Tony Megna believes acupuncture can help provide healing — and relief.
"I still have a headache right here, for a decade now," Megna said.
He started using it after concussions ended his football career at UW-Madison.
"That's a dark period, I couldn't focus. I had a lot of head trauma," Megna said.
During his sophomore year at UW, Megna got sharp headaches and experienced vertigo — symptoms from years of hits to his head. Athletes suffer nearly 4 million concussions a year. Almost half go unreported. It's why Megna started Integrated Heights in Mount Pleasant.
"I want to be part of the solution," Megna said. "I love the game of football too much. I know it means a lot to me and many other people."
Danielle Treiber brings her kids to see Megna. Her son, Hunter, plays football. Daughter Stella plays soccer. Concussions and injuries are common in both sports.
"It has really helped. ... Hunter has had less frequent headaches, and it helps calm Stella and quicker recovery times with her ankle injury," Treiber said.
"We can tune the body with acupuncture, to restore itself," Megna said.
Megna is completing his doctorate in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. He knows this is just one piece to the overall health puzzle.
"We can tune the body with acupuncture, to restore itself." — Tony Megna, former Badgers football player who started Integrated Heights
"They are the best in the world at emergency medicine and orthopedic surgery," Megna said. "Don't bring someone to me if they've been hit by a car."
Treiber said she's pleased with the results.
"This is one thing we've tried, and the important thing is we see it working," Treiber said.
"Your body is more like a garden than a machine, it's organic and it's alive," Megna said.
