When I think of the things that I am most grateful for this coming Thanksgiving holiday, I think how fortunate I am that my friend Andrea persisted in her suggestion that I see Dr Connor. I had been in intolerable pain and on pain medications for 10 months and write this on now my fourth day in a row off of pain meds. The pain is diminishing and what is left I view as my guide to further healing and recovery under Dr. Connor’s care. For the first time this year I have hope that this coming New Year I will be able to resume my active, pain free, productive, joyful lifestyle.

 I was in an auto accident January 2014 that left me with a strained, sprained, and spasmed cervical, lumbar and thoracic spine that caused me chronic pain with a head ache, neck pain, and pain in my upper, mid  and lower back ever since. I addition to that, I developed radiating pain that affected my jaw, pelvis, gluts, arms, legs and hands. I also experienced sound and light sensitivity, ringing in my ears, constipation, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and light headedness. I suspect much of that may have been related to the pain meds I was on. I have been given a variety of ongoing prescription strengths anti-inflammitories, pain pills and muscle relaxers as well as various medical injections to assist with alleviating the pain. I had been to several doctors including general practitioners, neurologist, orthopedic doctors, and a pain specialist as well as physical and massage therapists to get treatment. I tried cranio-sacral massage, reflexology, and reiki massage to relieve the pain. I did everything I could to supplement what the doctors were prescribing by putting together my own home program with a variety of therapeutic videos for ways to help your neck, back, and spine;  topical pain relievers; ice; heat; tens machine; soaks and a variety of stretching and strengthening, exercises and equipment. I was exhausted, in pain, on meds, depressed, scared, and worried as I struggled through work and activities of daily living (including sleep) for months in never-ending pain and on pain meds with terrible side effects. I’ve missed months of work and was having difficulty managing working full time in a job that I used to love but that had evolved into me just trying to “get through” the day as day after day I suffered. I have been restricted in how long I can sit and stand and how much I could lift. My most recent doctor has been a pain specialist for it had come down to that it seemed that all that could be done was to “manage” my pain and “give it time”. I had been told it could take a year or more to recover and that hopefully it would not be permanent. The last time I saw my pain specialist, he had recommended more injections and a pain psychologist. Feeling broken physically and emotionally, I had come to the point where I felt like I needed to take action by finding another doctor to provide treatment and was considering several options for “alternative” treatment.  For months, my respected and esteemed friend and colleague Aundrea had been suggesting I see Dr Connor. She told me how Dr. Connor had helped her with her chronic headaches that she had suffered for years. The same day I resolved I had to do something, my friend once again, gave me Dr Connor’s card and this time with an offer of a complimentary assessment and consultation and I made the call.

From the very first day I walked into Dr Connor’s office, (October 25^th) I knew I was finally in good hands. I was greeted by Lisa her ever so friendly and helpful office assistant who welcomed me with refreshments and information. I was given assessment by her pleasant and knowledgeable assisting doctor (Dr. Osbon) with diagnostic tools that were new to me. Dr. Connor reviewed all my previous reports along with her new diagnostics and assured me that this was” fixable”. That first day, I went home crying with tears of relief which well up now as I write this for I am so very grateful. The pain in my head and neck was immediately diminished by 50% and the range of motion in my neck increased so that it was back to 100% ability when I received my first adjustment. I have had 7 adjustments since and my pain has been diminishing. Not only has Dr Connor provided adjustments but she has been my guide by providing instructions for what to avoid doing and what to do more of to assist me with my healing. Her recommendations have made my life much easier and my healing and recovery to occur rapidly. Not only is she an excellent doctor, but a very likable and interesting person. I always look forward to my appointments with her. With a doctor I could trust to heal me, I began to set previously unimaginable goals for myself. I am happy to say that my first goal of getting off pain meds by the time I had my next pain specialist appointment has now actually been reached and faster than I had imagined possible. I continue to set goals for myself with faith that with her assistance I will be able to achieve them. I finally look forward to someday soon resuming activities that I had to give up this last year such as traveling, skiing, kayaking, and dancing to name just a few. My family, friends and co-workers have commented that I seem to be back to myself with better color on my face and the twinkle back in my eyes. While under her care, I have met some of Dr Connor’s other patients with similar stories of having previous unsuccessful medical treatment and finding the treatment they needed with Dr Connor. I am so grateful that Dr Connor has healed me physically and emotionally and I am on the mend. I write this as a tribute to her and her staff and with hope that my story will inspire others to get the help and healing they need and to never give up hope. 

Tracy

About a month ago, I started having random attacks where I would experience heart palpitations, extreme dizziness, vertigo, trembling, and would be in and out of consciousness. They became more and more frequent and started happening about once a day.  I had always been a very outgoing, active person and these attacks had begun to stop me from living my normal life.  I was unable to go out and do normal activities because I was too scared of the possibility of having one of these panic attacks in a place I wasn’t comfortable.

The first two times these attacks happened I ended up going to the ER and both times the doctors told me all the tests came back normal and that they were probably just panic attacks. I eventually went to a general practitioner doctor and he also told me they were panic attacks, and prescribed anti-depressants and told me to see a therapist.  I have always been a very relaxed, laid back person and did not feel stressed at all but I started to believe maybe that’s what it was since that’s all the doctors kept telling me.

Immediately after my appointment with the general practitioner, I had my appointment with Dr. Connor.  She ran a few tests, took a couple x-rays, and within minutes was able to show me factual evidence of what was causing the attacks and explained how she could fix it.  She asked me to wait on taking the anti-depressants because she strongly believed that if we corrected the cause of the problem, I probably wouldn’t need to take the medication. I was skeptical at first since no one had been able to permanently fix it so far, but after my very first adjustment I made a remarkable recovery.  I have had no attacks since my very first adjustment and no major symptoms either. I still can’t believe how quickly I recovered and how fast I was able to get back into the routine of my daily life. Going from having these attacks at least daily for about a week to not having them at all was truly unbelievable for me.  I am so grateful that I did not take the medicine (which I would’ve had to have been weaned off of and would’ve only temporarily fixed the problem), but to instead just trust her in healing my body naturally and permanently.  It scares me that I could’ve so easily been dependent on anti-depressants right now to try to lessen the attacks, when all I really needed was to have a few adjustments to allow my body to heal naturally.

Thank you, Dr. Connor, for taking my problem seriously and getting to the bottom of it, all while keeping me off of unnecessary medications.  I truly appreciate it and will never be able to thank you enough.

Marlo

I was introduced to Shannon somewhere close to the year 2000. I was in a tremendous amount of pain. I have had spine issues my whole life. But during this time, my neck was in a horrible situation, most likely from years of trauma and studying for my credentials. Newly married, engrossed in my studies, and working 24-30 hours a week, I couldn’t take the time to get well. I was also going through other health concerns and basically, I felt like hell. I was bummed out, wondering if I would ever feel vital. I visited several practitioners and specialists without much result, still coping with pain. 

Upon graduating from California State University Fullerton, I decided to switch my field of study to education, and this is where I met Shannon. As a resident substitute in South Orange County, I met a parent who had children with ailments in which Shannon was treating with marked success. Under her recommendation, I scheduled an appointment, and fifteen years later my entire family is or has been under her care with the same success. Still, to this day, if I hear of someone suffering, I give them Shannon’s information. I do not know how I would have pulled through without Shannon’s expertise and magic touch.

Paul

So…I was at the gym where I have been an active member for the last 15 years.  I had just finished a grueling cardio class, my face was red, I was sweating profusely and quite wrung out, but feeling strong and accomplished. A woman, who I have seen on and off at the gym for years, approached me.  She is very thin and very beautiful, someone I have always envied from an aesthetic point of view.  She said, “What have you done to yourself?  You are absolutely glowing!”

As I began to explain my journey back to health, I started with Dr. Shannon Connor. Prior to seeing Dr. Connor I had spent approximately 10 months battling illness – nothing major but debilitating and demoralizing nonetheless. It started with a cough and sinus type symptoms in the fall of 2013.  Over the course of the next 8 months, I was put on seven rounds of antibiotics, three rounds of prednisone, multiple inhalers and absolutely nothing resolved the symptoms.  I stopped exercising regularly because I felt so poorly. As a result of the medications I was on and the lack of physical activity, I felt heavy and depressed.  Finally, I was diagnosed with acid reflux – who would have guessed??? – and put on a medication to resolve the “excess” acid in my gut.

I started seeing Dr. Connor in the fall of 2014.  Since then my symptoms have disappeared and I have been able to eliminate all medications, including anti-anxiety meds, cholesterol meds, and acid-reflux meds.  I have only been using the homeopathic products provided by Dr. Connor and most of those I don’t even need anymore. My body aches and pains are virtually gone and I feel better physically than I have in 10 years and, according to others, look much younger than my 57 years?.  I have learned so much about how the body can heal itself and what I can do to enhance that process.

The first time I saw Dr. Connor after my experience at the gym, I gave her a big hug.  It seemed an insufficient means of expressing my gratitude for the gift of health she has provided – but I am deeply thankful for the care she has shown and the difference she has made in my life.

Lisa Kadam

Hi my name is Henry and on May 17, 2015, I fell and twisted my back. I worked another week with a lot of pain. I was taking hand full of Advil just to function. The pain was in my right arm and lower back also running down my right leg. I went to my regular chiropractor and it just made the pain worst. On Friday night I woke up my wife, and asked her to take me to the emergency room. I am not one to go to the hospital as I work in them. I could barely walk. I was diagnosed with a bad lumbar strain. They gave me pain pills and muscle relaxants. I was taking them every four hours around the clock. I could not lie down on the bed and slept on the couch every night with ice packs on my back to try to get some rest. I made several visits to urgent care as well and they gave more pain pills and a back brace and suggested I return to work. I was home and off my feet for two weeks and my wife suggested I see Doctor Connor as one of our sister-in-laws’ had seen her and really helped her. I was reluctant but I hurt so bad and could not stand for more than ten minutes let alone walk. The first visit Dr. Connor did some X-rays and showed them to me. My head was 6% off the center axis and I was favoring my right side. The next day my treatments began I was in the office for over four hours and Dr. Connor worked on me between other patients to help me. I did feel some relief the first day, but I was still taking pain medicines. I was seeing Dr. Connor three times a week and feeling better. I was sent to an Orthopedic Surgeon to review my injury. He looked at the x-rays taken in the hospital and like the ER doctor stated I could go to work with limited duties, no lifting or pulling. He also ordered an MRI to see if something more was wrong. I continued to see Dr. Connor and within a week of having her do treatments I was walking and off the pain medicines. I still hurt some and continued to ice my lower back each night. After 10 weeks I returned to the Orthopedic Surgeon and review the MRI and I saw something on the film as did the doctor. I had fractured the first lumbar spine but at this point it was remarkably healing already. The doctor could not believe what he was seeing and had more X-rays taken to make sure. Sure enough the L1 (first lumbar) was fractured no wonder I was in pain. I attribute the quick healing to the treatment I have received form Dr. Connor. I am still seeing her at least weekly. I am feeling more like myself every day and am now getting my energy back. Thank you Dr. Connor for what you do and how it has made me feel whole again.  I am very grateful to you and your therapy methods. I cannot thank you enough.

Henry

Tommie has been in Dr. Connor’s care since she was about 1 month old. Now at 2 years old she has come to love her visits and adjustments from “Doc-Doc Shannon”. Tommie has suffered from periodic constipation since starting on solid food. I asked her before her last appointment if she wanted to go see Dr. Shannon with Mommy and Grammy. Her response was “Doc-Doc Shannon help poop”. It was amazing that she understood the connection and the impact of chiropractic care on her body at such a young age. Now whenever she gets backed up, she pulls me to the front door and asks to see Doc-Doc Shannon. During her adjustments she gets totally relaxed and looks like she’s at peace. It’s such a beautiful thing to see. Tommie even loves to play pretend chiropractor on her baby doll and her mommy. She tells her patients she’s fixing their neck so they feel better. As her mommy (and being in Dr. Shannon’s care for over half of my life as well), I’m so happy that she is excited about taking care of her health and spine from the start of her life.

Tommie’s Mom

I came to see Dr. Connor after being recommended to go to an atlas chiropractor by my family because it helped them so much. My mom had experienced insomnia for a while and after a few treatments she got better and is sleeping beautifully… 8 hours a night. I have had insomnia since October and was having an extremely hard time functioning properly. I told my family and they insisted that I do the treatments and since coming here for a month I am sleeping so much better and I feel soooo much better. It helps for
so many things and I plan to get treatments for the rest of my life. I think everyone should at least try it even if they don’t have severe health issues because it benefited my family and me soooo much. I’m super glad to have found this place! If I had known it existed or what it could do I would have definitely come here much sooner!!

Courtney

Many years ago I wanted to have children. Doctors told me I would not be able to get pregnant because I have only one functioning ovary. I did hormone therapy and treatments and with that, I was able to have my first two kids. That was 12 years ago. Since then, I have been trying to have one more baby with no luck. I have been seeing Dr. Connor for only 4 months and I am now pregnant. I couldn’t be happier! I greatly appreciate what Dr. Connor has done for me not only because I am pregnant again, but also my whole body feels better. I am recommending Dr. Connor to everyone I know.

Mirna

In February 2014 I started coming to Dr. Connor. I was previously seeing another NUCCA doctor. I found Dr. Connor on the NUCCA website. I immediately had better results with my visits. The tingling and numbness in my arm is gone. Recently Dr. Connor removed my lower back pain with her new equipment which revealed the issue was with my hip alignment. The pain was about a 3-4 level on a scale of 1-10. As of now my pain is a 0! Dr. Connor cares about the whole you.

Pat