Acupuncture

Acupuncture, when used in conjunction with other therapy, such as chiropractic or massage therapy, can be beneficial for patients seeking relief from joint and muscle pain. When you book an appointment, our therapists will perform a thorough health history and physical examination, follow by a treatment plan. We believe in a collaborative care between our patients and therapists. Patients are invited to ask questions at any point during their appointment and treatment visits. Your medical health history is important because it will help our acupuncture provider determine if acupuncture care is right for you.

Our muscles work in an agonist and antagonistic system, when one muscle contracts, there is another pair of muscle that relaxes, for example, biceps and triceps. When your biceps are flexed, your triceps relaxes. Massage therapy works to strip out muscles that are continuously contracting and to encourage blood flow.

Previous surgery can leave scar tissue which can cause residual pain and limit range of motion, receiving regular massage therapy can help to reduce pain from scar tissue and may help to increase mobility or flexibility.

Chiropractic treatments allow patients to return to their activity of daily living sooner, as well as, managing acute, and chronic pain.

Harvest Pointe Chiropractic and Integrative Health Centre uses evidence-based treatments and provide exceptional patient care in Edmonton, AB.

Acupuncture is used extensively in Traditional Chinese Medicine to influence energy flow within the body, relieve pain, and treat many common conditions. It involves the insertion of very fine needles into the skin to affect the muscles and peripheral nerves. In the process, a signal to the brain then releases chemicals, such as endorphins to help alleviate pain.

Acupuncture has become widely accepted in Western medicine and its popularity has become increasingly more as evidence shows its efficacy in the treatment of low back pain, shoulder, and knee pain. Acupuncture works to increase blood flow, provide tissues with nutrients, and increase healing.

Acupuncture can be followed by either myofascial cupping or tunia massage. This can help to increase sense of relaxation, ease pain, and increase the body’s blood flow, and consequently, increase healing. Sometimes, our therapists may suggest electro-acupuncture, which gives the same affect as inferential current therapy (IFC), a modality widely used with physiotherapy.

Talk to our therapists about what treatment with acupuncture is the best for you.

The acupuncture points that our therapists will use are dependent on each patient and the conditions they are seeking treatment for. However, some common acupuncture points your therapist may use include

LI – large intestine 4
ST 36- stomach 36
GB 35 – gallbladder 35
GB 20 – gallbladder 20
GB 21 – gallbladder 21

When you get acupuncture, the initial insertion of the needle may feel like a tiny mosquito bite. Afterwards, you may not feel anything. Sometimes, patients report feeling increased warmth, tingling sensation, or heaviness. If an acupuncture point is uncomfortable, let your acupuncture provider know and she will adjust the point to make your treatment more comfortable. Once all the needles are inserted, our therapists will leave the needles in for about 15-20 minutes. At this point, you will be advised to relax and limit movement, as it may disturb the needles.

People seek out Acupuncture for many ailments, of which, the following are most common:

• Musculoskeletal and joint pain related to osteoarthritis
• Chronic back pain and neck pain
• Tension headaches and anxiety
• Jaw Pain or temporomandibular joint pain disorder (TMJD)
• Bell’s Palsy
• Neck pain
• Knee pain
• Sinus Pain
• Shoulder Pain

Most people can receive acupuncture care or treatment. If your medical heath history involves a medical implant device, blood disorder, or if you are taking certain medication such as blood thinners, let your therapists know. You may not qualify for acupuncture care.

A doctor’s referral is not necessary for you to receive acupuncture care. However, for insurance purposes, you may need to ask your insurance provider for details involved with your coverage.