Acupuncture at Teamworks
Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine involving the insertion of fine needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. No drug is injected. The needles alone create the beneficial effects of acupuncture. It is used to encourage natural healing, improve mood and energy, reduce or relieve pain and improve function of affected areas of the body. It is safe and effective and is often successfully used as an alternative to medications or even surgery.
Acupuncture is regulated by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA).
Acupuncture can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions including:
- Psychological – e.g. depression, anxiety, panic attack, insomnia
- Women’s health – e.g. ammenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menopause, PMS
- Musculoskeletal – e.g. frozen shoulder, low back pain, arthritis, tennis elbow
- Neurological – e.g. headache and migraine, vertigo, sciatica, Meniere’s disease
- Respiratory – e.g. asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, common cold
- Gastro-intestinal – e.g. hiccough, colitis, diarrhea, gastritis
At Teamworks, Acupuncture is performed by both our Registered Acupuncturist as well as some of our Physiotherapists who are certified in Acupuncture.
If you receive Acupuncture from one of our Registered Physiotherapists it can either be received as a stand alone treatment or as a part of a multimodal treatment plan including other treatment techniques (i.e. manual therapy, modalities, exercise prescription, etc).
Who We Are
Stephen Ko R.Ac
Lesley Cuddington BHK, MPT
What to Expect
Our Registered Acupuncturist at Teamworks take the time to do a careful history, physical examination, palpation, tongue inspection, and pulse analysis in order to establish a correct TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) diagnosis and treatment protocol for each patient. After the treatment protocol is determined, treatment methods such as acupressure, tui-na therapy, acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, dry needling(intramuscular stimulation), or auricular acupuncture will be used to achieve the desired result.
A dull, heavy, or aching feeling often occurs when the needle is correctly placed. This is referred to as ‘de Qi’ and is considered by some traditional acupuncturists to be necessary for acupuncture to be effective. Recent fMRI studies indicate that there is a difference in the response of the brain to needling with and without the de Qi sensation. The needles are left in place for 15-30 minutes, and the practitioner may manipulate the needles to strengthen or reduce the flow of Qi. Lifting, twisting, and rotating are some of the needling techniques a practitioner may use.
Now that you know more about Acupuncture; learn more about Nutritionist Vancouver!
