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What should I wear to treatment?
Loose clothing is preferred. However, sheets are provided for extra coverage.
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What’s the difference between medical acupuncture and Chinese medicine acupuncture?
Medical acupuncture (often practiced by chiropractors and physiotherapists) is often used only to address musculoskeletal pain, whereas Chinese medicine acupuncture can address musculoskeletal as well as internal health issues such as digestive problems, sleep problems, chronic diseases. We diagnose all conditions using Chinese medicine theory, such as the principle of Yin and Yang and five element theory to identify the body’s imbalances and treat accordingly.
What’s the difference between a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac), Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner (R.TCMP)?
Both R.Ac’s and R.TCMP’s can perform acupuncture, cupping, and guasha based on Chinese Medicine diagnosis, but an R.TCMP can also prescribe Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Does acupuncture hurt?
Chinese Medicine Acupuncture is not meant to cause more harm or pain to the body. The needles are incredibly fine- about the thickness of a single hair. They are meant to slide in-between the tissues and muscles to release any tension and blockages held in the body. There are sometimes fleeting sensations that occur during the needling process, such as a buzzing, rushing, warm, or relaxing feeling. These are normal and indicate that energy flow is being restored. I am gentle with needling, and many of my needle-phobic patients now happily receive acupuncture with little to no apprehension.
How many treatments do I need before I start to see improvement?
This varies from patient to patient. For acute, sudden onset complaints such as muscle pain or strains, the sooner the patient comes in for treatment, the better. Patients will usually feel incremental improvement between 1-3 sessions. For chronic or longstanding disease, improvement is usually felt over a longer period of time. The patient may have to come in for regular weekly treatments until the condition improves, and in some cases, come in on a regular basis for health maintenance.
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