Fear of pain from acupuncture is the most common reason that people are nervous about trying it. The truth is that acupuncture should not be painful.

Acupuncture needles are very small and fine- about the thickness of a cat’s whisker. A skilled acupuncturist is very gentle and most of the time you won’t even feel the needles. Depending on the area of the body and the person, you may experience minor discomfort, a brief pin prick or pinching sensation when the needle is first inserted.

Once the needles are in place, you will be left to relax with the needles in. That’s right, acupuncture can actually be a deeply relaxing, pleasant experience. Some of people even use their appointment as an opportunity to nap!

Today, acupuncture is receiving wide acceptance as a respected, valid, and effective form of health care because of one fact- it works!

Over the past 60 years there have been thousands of studies done on acupuncture, and it’s no longer a question of if acupuncture works (although there is still a lot of debate on the how.)  The World Health Organization report on acupuncture lists 28 diseases, symptoms or conditions for which acupuncture has been proven effective through controlled trials. Nearly 100 more conditions were reported by controlled trials to have some therapeutic benefits.

Acupuncture is very safe with minimal side effects when performed by a trained Acupuncturist. In a recent study on acupuncture safety of over 229,000 acupuncture patients, the most common side effects were:

• minor bruising or bleeding in 6% of patients
• pain at the site of the needle in 2% of patients

Compared to the common side effects of drugs to stop pain like constipation, nausea or vomiting, acupuncture is a safe and effective choice, often more safe than many conventional medications.

Acupuncture is comparable in cost to chiropractic and physiotherapy and you will find our rates very reasonable. In addition, we offer direct billing to your insurance so that you don’t have to pay out of pocket! Check out our rates and insurance page for more information.

Acupuncture is very widely accepted and most extended medical plans cover acupuncture. Every policy is different, so please check with your insurer to find out your exact coverage. Most insurance plans don’t require a doctor’s referral for acupuncture, however some do so again, check with your plan. If you would like us to direct bill your insurance, please bring your policy and ID numbers.

At your first appointment, we’ll have you fill out a detailed intake form that asks you about the symptoms you are experiencing, as well as various other health indicators such as your sleep, energy, digestion, body temperature, and moods.

During the consultation, your acupuncturist will go over your intake form and ask additional questions to get a clear picture of your condition and determine the best treatment plan. We’ll also explain how the treatment works and what to expect during the treatment.

During treatment, sterile, disposable acupuncture needles will be placed in various points on your body. The needles are very fine and our acupuncturists are very skilled at making the treatment as gentle as possible: most of the time you won’t even feel the needles. Your acupuncturist may use points on the torso, back, legs, or arms. Your acupuncturist may also use additional therapies such as a gentle, electrical stimulation, heat lamps, or liniments.

Once the needles are in place, you will be left to relax with the needles in place for roughly 30 minutes. That’s right, acupuncture is actually a very relaxing experience and some of our clients even use their appointment as an opportunity to nap!

An acupuncturist looks at the health of the body as a whole, diagnosing which areas are not functioning at a normal, healthy state and how this influences the health of the rest of the body. We us acupuncture to influence the flow of energy, stimulate the body’s healing response, and restore normal functions of the body.

There are many modern theories about how acupuncture works on the body, but the truth is that it is still not fully understood. Research shows that acupuncture has various physiological effects on the body, including:

• stimulating the body’s healing response to reduce inflammation, increase circulation, and promote healing
• stimulating neurotransmitters such as endorphins to influence the immune system
• normalizing the autonomic nervous system to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain
• influencing the electrical system of the body to facilitate healing between normal and injured tissues
• affecting the blood concentration of components such as cholesterol and triglycerides, to promote homeostasis

Acupuncture typically takes a series of treatments to get the best results, usually at a frequency of 1-2 times per week. The number of treatments needed depends on the nature of your problem as well as your overall health, your age, and how you respond to acupuncture. The longer a problem has been present, usually the more treatments it takes to resolve the problem. A general rule of thumb is for problems older than one year, it usually takes at least 10 treatments to resolve the problem. Acute problems typically take fewer treatments, ranging anywhere from 3-6 treatments on average.

Acupuncture enables your body’s own healing processes and the goal is to allow your body to regain a balanced state so that it is able to maintain its own health and you are not dependent on any treatment.

Registered Acupuncturists are licensed and regulated by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupunturists of British Columbia (CTCMA).

Registered Acupuncturists are required to acquire a strict level of education and practical hours and pass licensing exams in order to legally practice in BC. This ensures that you receive the safest and most effective treatment, and with more complex conditions, that your practitioner is well-trained in the diagnosis and treatment of such problems.

You may find various other health practitioners that perform acupuncture in addition to their other therapies. We believe that to get the most from acupuncture, it’s best to see an expert.

As Registered Acupuncturists, our practitioners don’t just know acupuncture, we specialize in it. We’ve trained extensively, and because it’s what we do all day, every day, we’ve seen an incredible volume of patients with a wide range of conditions.

At Okanagan Acupuncture Centre, we have seen clients for a wide range of ailments and conditions over the years.

Most people think of acupuncture and its effectiveness for the treatment of pain. It is indeed very effective for all types of acute and chronic pain, ranging from injuries to arthritis, back pain, frozen shoulder and more.

But acupuncture can also treat almost any condition in the body and can also be very effective with conditions that Western medicine typically has trouble treating. For this reason, many people turn to acupuncture because they have tried other forms of treatment with little or no success.

Acupuncture is a great option because it is very safe, has few and minor side-effects, and it aims to actually improve health. It is helping your body to perform better and helping promote your body’s own innate healing ability.

If you are wondering if acupuncture can help with your specific problem or condition, please get in touch! We are happy to answer any questions or arrange for you to speak with our acupuncturist.

Children are ideal acupuncture patients because they respond quickly to treatment and because of their youth and overall good health, they recover from ailments very quickly. Children typically require fewer treatments than adults. We also use extra fine needles and fewer acupuncture points in pediatric treatments, to ensure a comfortable experience.

When parents experience how well acupuncture can benefit their own condition, they wonder whether it might be an option for their child. And parents today are looking for safer alternatives to medications for conditions like asthma, allergies, insomnia, ear infections, digestive ailments, anxiety, skin conditions, injuries, and more.

We suggest that children be 7 years of age or older to be considered for acupuncture. You should also discuss the idea of acupuncture treatment with your child, to ensure that they are open to receiving treatment. Because children are generally quite inquisitive by nature, they generally do very well in treatment and in fact usually find the acupuncture to be quite fascinating, providing that they are open to trying the treatment.

If you are interested in acupuncture for your child, please call our office to discuss treatment.