother nor I had been discussing cheeseburgers, our diets, or food at all.
She then announced that she "knew" we were there for weight loss. We were not. My mother clearly explained that she was there because of her rheumatoid arthritis, and I was there specifically because of my shoulder pain. She also made an unnecessary comment about us having "a lot of fat" on our bodies. Both my mother and I have previously undergone weight-loss surgery, but regardless of that, neither of us came to her seeking weight-loss treatment, nor did our body size justify the assumptions or comments she made.
The acupuncture treatment itself was also disappointing. Despite my repeatedly explaining that my primary complaint was my shoulders--and despite the fact that my shoulders were now hurting significantly more after she had forcefully manipulated them--she placed needles in areas including my legs, feet, ankles, and stomach, but none in my shoulders. I was in pain at the beginning of the acupuncture session and remained in pain throughout and afterward. I have had acupuncture before, and I have never had an experience where I remained this uncomfortable during the treatment.
What bothered me even more happened as we were leaving. I was asked whether my shoulders felt better, and I said, "Not really." Sophia then came over and again began digging her fingers firmly into my already painful shoulders while smiling. At that point I told her to stop touching them because they already hurt.
I understand that not every treatment will work for every person, and I would never leave a negative review simply because acupuncture didn't relieve my pain. My issue is how I was treated. I felt that my pain was aggravated and then dismissed, assumptions were made about my body and why I was seeking treatment, unnecessary comments were made about my weight and eating habits, and my already painful shoulders were handled roughly even after I communicated that it was hurting me.
I left in more pain than I arrived in and feeling completely unheard and uncomfortable. Based on my experience, I will not be returning to Sophia. read more
