Acupuncture

The North Vancouver Pain Clinic uses acupuncture as one of our main therapeutic methods in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, and sports injuries. The reason we rely so heavily on acupuncture is because it is a time-tested, safe, all-natural, drug-free and extremely effective treatment for pain of all types.

As a practitioner who is certified in pain management, Dr. Brad Matthews combines his extensive knowledge of classic TCM (meridian) theory, along with myofascial needling of the very tender areas in the muscle. In classic TCM literature these tender points have been called “a-shi” points. The literal meaning is “that’s it” (i.e. that’s where it hurts). These points will often generate a strong twitch or muscle release when stimulated with the needle, producing a very obvious subjective and objective effect that is felt almost immediately. These points have been named “trigger points” in other schools of thought, and they are often the points needled in an IMS treatment.

The reason we believe it is so important to combine classic meridian points with the local painful points is because it is often the inclusion of the meridian points that will trigger the release of deeper blockages such as stress that may be preventing or delaying the healing process. It is our experience in over 14 years of treating various painful conditions that the combination of treating the painful area as well as utilizing classic TCM meridian points yields far better results than relying merely on one or the other. The net result is optimal health and wellness.

You can learn a lot more about acupuncture by downloading our FREE ebook How to Thrive In The Modern World.