Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient medicine practiced in China for well over 2000 years that takes a holistic approach to treating the body. TCM accomplishes this through a variety of modalities including acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, gua sha, tui na and diet therapy.

Acupuncture

After a TCM diagnosis has been made based on the patient’s signs and symptoms the practitioner will use small needles to manipulate acupuncture points in an attempt to guide the body back to homeostasis and regain smooth flow and circulation throughout the body. Acupuncture can be used to prevent or overcome illnesses of both mind and body.

Herbal Medicine and Diet Therapy

Similarly to acupuncture, herbal medicine and diet therapy are used to bring the body back into balance. By way of providing a physical substance to the body, which makes them particularly effective when the body lacks nourishment. Herbal medicine can be either prescribed as a single herb or a combination of herbs that have a synergistic effect when used together. Each herb or food has a specific energetic quality including thermogenic nature and organ it affects.

Cupping

Uses suction to apply cups directly to the skin. This increases circulation of blood, lymph, qi and can temporarily increase metabolism to the area being cupped. It is particularly effective in reducing muscle pain and tension by introducing fresh blood and restoring tissue function and hydration. Although this is one of its main uses it can also be used to promote digestion, release toxins, and is commonly applied at the acute stage of colds.

Gua Sha

This is a form of scraping the surface of the skin. Traditionally, a Chinese soup spoon was used, today specific tools have been designed. This scraping motion helps break up tissue adhesion, increases circulation and releases excessive heat within the body. Often used for muscular pain, tension, fascia adhesion and scar tissue buildup.

Tui Na

A form of Chinese massage that includes stimulation of acupuncture points and local massage techniques to provide targeted relief. This type of massage is short and focused often only lasting 5-15 minutes depending on circumstances and treatment plan.

Treatment

What to expect during the first treatment

We ask that the online intake form be filled out beforehand, this allows Logan to review it before and focus his intake questions to the relevant areas. Depending on the condition expect a thorough questioning of all aspects of your health. This can include everything from sleep, emotional state, diet, bowel movements, gynecological history, and much more. This questioning can take anywhere from 10 – 40 minute. After this you will receive treatment that may include acupuncture, cupping, guasha (similar to graston), tui na (a form of chinese massage) or herbal medicine.

After the initial intake, Logan will lay out a treatment plan which includes expected outcomes, frequency, duration and number of treatments expected. At this time you can ask any questions or address any concerns you have.

If receiving acupuncture, cupping or gua sha you will be asked to disrobe to practitioners request or to your comfort level. Often this includes access to the back, abdomen and limbs beyond the elbows and knees.

How to prepare for treatment

Leading up to the treatment try to be ultra aware of your condition. Logan will be asking lots of questions relating to your main complaint (what aggravates or alleviates the condition, onset, any other changes you have noticed since or around the time of the main complaint). Try to eat something before coming in especially if you are nervous about needles. Lastly, remember you will be in the room for an hour, using the washroom before is recommended.

What will acupuncture feel like?

Acupuncture – the biggest deterrent for people to try acupuncture is fear of needles. So let us address that first. The needle used is closer in size to a human hair than to the hypodermic needle that people think of when they hear “needle.”

How small are acupuncture needles?

Often insertion of the needle is painless or a small pinching feel as it breaks the skin. After that depending on the practitioner’s goals and patient sensitivity; the needle may be manipulated to get a physiological response or sensation of qi at the point.

Expected experience from the needle include:

Throughout the treatment Logan will check in with you to see how you are handling the needles and adjust the protocol as needed. Just before leaving the room to let you relax, one final check will be done to ensure comfort.

The needles are typically left for around 15 minutes but can range from 5 – 45. Try not to move as this can irritate the needles. Often people feel a deep sense of relaxation and sometimes even fall asleep during the treatment.

What to expect during cupping

Before cupping the patient should be aware that bruising is often the outcome of cupping these marks are normal and vary from a light pink to dark purple color and can stay for 3-14 days after treatment. Usually the darker they are the longer they stay. A negative suction is created within the cup which gives the patient a feeling of the tissue being lifted/decompressed. Cups can be left stationary or moved around. For moving cupping the practitioner will apply massage oil before hand to allow the cup to freely glide over the skin and will be in the room with you actively moving the cups. Stationary cups will be put in place then left for 5 – 15 minutes. Logan will always check in that there is not too much suction causing undue discomfort.

What to expect after the treatment

Each individual has a unique response to needles which must be assessed over time. Typically patients leave feeling a sense of relaxation and rest. In some cases, typically musculoskeletal related complaints the patient may have a feeling of post treatment soreness similar to that of a workout. This is an expected outcome and nothing to worry about, typically passing within 24 hours. For the rest of the day try and take it easy and let the body bring itself back into a balanced state.

How many treatments will I need?

Let us start by explaining how acupuncture works. It works best in a series of treatments. Treatment should not be too close together or too far apart. Typically after an acupuncture treatment there is going to be some changes in the body and improvement in symptoms. But if the patient waits weeks before coming in again the body settles back to where it was prior to treatment. The goal of treatment is to get the right frequency so that each treatment is a step forward instead of two steps forward one step back.

It cannot be stressed enough how important frequency of treatment and finishing a full course of treatment is. Sometimes it takes a couple treatments before changes are noted, especially on chronic or stubborn conditions.

It is important that acupuncture is a commitment to your health and change does not always happen overnight.

Acupuncture Reassessment

Note in all cases the reassessment at the end. This is to avoid relapse back into the condition, for a period of time it is best to have preventative treatment at extended frequency. This often looks like a gradual tapering off of treatment as long as there is no regression in symptoms. Everyone responds differently to treatment, especially the subacute and chronic cases. At the end of each treatment course Logan will review the file and discuss any progress or limitations of treatment, then continue with another course if needed or go into the preventative treatment phase.