Acupuncture
Acupuncture in Burnaby
Acupuncture seeks to restore the flow of positive energy throughout the body and aims to remove negative energy that causes discomfort, physical pain or general stress and anxiety to promote healing. Developed a millennia ago in China, it is most often deployed in western culture in conjunction with other courses of treatment as an added enhancement.
At Elu Wellness our practitioners use acupuncture to stimulate certain points on the body to trigger a therapeutic response. In a traditional acupuncture appointment, the acupuncturist has a two-way conversation with the patient to determine the best course of treatment. Queries that may seem irrelevant or unrelated to the ailment will be asked as the acupuncturist tries to gain a broader picture of your health and lifestyle—the practice of acupuncture concerns the body as a whole, and one small detail may be the key to solving the problem as a whole.
We use very high gauge stainless steel needles at Elu Wellness—30 to 40 gauges (the higher the gauge the thinner the needle) and most patients report feeling very little discomfort when the needles are inserted and set. All our acupuncture needles are sterile, single use, stainless steel needles which arrive packaged individually and are disposed of in a dedicated and clearly marked “sharps” container after use.
It is unlikely you will feel any side effects from your acupuncture appointment however, it is important to rest and stay hydrated as this will help flush and cleanse your system.
Cupping
Originating in China almost 2000 thousand years ago, cupping is a form of treatment that involves the placing of heated cups directly on the skin’s surface to create suction and induce blood flow to the area to facilitate healing. The negative pressure or vacuum manipulate the soft tissue to encourage the creation of new blood vessels in order to promote cell repair. Cupping is used to help ease the symptoms of a wide array of minor and chronic health conditions and is usually used as a complement to existing treatments.
The cups used for this purpose resemble snow globes—they are rounded on top and open ended and range in size from about 2cm to 10 cm in diameter. Though reused from patient to patient at Elu Wellness, they are thoroughly sterilized before each use.
Oil is first applied to the skin to allow for adhesion. The inside of the cup is then heated and then positioned on the body. It will remain in place from five to ten minutes if stationary cupping is being performed, rapidly placed and then removed in succession for flash cupping or moved in a stroking motion for glide cupping.
After the session it is not unusual to see round red marks where the cups were placed. The marks are simply a reaction of the blood vessels reacting to the change in pressure under the vacuum of the cups and will fade in time. Staying hydrated will help the skin regenerate more quickly.