My Story

Have you ever noticed how pain rarely comes from just one thing?

It usually comes from years of life adding up… little injuries, stress, overworking, ignoring our bodies because we’re busy or responsible or trying to be strong.”

If you’re new here, I want to start by telling you why I teach about pain the way I do.

These blog posts are educational and meant to help you better understand how pain can show up in the body from a holistic perspective. This is not medical advice or diagnosis — it’s simply awareness and education.

Hello and welcome to my live! My name is Debra Manning and I am a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture for over 20 years. In my previous life I was and still am a Registered Nurse for over 40 years. During that time I worked with chronic conditions especially those pertaining to individuals with kidney disease.

I grew up in Michigan, and if you’ve ever lived somewhere icy, you know falls are just part of life. As a child and young adult, I fell on my tailbone more times than I can count.

Later, icy roads also led to car accidents that affected my back and neck. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. You shake it off, you keep going.”

But pain has a way of keeping score.

As I moved into my 30s and 40s, the pain started showing up in ways I couldn’t ignore.

It affected my sleep.

My ability to exercise.

Sitting for too long.

Standing for too long.

And at that time, I was working as a Registered Nurse, which made things even harder with the pace of working on my feet all day. I tried the things most people try — massage, pain creams, ibuprofen. They helped a little, but the pain became a chronic and a daily presence in my life.

That’s when I realized this wasn’t something I could just push through.

I saw neurologists, spine doctors, and orthopedic specialists. Imaging showed scoliosis in my lower spine, SI joint involvement, and discs compressing the spinal cord in my neck.

Injections and surgery were suggested.

By this point, I was not only a nurse, but also an acupuncturist. And while surgery can absolutely be the right choice for some people, I knew in my body that I wanted to explore supportive options first.

I believe our bodies are incredibly intelligent. When something is out of balance, pain is often the signal — not the enemy.

So instead of asking, ‘How do I silence this?’

I started asking, ‘What does my body need?’

• Reducing inflammation

• Strengthening and movement

• Acupuncture

• Lymphatic cleansing and movement

• Phototherapy, which is using light to help your body heal

This wasn’t a quick fix. It was a relationship with my body.

Over time, as I stayed consistent, the pain became quieter.

Less demanding. Easier to manage.

Today, I live an active life, do the things I love, and continue to serve patients in my acupuncture practice with all the knowledge I have gained working on my own healing process.

Pain is no longer something, I fear. It’s information. It tells me when I need to check in, slow down, or support myself better.

This is why I teach about pain the way I do here.

Not from theory alone — but from lived experience.

If your body has been trying to get your attention, you’re in the right place. In these blog posts, I’ll be sharing how pain shows up in the body and what supportive options exist to help restore balance.