Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient healing practice that originated in China around 3,000 years ago.

It’s a holistic approach to health, where the mind, body, and spirit are seen as interconnected parts of a single whole. Its focus is on restoring balance, preventing disharmony, and nurturing lasting resilience.

TCM encompasses a range of modalities, with acupuncture as its primary tool. Other supportive therapies include fire cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, and food energetics, all of which work together to support balance and overall wellbeing.

In Chinese medicine, there are meridians that run throughout the entire body. 

Meridians are energetic pathways that connect organs, tissues, and internal systems, allowing Qi (energy), blood, and body fluids to circulate naturally.

When Qi is strong and flowing freely, the body settles into its natural rhythm, maintaining balance, and overall wellbeing.

When Qi becomes blocked, weakened, or out of balanced, this may appear on a physical and/or emotional level. 

For example, the body may express this through pain and tension, digestive discomfort, reproductive dysregulation, weakened immunity, sleep disturbance, or emotional changes like frustration, sadness, stress, and anxiety.

That’s where acupuncture comes in. Needles are inserted in specific points along the meridians to help restore balance and support healthy flow of Qi.

From a western medicine perspective, acupuncture activates nerve endings and underlying tissues, creating gentle micro-trauma. This process initiates the body’s healing response by supporting tissue repair, regulating inflammation, increases blood flow and nutrient delivery to organs and tissues.

These signals travels to the brain and throughout the body, triggering the release of natural chemicals like endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever and serotonin, which supports mood balance.

Acupuncture also helps calm the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the “fight or flight” response, while stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, associated with “rest and digest.” This guides the body into a calm, restorative state.

Ultimately, acupuncture helps create flow and movement, offering support and guidance so the body can heal and regulate itself naturally.

The needles used during an acupuncture treatment are very thin, flexible, and silicone coated to glide into the skin with ease. They are roughly the diameter of a human hair, unlike hypodermic needles which are thick and hollow.

Discomfort is minimal and overall quite painless. Some may feel a slight prick for a brief moment. This quickly fades within a few seconds and can turn into a dull, achy, heavy, warm, itchy or spreading sensation. These are all normal and positive responses, as it is due to nerve stimulation and blood flowing to the area. Traditional Chinese medicine calls this “De Qi”, meaning the body’s energy is being stimulated.

Every person’s anatomy is slightly different and each person will have a unique experience depending on the location of the needle, the sensitivity of the patient and the condition behind treated. It’s important to keep open communication of what you’re feeling with your practitioner. Any needles that don’t settle within a few seconds and are uncomfortable can be quickly adjusted.

To help you get the most out of your session, please review the following guidelines:

Complete Forms: Please fill out the initial intake and consent forms before your appointment.

Hydrate & Eat: Drink plenty of water and have light, healthy meal. This helps prevent the possibility of feeling lightheaded or dizzy during your session.

Avoid Certain Substances: Refrain from caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drugs before your appointment, as these can reduce the effectiveness of treatment and may cause dehydration, restlessness, or lethargy.

Exercise: Avoid intense workouts prior to your session, as strenuous exercise increases muscle tension, depletes energy, alters blood flow, and can reduce treatment effectiveness.

Wear comfortable clothing: If possible, please wear loose sleeves or pants. This makes it easier to access acupuncture points.

Tongue Observation: Try not to brush your tongue before your appointment. Observing your tongue is one of the many diagnostic tools used in Traditional Chinese medicine.

A typical initial acupuncture session last around 75 minutes. This includes a full in-depth consultation and treatment. Subsequent sessions are 60 minutes.

To learn more about what to expect during a treatment, please visit the Home page and scroll down to My approach to your session.

After, many people feel deeply relaxed, and experience a sense of lightness or grounding, along with a release of tension or discomfort. Some changes may be felt right away, while others unfold gradually over a few sessions.

Feeling slightly tired afterward is not uncommon and can actually be a positive sign. It often indicates that your body is settling into the treatment and actively working to restore balance.

Afterwards, make sure to drink plenty of water and try to relax as much as possible so your body can heal and recover faster. Avoid intense exercise.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drugs after your session as these can disrupt the healing process.

If you've received cupping or gua sha during your session, refrain from showering or bathing for at least a few hours. It is also advised to keep the area protected from cold, wind and direct sun exposure until the area is healed.

And lastly, pay attention to how you feel between visits to help determine progress.

Analyzing your tongue’s colour, coating and shape and taking your pulse quality on both wrists helps me gain insight into your overall well-being. Gathering this information gives me a better understanding of the underlying root cause in order to formulate a treatment plan.

The number of treatments depends on your condition, its severity and how your body responds to treatments.

Chronic conditions will generally require more treatments than acute conditions because it’s been present for a longer period of time.

A regular monthly acupuncture tune-up is really effective for preventative care and wellness maintenance.

It’s important to remember that the effect of acupuncture are cumulative and each treatment builds upon the last one. Frequency and consistency is key in order to have sustainable long term results.

Absolutely!

Traditional Chinese medicine can help your immune system fight a cold by expelling the pathogen, reducing symptoms, and accelerate your recovery.

The short answer is no.

Traditional Chinese medicine addresses the body as a whole while dry needling only treats the issue locally.

TCM acupuncture has been around for thousands of years. Needles are inserted into specific points along meridian lines releasing endorphins and increases blood circulation to the area. It works beyond the musculoskeletal level, improving overall health and well-being by restoring the free flow of Qi throughout the body. By treating the underlying root cause of the illness this helps make sure the injury doesn’t recur.

Dry needling is a relatively new practice used by health care professional. Needles are directly inserted into trigger points in the muscle tissue, like knots or tender area to help release tightness, and pain, therefore only addressing one piece of the puzzle.

Yes, when performed by a qualified Registered Acupuncturist. Needles used for acupuncture are fine, sterile, single-used, and disposable.

Yes! Acupuncture is covered by many health plans and direct billing is available for the following -

Blue Cross, Sun Life, Canada Life, Veteran Affairs, Manulife, and others under the Telus Health umbrella.

*Please confirm with your provider whether they accept direct billing. If they do not, you will need to pay upfront and submit your insurance claim yourself.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, kindly do so at the earliest opportunity as this time slot can be offered to someone else.

The absence of 24 hours notice or no-show will result in patient being subject to a cancellation fee.