Acupuncture and TCM

Acupuncture, TuiNa, and Cupping are great for the seasoned athlete, the weekend warrior, and everyone in between. We can target certain muscle groups while still treating the body as a whole. It’s great for speeding up the healing process of tired and stiff muscles, whether you’ve spent the day on the slopes or lifting weights at the gym.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body. Some of the benefits include: increasing circulation, boosting serotonin levels in the brain, inducing relaxation, and relieving pain. Acupuncture is recognized by the World Health Organization as being effective in the treatment of over 50 commonly occurring disorders including gynecological conditions, digestive disorders, sleep disorders, depression and anxiety.

Motor Point Acupuncture

Motor Point Acupuncture is very similar to IMS (Intra-muscular stimulation) and is a form of Acupuncture that targets the most excitable area of a short contracted muscle and encourages it to release. Motorpoint acupuncture is great for treating chronic tight muscles and stagnant sports injuries. Ideally, acupuncture is used to prevent injury and to keep the body functioning at it’s full potential. It is also used for many internal disorders such as common cold, cough, headaches, painful periods, and digestive disorders; as well as musculoskeletal disorders, injury, and pain management.

Cupping

Cupping therapy is the placement of heated glass cups on the skin to ease pain, stimulate blood flow, and remove toxins from the body. The cups are placed over acupuncture points and the heat creates a suction that draws up the underlying tissue. Oils are sometimes applied to the skin so that the cups are able to glide freely along the body. Cupping is a very therapeutic, and soothing treatment that yields great results. Often the cups will leave marks on the skin that resemble bruises, this is a result of all the blood rushing to the surface of the skin, and not due to broken blood vessels. Cupping is also commonly used in treating coughs, colds, and other lung conditions.

Tui Na (Tway Na)

Chinese Medical Massage, is a therapeutic form of massage often incorporated into these treatments. It could be described as a combination of acupressure and deep tissue.

Who We Are

Hong (Patricia) Xu, R.Ac

What to Expect

Our Registered Acupuncturist at Optimum takes the time to do a careful history, physical examination, and palpation, 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 soft tissue therapy may be used to achieve the desired result.

A dull, heavy, or aching feeling often occurs when the needle is correctly placed. 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 Kinesiology at Optimum