TCM Acupuncture
Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture is a holistic health approach which originated in ancient China more than 2500 years ago. TCM acupuncture can naturally treat a wide variety diseases, illnesses, pain, and stress-related symptoms without the unwanted side-effects of medication.
Common conditions treated with acupuncture include fertility concerns, digestive issues, arthritis, anxiety and depression, altered menstruation, and chronic pain among many others.
A TCM Acupuncture assessment includes a thorough health history and analysis of pulses, the condition of the tongue, and other TCM diagnostic strategies. This leads to a diagnosis about your internal health which guides the acupuncture treatment. Although needles are used in acupuncture, treatments are usually pain-free and very comfortable.
Our TCM acupuncturist uses other holistic, supportive techniques during treatments such as qi gong, cupping, guasha, moxibustion, massage therapy, as well as various mind and body practices. Nutritional counseling is also a key component of treatment through observation of the therapeutic temperatures of food and how this affects the body.
TCM Acupuncture is covered by most third-party health benefits.
Moxibustion
This is a TCM Acupuncture treatment which usually involves the burning of a dried herb called Mugwort. When lit, it is held above or placed directly on the skin at specific acupuncture points.
It is used to relieve pain and congestion and also provides an anesthetic effect.
Pieces of heated ginger are used to treat stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as rheumatic pain; garlic is applied in respiratory disorders; and salt is used to stimulate the abdominal organs.
Fire Cupping
This treatment is a very old style of medicine and is part of TCM Acupuncture, although it can be used as a stand-alone therapy. It is one of the best deep-tissue therapies available and can loosen muscles, encourage blood flow, and relax the nervous system.
Cupping is used to relieve back and neck pain, stiff muscles, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, rheumatism, and many other conditions. As part of TCM Acupuncture, cupping can be used to address issues in the meridians of the body.
During a fire cupping treatment, the air inside special glass cups is heated briefly with a flame. As the flame goes out, the cups are placed upside down on your skin. As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand.
The cup is generally left in place for a few minutes or removed off and on quickly. Once the suction has occurred, the cups can be gently moved across the skin. Massage oils are sometimes applied to improve movement of the glass cups along the skin. Rather than applying pressure downwards into muscles, cupping uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. For most patients, this is a particularly relaxing and relieving sensation.