What is Acupuncture? 

Acupuncture originated in China over 3,500 years ago and is one of the oldest and most used healing systems in the world. Proven effective, acupuncture has been embraced throughout the world as a safe, natural, integrative and holistic medical system used to diagnose and treat illness, improve overall wellbeing and prevent disease. Over the past century, Acupuncture has grown tremendously in popularity and is now more widely recognized within western medical research as a highly effective tool for supporting injury recovery, mobility issues and treating chronic pain, while reducing stress and staying healthy. Working on the physical, psychological and emotional aspect of the person, the goal of acupuncture is to promote overall health while decreasing pain and suffering.

Acupuncture gets to the root of the condition by:

• Promoting healing through restoring balance by stimulating the central nervous system and therefore releasing natural pain relieving chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain. These chemical changes have been shown to stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal and promote overall sense of wellbeing.  

• Decreasing pain by working as a natural analgesic, interrupting pain signaling. One highly effective use for acupuncture is the treatment of muscle tension and pain. Muscle tension can develop due to a multitude of reasons such as emotional stress or due to physical stressors.

• Releasing blockages by simulating organ functioning and promoting health

• Improving circulation

• Reducing inflammation 

New to acupuncture? Here’s what you can expect

Although a lot of our patients are long time acupuncture lovers, we see a lot of patients who are new to acupuncture, too! Don’t worry… we are here to talk you through the treatment. The initial acupuncture intake will consist of an in depth discussion with your practitioner about what may have brought you in but also your medical history to come up with a targeted treatment. Acupuncture involves the insertion of small, sterile, single use, filiform needles that are about the size of a human hair, inserted into different acupuncture points throughout the body.  A board certified and licensed acupuncturist will choose specific acupuncture points for you based on your specific diagnosis and needs. Once the needles are inserted, they will remain inserted for about 30 minutes. Most patients feel a complete sense of deep relaxation or sleepiness or fall into a meditative state during treatment. Others report acupuncture makes them feel energized. After your treatment, you will be provided with follow up suggestions as well as possible lifestyle advice or at home exercises.

How many treatments will I need?

It depends! Your treatment plan is determined based on the nature of your condition. We will work together to create a treatment plan that is best suited for you. Acupuncture does work cumulatively though, and will often take six treatments to see results. 

Some other aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine that may be included in your treatment:

• Cupping 

  • Perhaps you have seen cupping in the media on celebrities such as The Rock, Michael Phelps or Jennifer Aniston? Also known as myofascial decompression or “reverse massage” cupping has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Medicine as an ancient traditional therapy and complementary medicine practice with growing evidence on its’ benefits in treating pain related disease as well as musculoskeletal conditions such as low back and hip pain and chronic neck pain. Cupping enhances the circulation of blood and removes toxins and waste from the body through improving microcirculation, prompting cell repair and helping the patient with progressive muscle relaxation.  It also helps reduce pain by dispersing stagnation, increasing blood flow and promoting relaxation 

• Heat

• Gua Sha 

  • Loosely translated to scraping or rubbing, Gua Sha is another Traditional therapy used to stretch and relax muscles or scar tissue. A practitioner will use a smooth tool to scrape areas of inflammation or stagnation on the body to help improve circulation and promote healing. 

• Electro-stimulation 

Some conditions we treat:

• Pain - Musculoskeletal and Neurological

• Tight and sore muscles 

• Mental health - stress, anxiety, depression

• Insomnia 

• Digestion 

• Women’s health and fertility 

• Acne

• Pre-natal / post-partum support

• Allergies 

• Wellness 

• Addiction 

Don’t see your condition or have a question? Contact AIM Orthopedics: Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine to request a free phone consult and to find out how this form of treatment may be able to support your optimal wellbeing.