ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY

Acupuncture Therapy

At EastWest Physiotherapy Burnaby, our skilled physiotherapists may incorporate Acupuncture Therapy as part of your treatment plan. By strategically inserting needles into the body, Acupuncture can help reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle tension, while regulating the nervous system.

The local stimulus produced by the needle alters hormones like cortisol and endorphins, resulting in changes to the pain signal in the brain and decreased inflammation.

Acupuncture therapy also releases pain-relieving endorphins and serotonin from the central nervous system. It can help with inflammation due to:

TRADITIONAL ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY

Traditional Acupuncture Therapy uses specific acupuncture points along meridians in the body. If there are any blockages along these meridians, pathological conditions can occur.

Acupuncture therapy can unblock the meridians and allow the free flow of qi and blood.

Specific acupuncture points in the body can restore homeostasis, optimizing recovery potential.

SCALP ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY

Scalp Acupuncture, also known as Head Acupuncture, is a modern form of Acupuncture. It blends Western anatomical knowledge on brain function, and traditional Eastern acupuncture techniques. It is used to treat disorders related to the central and peripheral nervous system.

By using Acupuncture needles on the scalp, specific areas of the brain can be stimulated. These regions in the scalp can be responsible for different body areas. They can also affect movement, sensation, balance, vision, and/or speech.

Scalp Acupuncture treatment can be beneficial for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Those who have TBI may experience light and/or sound sensitivity, headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and/or problems with speech. They may also suffer from widespread pain and discomfort. Scalp Acupuncture can affect areas of the brain responsible for these dysfunctions.

Scalp Acupuncture is also used to aid the rehabilitation of other neurological conditions.

These include paralysis, stroke, spinal cord injuries, and Parkinson’s disease.

Our Burnaby Physiotherapists were very fortunate to learn from Dr. Jason Jishun Hao. He is one of the early Scalp Acupuncturists who was educated by the founders of Scalp Acupuncture in China, Dr. Jiao Shun-Fa.

What Does Acupuncture Feel Like?

If you have never had acupuncture therapy before, you may be wondering what it feels like.

Acupuncture needles come in different lengths and thickness. The use depends on the area of treatment. The needles are thin and smooth, and much smaller than a syringe. This allows the needles to penetrate easily, minimizing pain upon insertion.

Generally, it feels like a small prick or nothing at all when the needle is inserted. When the needle makes contact with an acupuncture point, you may report feelings of: