About Michelle Steffens

As Michelle Steffens, health issues challenged me, including an eye congenital disability, constant sickness, and multiple car accidents before age thirty.

My earliest memories are filled with constant stomach pain and frequent visits to the eye doctor due to a birth defect that caused my eyes to turn outward. The doctor diagnosed me with a lazy eye and would patch my right eye, forcing my left eye to see. This caused intense nausea, dizziness, and irritability and made reading and playing sports difficult. At a young age, I already felt frustrated and self-conscious.

At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with a precancerous melanoma spot on my left knee, where a childhood scar had not healed properly. The surgery was successful, and I have had no recurrence of skin cancer.

At the age of 18, I underwent surgery to reposition the left eye muscles, which were not functioning properly due to their incorrect size. Since my brain had suppressed the vision in my left eye since birth, I continued to see only with my right eye even after surgery. Four years of intense physical therapy followed as I worked to train my brain to use both eyes. The progress was challenging, as I experienced intense nausea, dizziness, and frustration from the therapy exercises. At 21, I had a second eye surgery to reposition the right eye muscles, and for the first time in my life, I could see naturally out of both eyes, experiencing depth perception.

When I was 19, a car accident severely impacted my body. Rear-ended at 45 miles per hour, my chin struck the steering wheel, injuring my jaw joint. At impact, my foot was on the brake, causing permanent damage to my right hip. I immediately suffered from migraine headaches and neck and back pain. MRIs revealed degenerative disc disease, which runs in my family. I needed six hours of reconstructive jaw surgery, with the surgeon noting that my jaw joint resembled that of a 70-year-old woman.

Rather than following the same path as my older brother, who had undergone two back surgeries, I decided to pursue a more holistic approach, including supplements, chiropractic care, and massage. With no internet access in 1989, I spent hours at a local health food store, reading reference books and learning about supplements.

I started removing sugar, dairy, and most bread products from my diet, believing they contributed to inflammation in my bones and connective tissues. I also discovered that the antacid medications and proton pump inhibitors I had been taking for over 10 years for heartburn and stomach pain likely led to poor absorption of minerals from my diet, which further contributed to the degeneration of my bones and discs. After switching to a diet of low-inflammatory foods, my constant stomach pain and acid reflux disappeared, allowing me to discontinue digestive medications.

At age 25, while driving on a highway in Clearwater, FL, at 65 mph, I was involved in another traumatic accident when two cars suddenly crossed the median and collided head-on with my SUV. I vividly remember the accident as time appeared to slow down, and I thought, “Why are these cars coming to park on the median? They aren’t parking; they are coming right at me.” I turned to my son, Michael, who was almost two years old, and said, “I think this is the last time I will see you.” I braced for impact, trying to prevent myself from hitting the steering wheel again, which caused it to bend slightly. The police officer informed me if that SUV had hit me just six inches higher, I might not have survived.

Due to the impact of over 100 miles per hour, I sustained a closed head injury that was misdiagnosed at the hospital. My body went into shock immediately, with highly elevated blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and only three to four hours of sleep each night. Despite being only 25 years old, I experienced hot flashes, night sweats, and panic attacks nightly while trying to sleep. I developed a mild stutter despite having no previous speech impediments, and my body constantly shook.

Returning to work was difficult, and after two weeks, I realized I could barely function. The neurologist placed me on short-term disability and prescribed various high blood pressure medications, beta-blockers, and sleeping pills. Unfortunately, I responded very poorly to these treatments because they addressed only the symptoms, not the root cause. The doctor failed to recognize that the accident damaged my pituitary gland.

Four months later, I met an acupuncturist who said, “I think I can help you.” At this point, I was willing to try anything. After three treatments, my blood pressure and heart rate began to stabilize, and I started sleeping better—about four to five hours a night. My constant hot flashes and night sweats decreased. I was able to return to work with improved well-being.

However, after a few months, I reached a plateau in my recovery. Seeking further relief, I found another acupuncturist trained in China with experience treating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football players. His expertise with head injuries provided significant relief. While I still experienced all my symptoms, they were much more manageable, and I continued acupuncture sessions biweekly for a few years.

Though I enjoyed my career as an accountant, on a deeper level, I didn’t feel fulfilled. At 29, I left my well-paying management job and moved to the Midwest to pursue a degree in acupuncture, with the goal of helping people improve their quality of life. My family thought I was crazy for making such a drastic change, and my friends were disheartened to see me go.

In 1999, I began classes at the Midwest College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, joining the last class taught by Japanese-style practitioners. I was fortunate to learn both Japanese and Chinese acupuncture techniques. During my third and final year, I realized that while I had the knowledge to pass the national board exams, I needed a deeper understanding to provide highly effective treatments.

Determined to deepen my expertise, I pursued further studies with Kiiko Matsumoto and Bob Flaws. At the same time, I also developed the Body-Feedback style – my own approach that ensured positive responses before inserting acupuncture needles. I applied the same attention to detail I developed as an accountant for my acupuncture practice, relying on feedback from the patient’s body to guide the treatment process and ensure lasting benefits.

After graduating in 2002, I moved to Madison, Wisconsin, drawn by the community’s openness to acupuncture and family-friendly environment. Despite being new to the area, my practice quickly grew through referrals, and within two years, my schedule was fully booked thanks to my unique treatment style. Just six weeks after arriving in Madison, I went on a blind date with my now-husband, Page Buchanan. To learn more about this phase of my life, please watch the “About Michelle Buchanan” video.