Qi flows from the body’s primary organs to the ‘superficial’ body tissues of the skin, muscles, tendons, bones, and joints, through energy channels called meridians. For those patients uncomfortable with needles, acupressure is also an option. Acupuncture treatment may also include Tui Na massage, cupping therapy, Gua Sha, and electro-acupuncture.

How can acupuncture help me?
The basic philosophy behind acupuncture is to restore balance to all of the body systems, and can therefore be beneficial for patients suffering from:

-Allergies, asthma, and respiratory conditions
-Chronic pain
-Digestive health (gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome)
-Edema (water retention, swelling)
-Fatigue and burnout
-Insomnia
-Migraines and headaches
-Reproductive health and hormonal imbalances
-Stress, anxiety, and depression
-Women’s health (menstrual pain and dysfunction, pregnancy and post-partum support, menopause)

What is Tui Na massage?
Tui Na massage is a TCM massage often used in conjunction with acupressure and/or cupping. This massage involves brushing, kneading, rolling, and pressing along the meridians and acupuncture points to stimulate energy movement in the meridians and muscles. Tui Na is good for acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as many non-musculoskeletal conditions as meridians and acupuncture points are connected to internal organ disorders.

What is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy involves the application of a heated or pumped cup to create local suction on the skin. This increases blood flow and promotes the body’s way of natural healing. Cupping helps with pain, inflammation, detoxification, relaxation, well-being, and can often be beneficial to jump start or restart a blunted healing response.

What is Gua Sha?
Gua Sha involves using a jade stone to gently scrape along meridian channels to improve circulation and energy flow. Gua Sha reduces inflammation and is useful for chronic pain, muscle and joint pain and stiffness, arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

What is Electro-Acupuncture?
Electro-acupuncture is the stimulation of inserted acupuncture needles with gentle electric current. The therapeutic goal is to promote the circulation of Qi, blood, and to stimulate healing. Electro-acupuncture works by stimulating muscles and nerves, circulating essential nutrients to damaged tissues, and decreasing inflammation. Patients may experience a light tingling or pulsing sensation during this treatment. Treatment with electro-acupuncture is limited to 10-20 minutes.

Shockwave is a non-invasive form of treatment that has been around for 20 years now, initially being used to treat kidney stones. Shockwave produces acoustic waves that help in treating a number of musculoskeletal conditions, especially in those chronic situations termed tendinopathy. The energy that is produced by the acoustic waves promotes blood flow, regeneration of tissue, and collagen production. 

Shockwave is great for treating:

• Jumper’s knee
• Tennis elbow
• Heel spur
• Chronic tendinopathy 
• Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
• Calcification
• Hip pain
• Plantar fasciitis 
• Achilles tendinopathy
• Trigger points
• Acute muscle cramps

Contact us to see if shockwave therapy may be beneficial for your injury.

Acupuncture aims to treat both the symptoms and the root causes of the injury.  Physiotherapists often use acupuncture to alleviate acute pain that cannot be treated with manual (hands-on) techniques.

Acupuncture involves inserting tiny needles into specific anatomical points (acupuncture points) on the body.  This encourages healing, pain relief, increased energy, and improved body function.  Needles are usually left in place for 10-30 minutes, and can be manipulated by your physiotherapist in order to increase or decrease the flow of Qi.

In BC, all physiotherapists treating with acupuncture are educated and examined by the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute.  Furthermore, physiotherapists must submit proof of their educational qualifications to the College of Physical Therapists of BC.

Often times when we think of lasers, we think of cutting or permanently altering objects in industrial or commercial applications.  However, it surprises some patients when they learn physiotherapists utilize lasers to help treat a range of conditions.  What’s important to remember is the lasers we use are much different than lasers used in other industries.  Physiotherapists use low level lasers that penetrate only the upper layers of body tissue.  When these lasers penetrate through the top layers of skin they can provide a number of benefits including: reducing inflammation (helps pain relief), stimulating blood flow (which aids in healing), and helping scar reduction. Cold laser therapy causes no discomfort or pain and has no side effects, making it a great treatment option.

Typical injuries that could benefit from cold laser are tendinopathies, arthritis, wound healing, and jaw pain.

IMS or dry needling (these terms are often used interchangeably) involves inserting tiny needles into muscles to help resolve pain, release tight muscles, and promote healing.  In order for physiotherapists to treat using needles, they must have undergone extensive post-graduate training and be registered as an IMS practitioner with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia.

Contrary to some beliefs, IMS or dry needling should not be overly painful.  It may be uncomfortable at first, but the most common response is a mild muscle ache or cramp, and possibly even a muscle twitch.  After treatment, you should experience better range of motion in the body area being treated.  Your physiotherapist will educate you on how to manage any post-needling soreness shall it arise.

In the clinic, we see many conditions that are successfully treated with IMS. This may include, but is not limited to:

• chronic neck or back pain
• whiplash associated disordered (motor vehicle accident injuries)
• shoulder impingement syndrome or rotator cuff strains
• osteoarthritis of the hips, knees, and back
• tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
• Achilles tendinopathy

If you’re unsure whether IMS or dry needling can help your injury, or if you have any other questions about this treatment, give us a call and speak to one of our physiotherapists. We’ll be able to help answer your questions.