Welcome to Windber Medical Center

Testimonials

Harry Shaw, a Long-Haul Truck Driver & Retired Professional Hockey Player:

"I’ve had significant knee pain for the past 8 years and was having trouble sleeping because of the pain, which I would rate as an eight out of ten. I tried different types of therapy, including cortisone shots, which relieved the pain only temporarily. I wanted to control my pain without pills or shots, so I decided to try acupuncture. After only one treatment, my pain was completely relieved, I am now able to sleep all night, and my mobility has improved."

"I was suffering from pain in my neck, my back, hips, legs, and feet for over 15 years. I had tried every treatment medically known, and was finally told there was nothing more medically that could be done except for pain control. Narcotic pain relievers didn’t even help; it only took a little edge off of the pain.

I didn’t want to resign myself to living with this kind of pain the rest of my life. I couldn’t stand it!

My wife, Karen, did extensive research and found out that there was great success in treating my condition with Acupuncture, and I did discus it with my family doctor, who even said, “You have nothing to lose.” At this time I had already missed months of work. I also had paper work filled out and sent in for long term disability, which I did not want to do.

Now after four treatments I find that I did have something to lose, PAIN! I went from walking with a cane and a breath away from disability, to returning to work. Words cannot express my gratitude to Dr. Fockler, Tim Leventry, and the whole staff, for the understanding, caring, compassionate way my treatments went. Thank you Windber Medical Center for having these treatments available."

"At my age this is truly a blessing. Something that I wish was available when I was younger.

The staff is wonderful and caring. I have definitely felt better. Of course it has taken me may years of worry, anxiety, and stress to get my body in the condition I am in. With acupuncture I would not be in this condition. I would have had help earlier.

Windber is so lucky to be ahead of everyone else. It would be good if some of the help could be given to school age children as a definite alternative to coping with life and its problems."

Maria Prenska is a 15 year-old high school student. She had been having lower back pain, neck pain and headaches since December 2003. She had seen treated by her physician, a chiropractor, physical therapist and a neurologist. She had trigger point injections and was taking medications. Nothing seemed to relieve her pain which she rated as a 10 out of 10.

Maria was actively involved in sports such as soccer and basketball. She had been unable to play basketball, or do any of the fun physical activities that she enjoyed for over a year.

After only one treatment Maria states, “ I was pain free for about 2 weeks. Pain returned due to the need to do cartwheels in the school musical.” The pain is almost completely resolved and Maria is beginning run again in preparation for soccer.

I would to tell you how the acupuncture treatment plan has helped my condition and changed my life.

I had constant pain over my whole body. I have had arthritis for five years, polymyaligia for three years, and fibromyalgia for two years. My pain level was a ten out of ten. I was tired all the time and depressed. All I wanted to do was lay or sit with my heating pad.

My medications were Celebrex, taken two times a day, Hydrocodeine every four to six hours, and Prednisone ten milligrams, twice a day. Now I am off of the Celebrex and Hydrocodeine. Prednisone has been cut to five milligrams with plans to wean off of it completely.

Now, I do a one mile power walk every day. I have just housecleaned my four rooms upstairs, washed walls, did all my bed clothing and hung them outside, and moved all the furniture myself. I have done some yard work also, cleaning around some plants and putting new mulch down. My pain level is a zero or one out of ten. I take arthritis Tylenol and the pain leaves.

I use my relaxation tape at least 15 minutes a day. I also play the tape when I am cleaning, reading the paper, and washing dishes. I try to follow the yeast free diet.

I am pain free, have more strength, relaxed, and look forward to each day. I also learned to listen to my body. When I do get tired, I rest and listen to my tapes.

I would like to add that the massage therapist has also helped. When I first came, the massage hurt, but felt good. Now the massage is so relaxing. This is important part of the program.

The staff at Windber Medical Center is fantastic. They explain everything and make you feel so relaxed. When the treatment is finished, I hate to leave.

Dave, a 39 year-old Construction Worker:

"I’ve had back surgery and chronic back pain for 19 years. This past year it became incapacitating. Pain was a significant limiting factor, and I would rate the pain a nine on a scale of one through ten. I was taking 1800mg of Motrin in an attempt to control the pain. Nothing seemed to help."

"Out of desperation, I decided to try acupuncture, which was offered by Windber Medical Center’s Regional Medical Acupuncture and Related Therapies. This has changed my life significantly. I am almost back to normal, and I would rate the discomfort a two out of ten."

Connie, a 62 year old woman was having problems with a tingling, burning pain in her feet and legs for a couple of years. She rated the pain an 8 out of 10. She had difficulty falling and staying asleep due to the pain, and was unable to get up from a sitting position without hanging on to something to pull herself up. She was taking Tylenol PM on a regular basis without any relief.

She was treated at the Regional Medical Acupuncture and Related Therapies Clinic (RMART) on 2 occasions. After the first session, Connie noted that her pain had disappeared and the tingling had decreased to a 1 out of 10. Her mobility had improved dramatically allowing her to get up and down with ease.

I have been suffering with chronic hip pain for the past 18 months. The pain interrupted my sleep and my ability to walk distances. I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee due to a bone chip that was causing me to walk with a list. This walking pattern created the pain in my hip. The surgery corrected the knee pain but not the chronic hip pain. The orthopedist felt that the pain stemmed from my back and suggested surgery. I declined the surgery. I then turned to biweekly chiropractic visits and bimonthly massage sessions. Both afforded me some temporary relief but not a cure from the pain. One of my students mentioned that she was having acupuncture for her back pain at Windber Medical Center. She said she experienced relief for her back pain. I made an appointment to try the acupuncture for my chronic hip pain. My first session was in early July. I had immediate results from the treatment. It was the first night I have slept the entire night without waking from pain for 18 months. I was amazed that after all this suffering that one treatment could afford me such relief. My second treatment was 3 weeks later. Again the Occupational Therapist diagnosed the remaining problem. This session again gave me even more positive results. I was able to walk without having back spasms. Today was my last session and I am pain free and am in total amazement of the results that I have received from the acupuncture. I have recommended this program to several others who are also experiencing pain.

The holistic approach that is used here at Windber is outstanding. Everyone actually listened to what the patient was saying, then diagnosed the problem and worked as a team to improve the status of the patient’s wellbeing. I have left this facility truly one with myself. I am relaxed, at peace with myself, and free of pain. Thank you Dr. Fockler, Jean, Tim, and Dave. After 18 months of misery, I feel like a new person that has gone from feeling 90 years old to a young 54.

I am a believer! Six months after an accident which left me with a painful case of sciatica and after visits and consultations with a family physician, a neurosurgeon, physical therapist, and a chiropractor. I was still left with a pain that would only be relieved with various doses of pain medication. My lifestyle had been altered and everyday I was dealing with some level of pain throughout the day. Almost out of desperation I decided to try acupuncture. My skepticism was quickly replaced with the realization that this treatment could and has in fact worked. After a few sessions, the pain was substantially reduced and I feel much better both physically and emotionally.

I was and continue to be amazed at the level of personal attention that each session brings. Each session begins at the appointed time with no delays in the waiting room and it is two hours dedicated to my need, whether it is in the form of aromatherapy, reflexology, physical therapy or the actual acupuncture itself. My sessions are never cut short and when I ask question, time is spent to provide answers that try to help me understand the treatment I am receiving. I have learned through these treatments that the body is truly amazing and is capable of extraordinary things. This is something I would have never realized had I not taken this treatment path.

I am a believer and will continue to be a believer in this form of treatment. It has worked for me.

Our 15 year old daughter Carrie was left with chronic back pain for a year and a half after a four-wheeler accident. Her freshman year she was only able to play 10 pain filled minutes of soccer, dropped out of basketball, limped through her freshman track season and by the fall of her sophomore year had learned to tolerate the pain enough to earn a top spot on the varsity soccer team but she was in constant pain which negatively effected her posture, running style and personality. With bone scans, MRIs, x-rays and CT scans in hand we continued to seek relief for her through PT, two back specialists, two kinds of chiropractic, pain management clinic, miofacila release, several different kinds of massage. Nothing helped and no pain medications worked.

We were frequently told she would need to learn to live with it. With all other avenues exhausted we started to consider acupuncture and became aware of Windber Medical Center's Integrative Health Medical Acupuncture which is 1 1/2 hours drive from the State College area. After four treatments and still no progress we were feeling uncertain but with the staff's encouragement we persevered. The break through came after the fifth treatment when Carrie's pain level went from 8 to 2 on a 10 scale. Medical acupuncture gave Carrie the breakthrough and relief she needed to get her life back and to get back into the things she wants to do.

In August 2005, I returned from a week at the beach with extreme lower back pain radiating to my feet. The fishing and 15 hour car ride were more than my back could take. I went to Windber’s ER and was told that I most likely had either muscle spasms or a hernation. I went through the normal course of pain killers, muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory drugs. This helped a bit but definitely did not solve the problem. I visited a chiropractor and, again, just temporary relief. At this point, I elected to see a Neurosurgeon. I did some research and choose to see the Maroon Group in Pittsburgh. I took my MRI results along with me for the appointment. After a 10 second scan of the MRI, Dr. El Khadi immediately told me to have surgery. I explained my reluctance toward this option and asked for other options. He prescribed Physical Therapy and told me to come back when I was ready to have the L-5, S-1 disc surgically repaired. I completed 4-5 weeks of Physical Therapy (2-3 times per week) and this too only offered temporary and sporadic relief.

About that time, my brother-in-law suggested Acupuncture. My first reaction was “No Way” as needles are not my thing. After a week of pondering this option and another visit to the Neurosurgeon, I made my first appointment. The combination of breathing, Aromatherapy, foot massage, OT, and Acupuncture offered much better results than I ever could have expected. I was quite skeptical and very nervous about the needles, but after feeling the results I immediately made follow-up appointments. Since that first visit, I have returned 6 or 7 times and every time I have left feeling much better than upon arrival.

It has now been over 5 months since my first visit. I feel nearly 100%. I have been able to resume my normal activities including golf and biking. I’m now able to pick up my kids without anticipating the pain that inevitably followed.

The staff at the Integrative Medicine Department has been absolutely wonderful. They take every possible step to make patients feel at ease and understand exactly what they are doing. I have and will continue to recommend others in need of pain relief. I’ve never been so happy to be proven wrong.

Institute of Integrative Medicine
Windber Medical Center
600 Somerset Avenue,
Windber PA 15963

• Jeanne Brinker RN, BSN, Director of Institute of Integrative Medicine Tel: (814) 467-3000 or E-mail: jbrinke@conemaugh.org