Acupuncture at Calgary Centre for Health

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture tends to be the primary source of treatment in Chinese medicine throughout North America. Although acupuncture in the West is primarily used for the relief of physical pain such as arthritis, sports injuries, neck and low back strains, in the East it is a comprehensive and integrated system of health care.

Not only may a treatment reduce inflammation, raise white blood cells and change hormonal patterns in the body, it has shown to be a form of healthcare that can gently guide a patient to a better mental and emotional state as well.

No two people are the same and it is one of the big strengths of Chinese medicine that we treat people individually to get better results. There is no single blanket treatment for ailments like irritable bowel, headaches or menopause for example, treatment is always individualized.

What is Chinese medicine?

China’s 3,000-year-old medical system is based on the idea that balancing active and passive forces within the body enhances Qi (chi) and leads to healing. Qi is a fundamental concept of everyday Chinese culture, most often defined as “life force” that is part of everything that exists.

The purpose of using Chinese medicine is to treat the root cause, rather than provide a temporary solution. A Chinese medicine doctor works to bring balance to the body through acupuncture, cupping (use of suction to increase circulation in an affected are), herbs, nutritional and lifestyle counseling. By inserting very fine needles at certain points, the flow of Qi can be manipulated in order to restore balance. In stabilizing the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional state our purpose is to nurture the bodies own healing process.