About Acupuncture

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the practice of inserting hair-thin needles into specific points throughout the body to stimulate a healing response. It is a practice based in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which dates back thousands of years and is now proven by modern scientific methods to have a wide range of healing effects, working on the nerves, muscles, fascia (connective tissue), vascular and immune systems. It is the fastest-growing medicine worldwide and is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a multitude of conditions. 

Acupuncture stimulates endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones, therefore it feels very relaxing. It is based on the ancient theory of “meridians” which guide the flow of “qi” as we call it, or energy of the body. These “meridians” can be loosely translated in modern medical terms as neuromyofascial networks. They are how the body integrates structure and function, sensation and action. 

When should I try acupuncture?

In Chinese Medicine we have a saying: "To cure a disease when it has already appeared is like digging a well when one is already thirsty." Basically, the sooner we seek treatment the better!

What insurance plans do you accept?

For more information on using insurance at Thetis Massage Therapy please visit the direct billing about page. 

How does it work?

Ever hear about how we use a small percentage of our brain’s true capacity? Well, the same is true of the body’s healing mechanisms.  Cortisol, dopamine, serotonin, growth-regulating hormones—all of these can be utilized in a greater capacity, given the right environment, and the right stimulation. Some of the most powerful pharmaceuticals are modelled after molecules that already exist in the body (like cortisol and morphine), but what if we could just stimulate the use of these naturally? After all, these already exist in all of us. This is what acupuncture does--no side effects, no building up a tolerance, no toxic byproducts. It simply stimulates the body's innate healing. 

Just like a kink in your garden hose, with the body’s “meridians” or neuromyofascial networks, wherever there is blockage (due to posture, age, illness, scar tissue or emotional holding), everything down the line suffers. We simply guide that tissue to release its unwanted tension patterns. 

What can I expect from my first session?

Your practitioner will begin with a review of your medical history. Seemingly old and unrelated symptoms may be affecting you in ways that are not always obvious.  The next step of diagnosis is based on visual assessment and palpation—looking at the tongue, feeling the pulse, and palpating the limbs and abdomen. This gives more diagnostic clues to the practitioner. 

Treatment consists of acupuncture pins which are inserted in the body with a pain-free tap, and left for 15 - 20 minutes. Patients are able to relax with a soothing music, let the body take care of itself, and sink in to treatment. Your practitioner will be checking in with your system with palpation (touch) throughout, and may incorporate other techniques which include massage, acupressure, moxa (heat therapy), or laser acupuncture (pain-free and great for kids). 

Why Acupuncture?

Why not stick with mainstream/allopathic healthcare? Studies show that the more we rely on external weapons (i.e. drugs) to fight illness, the less we are able to use our innate healing abilities. 
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​Some people talk about their health problems as if they were something happening outside themselves, which they have no control over. This is an understandable view, since mainstream Western medicine takes this view as well, and in fact the most powerful aspects of western medicine (pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and imaging, and surgeries) can often be disempowering; we rely on the medical professionals to tell us what's right for us. While sometimes necessary, these treatments leave no room for the experience of the person receiving the treatment. They leave us as bystanders in our own fates. Acupuncture allows space for experience of the patient, and acknowledges that how one feels about their illness or condition changes how one heals that illness or condition.

What does acupuncture Treat?

People often don't realize that acupuncture treats far more than body pain. It is a holistic medicine, and addresses all aspects of body, mind, emotions and spirit. Pain is a message; illness is a message. Signs and symptoms are the body's warning signs, and the good news is, they can be decoded like a puzzle to let us know what our bodies need.

​Acupuncture is effective in treating many varieties of pain such as chronic low back pain, headaches, post-surgical pain, whiplash, neuralgia, sprain/strains, etc. It is also effective for hormonal conditions, gynecological conditions/fertility, digestive issues, psychoemotional disorders, addictions, dizziness/tinnitus, and preventive care. 

What are the side effects?

Many people report feeling either very relaxed or very energetic after an acupuncture treatment. Often times people will notice an improvement with their sleep, digestion, and stress levels. Sometimes people feel a bit sore after a treatment.