UNIFIED TEAM CARE

Traditional Chinese Medicine

24 years of combined experience.

Rooted in over 2,000 years of history, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) brings into practice many therapeutic modalities to treat dysfunctions and illness in the body. From physical to mental/emotional, and external to internal issues, TCM aims to correct root causes in order to address surface symptoms. Personalized treatment plans may utilize a variety of modalities such as TCM acupuncture, sports medicine acupuncture, cupping and gua-sha, moxibustion, auricular therapy, herbal prescriptions, or nutritional/lifestyle recommendations to help you achieve optimal health results.  

Incorporate the use of herbs, acupuncture, cupping, and to your enhance your health and well-being through Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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More about our Traditional Chinese Medicine:

Acupuncture

Acupuncturists undergo extensive training in order to thoroughly understand the concepts and principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Practitioners have a very thorough understanding of all acupuncture channels, organ classifications, as well as the relationship between organ systems in the body. 

Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin, sterile, stainless steel, disposable needles at specific points. Needling acupoints stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of the pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones, which influence the body’s own internal regulating system. The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture stimulates the body’s natural healing abilities, corrects imbalances regarding the function of internal organs, and promotes physical and emotional well-being. 

Acupuncture treatments can and should be used in conjunction with other forms of treatments. It is important that your acupuncturist know if you are receiving other forms of therapy so that they can help you get the most benefit from all your treatments.  

Auricular Therapy

Auricular therapy views the ear as a micro-system of our entire body whereby the body is reflected both externally and internally onto the ear. The ear has many acupoints that can be stimulated with acupuncture or acupressure (massage or ear seeds) to help correct and promote optimal health. Auricular therapy can be used in conjunction to acupuncture on the body during a regular session, or ear seeds may be placed onto specific acupoints to allow for a milder, yet prolonged effect of these acupoints after a session has completed. 
Additionally, the ‘National Acupuncture Detoxification Association’ trains individuals to utilize the ‘NADA’ protocol to address many psycho-somatic issues that can range from addictions and behavioural dysfunctions, to emotional trauma and stress syndromes. The ‘NADA’ protocol involves the insertion of needles into five specific acupoints on each ear. This protocol can be easily and safely integrated into any treatment to support mental health. 

Pre-Natal and Post-Natal Care

Acupuncture during any stage of pregnancy is very safe when done by a trained practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. It can be used to help relieve physical pain (back, hips, legs), reduce swelling and inflammation, and support mental and emotional wellbeing. Acupuncture sessions leading up to birth may help support the birthing process with regards to a timely birth and reduced labor time. 

Post-partum, acupuncture supports recovery, both physically and mentally to help parents support the growth of their newborn. 

Moxibustion

Moxibustion therapy involves the burning of ‘moxa’, Artemisia vulgaris or mugwort, a woody perennial that has properties of being bitter, acrid, and most notably, very warming. Moxa also contains volatile oils, tannins, trace elements, and other healing properties where it is used to impart heat stimulation, and promote circulation and healing. Moxibustion is used over acupressure points or over acupuncture needles to warm and regulate the body by promoting the flow of blood and vital fluids. It can be used to reduce swelling, aches and pain, ease digestive issues, regulate menstruation and reduce menstrual pain, assist with turning a fetus in breech, and invigorate the circulatory system.  

Sports Medicine Acupuncture

Incorporating principles and techniques from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in addition to Western sports medicine, sports medicine acupuncture (SMA) assesses and treats sports injuries, work-related injuries, and overall muscle-skeletal imbalances with an integrated approach. Assessment involves palpation, range of motion testing, manual muscle testing and other TCM tools and questions to organize an individualized treatment plan. Acupuncture encourages the body to release chemicals to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling, while increasing blood and oxygen supply to injured areas to increase speed of healing. SMA aims to manage an injury from the initial assessment, throughout the treatment and rehabilitation, and onto injury prevention. 

Chinese Medicine Herbal Formulas

There are more than 5,700 types of herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and each has its own specific therapeutic properties. Similar to homeopathic medicine, the majority of Chinese medicine herbs and herbal formulas are plant derived. Different combinations of herbs yield different results and each combination has a specific purpose. A practitioner of TCM can create a personalized treatment plan that includes both acupuncture and the use of herbal formulas to directly address symptoms, though, on their own, herbal formulas are very effective for most conditions with little to no negative side effects and are safe to take while on other medications. 

Cupping

As a form of deep-tissue therapy, cupping involves the use of glass, silicone, or plastic cups as suction devices that are placed on the skin and left stationary or moved around (slide/glide cupping). During cupping, muscle and skin are gently pulled upwards to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion. When muscles are damaged, there is a build-up of cellular debris such as blood, proteins, and fluids that can cause swelling and inflammation.  The accumulation of these materials often results in the obstruction of circulation resulting in pain and dysfunction. Cupping therapy helps break up these obstructions by drawing to the surface cellular debris while promoting circulation of healthy blood, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues. 

Marks may be left on the skin after a session and vary from light pink to deep purple depending on the amount of obstruction in the area and the length at which the individual has been experiencing the issue. These marks often disappear within a few hours upwards to ten days depending on the severity of the symptoms.

Gua-Sha (Scraping)

Sometimes called ‘coining, spooning, or scraping’, gua-sha is a form of instrument-assisted stroking of a muscle area with the intention of creating micro-trauma to the injured muscles to enhance healing. The micro-trauma created by pressing and stroking in one direction often appears ‘rash-like’ wherein there is breakage of the blood capillaries at the surface of the skin. Gua-sha stimulates a neurological adaptation to illicit a relaxed and recovery state in the underlying tissues to reduce inflammation and pain, support immune response, and even recovery from colds.
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