Acupuncture Therapy
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture has been an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries. While Western medicine cannot explain all of its intricacies and reconcile the power of TCM with theories in biology, chemistry or physics, acupuncture is now widely accepted as an alternative and complementary therapy in the Western world1. Read more about the documented effectiveness of acupuncture treatments here.
As with all TCM treatments, acupuncture uses a holistic approach that treats your body, mind and spirit as a complete entity with the overall objective of helping you improve and achieve optimum health and wellness.
Acupuncture is often offered in combination with other TCM treatments such as cupping, guasha, moxibustion and Chinese herbs to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment. Acupuncture and TCM can effectively treat a wide range of physical, psychological and emotional conditions.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture involves inserting extremely thin stainless steel needles into various points on the body. These needles are sterilized, individually packaged and only used once. The points in which they are inserted as well as the insertion methods are carefully chosen based on TCM knowledge.
According to one of TCM’s most important principles, the body, mind and spirit must be in balance in order to be healthy. This balance is maintained by an invisible vital energy called Qi (“chee”) and its mutually dependent counterpart called Blood (not limited to the blood that flows in your veins).
Chinese physicians have spent over 4,000 years understanding and documenting how Qi and Blood flow. They believe Qi flows through 20 invisible channels called Meridians that connect your Organs (not your actual organs, but an immaterial concept used in TCM).
These Meridians are like rivers where your vital energy flows. When the rivers run freely, your energy reaches all of your Organs and you’re healthy. However, the flow sometimes becomes blocked or unbalanced by a specific problem. When that happens, your vital energy can’t reach a specific Organ and may “overflow” somewhere else, ultimately creating an imbalance of energy. This imbalance is responsible for your physical, mental and emotional symptoms.
Acupuncture needles are inserted and sometimes manipulated on specific influential points along your Meridians to fix your flow of Qi and Blood. The following variations of acupuncture can be used to adjust imbalances in Qi:
- Acupressure: finger pressure is used instead of needles,
- Electro-acupuncture: very small electrical currents are applied through the acupuncture needles
- TDP heat: heat is applied through a special lamp to enhance the results of acupuncture.
What Can Acupuncture Do for You?
Acupuncture Can Treat Everyday Problems
Acupuncture is a holistic therapy used to treat a wide range of acute or chronic physical, mental and spiritual conditions. Acupuncture can increase your endorphin levels (your body’s own feel-good chemical), which helps you relax and lower your stress level.
Most people who are familiar with acupuncture know that it is highly effective in reducing or eliminating pain, but did you know that acupuncture could also be used to help you quit annoying habits? In fact, you may be surprised to hear that there are acupuncture points for weight loss! You can also use auricular acupuncture to quit smoking.
Dr. Lu effectively treats patients for headaches, pains, insomnia, stress, and many other conditions. Her specialties are infertility, depression, dementia, sports injuries and facial rejuvenation.
Acupuncture Has a Proven Track Record
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes acupuncture as a proven and effective treatment for many conditions. As an experienced acupuncturist, Dr. Lu has successfully treated many patients with the conditions shown in this table:
If you suffer from a condition that isn’t listed above, don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Lu who can offer an expert opinion on the results you can expect from acupuncture.
What Happens During an Acupuncture Session
The acupuncture sessions are held in private rooms. The acupuncturist will ask you to lie comfortably on a treatment table. You can listen to calming music during your sessions. After inserting the needles, Dr. Lu will dim the lights, leave the room and let you relax while the needles fix your imbalances.
Certain treatments may require quick needle insertion and removal or needle manipulation, but the process is NOT painful. Some people may feel a slight pinch when needles are inserted but most don’t feel any pain. Certain methods of manipulation are used to reach the Qi for different conditions after needle insertion, and when that happens various needle sensations are felt such as warmth, burning, pressure, heaviness or tingling. Although light bruising may occur, Dr. Lu is very experienced and careful when inserting needles.
Most acupuncture sessions last approximately 45 to 60 minutes and allow you to immediately return to your regular activities although it’s recommended that you stay calm and relaxed to enhance the benefits of your acupuncture treatment.
Price:
Single session: $65
5-Session package: $300 ($60/session)
10-Session package: $550 ($55/session)
Contact Dr. Lu to book your acupuncture session today.
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System Affected |
Conditions Where Acupuncture Treatment Is Effective |
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Circulation |
Angina, cold hands/feet, hypertension, hypotension, arrhythmia, varicose veins |
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Respiratory |
Allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cold and flu, hay fever, sinusitis |
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Digestive
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Acid reflux, hiccups, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, acute and chronic peptic ulcers, spasm of the esophagus and cardiac sphincter, acute or chronic gastritis, acute or chronic colitis |
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Urogenital |
Incontinence, painful urination, prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, urinary retention, urinary tract infections, chronic nephritis |
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Immune |
Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, HIV/AIDS-related symptoms, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma |
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Neurological |
Bell’s palsy, cancer-related pain, headaches, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, post-operative pain, trigeminal neuralgia |
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Musculoskeletal |
Back pain, knee pain, neck pain, frozen shoulder, sciatica, sprains and strains, sports injuries, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, tendonitis, osteoarthritis |
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Psychological |
Stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, panic attacks, anorexia, addictions, seasonal affective disorder |
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Obstetrical/Gynecological
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Infertility, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), amenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), breast lumps (fibrocystic breasts), menopausal symptoms, morning sickness, breech babies, labour induction |
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Other |
Obesity, anemia, edema, gout, stroke rehabilitation, adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy |