Inspiring Conversations with Marianela Ramírez of San Antonio Health Acupuncture

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marianela Ramírez.

Hi Marianela, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey began when my husband was transferred from Puerto Rico to Eagle Pass to work as an engineer in a small city on the border of Mexico. As I don’t want to live apart from him, I have two options: live in Eagle Pass with him and my three kids or move it to the next big city by myself and my three kids. I choose the second option and move to San Antonio because my kids can have better opportunities, and my husband can drive to visit any time that he can. However, by the time I move here, I always have in mind that my time in San Antonio will be temporary and I need to find something to do to entertain myself while my kids that were four, six and eight years old were in school by that time. The best way to do it is to find something to study that way, I can learn a new career, make friends and improve my English skill. The first thing that I did was look for something that complements what I know and what I did my whole life in Puerto Rico. I work doing pain management through Neuromuscular therapies and rehabilitative exercises.

I found an Oriental Medicine school, and I sign to start. I knew that acupuncture works because my dad and sister use to treat me whenever I had any health issue. In other words, I always like it, see that it works, but I never had the opportunity to study it.

To make the story short, In my second week living in San Antonio, I start my studies in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. As I always remember that my time in San Antonio is temporary because of my husband’s job, I studied very hard to finish the earliest possible. What was supposed to be a 4-year program I completed in three. Before I graduated from Chinese Medicine school, I passed all the four boards that you need to pass to start an acupuncture practice in Texas, including Acupuncture, Oriental Medicine, Biomedicine, and Herbology.

As soon as I finished, I open my practice San Antonio Health Acupuncture. As I want to emphasize my practice treating complex pain management cases, I start studies in Neuro-Acupuncture while at the same time I start the DAOM program in Austin, TX which is the major doctoral degree for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine that you can achieve. This doctoral emphasize in pain management conditions.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I can say it has been a happy road. One hard enough to learn in the process and not so hard that you cease to do it. My major struggle was finding the time to spend with my kids while doing so many things simultaneously and dealing with high-stress levels that exacerbated my health condition. As part of my condition, I can experience migraines, auditive sensitiveness, anxious mood, and some memory problems that come in relapses as you can imagine trying to remember Chinese Herbal formula names when you have struggles remembering words was difficult. But, when you want to do something, you put all your energy and effort and find the way to do it, and that’s what I did. I study very hard when my body has the energy, and where my body was not feeling so perfect, I rest and take care of myself. I learn to practice mindfulness, living the moment, and enjoying one thing at a time. I think my health issues are the major factor that makes my love for acupuncture and herbal Medicine even more prominent because I experience how much Oriental Medicine can do for you and makes me believe even more. I specialize in pain, mental and neurological conditions because I struggle with, and I can understand my patients’ feelings.

I start San Antonio Health Acupuncture with cero idea of how much people in the San Antonio area know about Oriental Medicine. By the time I open my clinic, I had cero patients and no idea how to advertise. I open thinking that the worst thing that can happen is that anyone calls and if that occurred at least I was trying. I spend the first month studying and learning the different advertisement and social media types that I can apply in my business. In a short period, I know how to do it, and the clinic starts booming. The patients see good results, like my treatments, and recommend me to their friends. In less than six months, I was completely scheduling doing what I love more.

What makes my treatments special is that I put all my dedication to making my patient feel better; I take my time to hear them and understand what is happening in their bodies and what I can do to make them feel better faster. When you see how much your patients improve, you know your sacrifice worth it!

We’ve been impressed with San Antonio Health Acupuncture, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am an Oriental Medicine physician specializing in pain management, neurological disease and mental conditions. I treat a variety of health conditions with ear, scalp and body acupuncture. I make use of electroacupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping and tuina to complemented my treatments. What set me apart is that I am one of a few here in the San Antonio area that specializes in Neuro Acupuncture. The Neuro Acupuncture specialty allows me to treat complex pain cases and debilitating diseases. As through my doctoral studies, I pain conditions as a whole where I treat not only the physical pain but also the mental struggles.

What matters most to you?
What matters to me most is my family and the reason for what I am doing this. I want my kids to see me as their role model and learn that the most important thing they can be is being happy with themselves doing what they love most, setting goals and working hard to achieve

Contact Info:

• Email: marianela@sanantoniohealthacupuncture.com
• Website: www.sanantoniohealthacupuncture.com

Image Credits
Imaging provide by San Antonio Health Acupuncture gallery