Traditional Chinese Medicine is at least 3 to 4 thousands years old. It is an ancient medicine that uses concepts unfamiliar to the Western World. These concepts include acupuncture channels or meridians, qi (or energy), organ system concepts, mind, body and spirit as integral parts of health.

Simplistically, when the qi (or energy) of our body is not flowing through the acupuncture channels smoothly, issues will occur. A good example is back pain, when we experience this, it generally involves pain, tightness & immobility. This is because the energy, blood, lymph is not flowing through the area. Acupuncture can help to get this energy moving to alleviate the issues.

My experience is it can be helpful when nothing else has been. There are obviously no guarantees but you will not know if it is effective unless you give it a try.

All treatment begins with a proper diagnosis, which takes place during your first visit. I spend a lot of time getting a complete picture of your health and lifestyle. I examine the condition of your tongue (is it cracked, coated, excessively pink? etc.), and check your pulse on both wrists (the quality of your pulse gives information about possible imbalances).  I will also ask questions about your emotional state, and specific symptoms you may have. This is done because unlike Western medicine, I treat the whole person. Instead of merely focusing on the symptoms of your condition, I treat the underlying cause of those symptoms.

The first visit (with diagnosis) can last up to 90 minutes. Your subsequent visits will be much faster – usually an hour.  We’ll make a short review of your progress followed by an acupuncture treatment.

Typically acupuncture treatments are given once a week. If the condition is acute and painful, treatments may be given 2 times per week until the condition starts to come under control. The exact duration of treatment depends on the condition, your basic level of health, and how well you respond to acupuncture.