What is Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of modalities of Chinese Medicine that has been effective for various physical and mental health and has been approved by WHO world wide.
It uses very fine, sterilized needles that can be placed on the legs, arms, back, scalp, face and on ears. The goal of acupuncture is to relieve pain and discomfort internally, physically and mentally.  It is a supplemental treatment and you may need other medical interventions and diagnostics.
Chinese medicine works with the bodies natural energy which is known as "Qi".  If the Qi is blocked, or stuck , like a traffic jam, it will stop the movement and can cause various health problems, pain and causes an imbalance in the body's energy and cause disease.  In Western medicine, this is known as homeostasis and when the body's internal homeostasis is off, illness occurs, both physical and mental wellness can be impacted. 
The needles work to rebalance Qi in the central nervous system and immune system.  This is achieved by needling the acupuncture points and there are hundreds of points throughout the body.  It can help to rebalance the body, release the body's natural chemicals such as endorphins and neurotransmitters which can decrease the pain reception or

 

Modalities

1. Needling Acupuncture: A modality of Chinese Medicine which is the puncturing of skin using very fine, sterilized and made of     

    stainless steel.   They are single-use and disposed of in a biohazardous waste bin so risk of infection is very minimal as they are NOT        cleaned and  reused.​

2. Guasha: Is an ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine technique which uses the edge of a flat, smooth scraping tool.

    The practitioner applies quick, scraping techniques along specific channels or inflamed tissue.

    This can help relax, increase Qi flow (clears blockages in the body) or increase circulation of blood and lymph flow (in western terms).​

3. Tuina: Is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine which uses manual manipulation of massage and acupressure along the channels.

    It helps to restore balance in the body, Qi energy and can help decrease pain. ​

4. Self Care (nutrition, acupressure, meditation, self massage, QiGong)

 What To Expect During Acupuncture Session
1. Book Online Appointment.  Review your health history which you've filled out online BEFORE coming in and hopefully a day before            your treatment.  This allows reviewing the documents prior to your appointment.
2. Tongue/Pulse Diagnosis (used in TCM diagnosis.  This is done by just looking at your tongue, color etc...)
3. Make differential diagnosis ( based on your whole body symptoms, physical, mental and Tongue/Pulse)
4. Review Treatment Plan (usually 1-2 treatments/week and 8-10 treatments but this depends on longevity of condition and 
    and health challenges).  Since acupuncture is incremental it can take time but some patients can see or feel improvement

    after just a few treatments.
5. Treatment:  this is your quiet, relaxing time and shut your mind off and take in the treatment
6. Review how you're feeling, questions, treatment plan and self care suggestions​​​