Our Services
 Did you know? |
 |
Acupuncture treatments are generally very relaxing. There is minimal discomfort and most times, none at all. The disposable needles, made of fine surgical steel, are only used once and then disposed.
If you decide to use acupuncture, choose the practitioner with care. Also check with your insurer to see if the services will be covered. |
 |  |
Our Address:
1 - 4361 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC, V5H 1Z9 (near Metrotown & Patterson Skytrain Station)
Call:
(604) 439-1604
Fax: (604) 432-9231
Get directions |
 |  |
|
What We Can Help You With?
TMJ Syndrome
Acupuncture:
TMJ syndrome refers to pain in the TMJ (temporo madibular joint) with possible swelling, limited range of motion, muscle spasms, earaches, bruxism, facial asymmetry, clicking or popping noises and, occasionally, tinnitus. Common causes include blows to the jaw, overstretching as a result of dental or surgical procedures and excessive grinding or clenching of the teeth.
According to Chinese Medicine, in most cases TMJ associated with qi and blood stasis, liver qi stagnation, and wind-cold damp impediment with liver spleen disharmony or liver-kidney vacuity.
Acupuncture treatment’s usually very helpful especially in conjunction with massage and chiropractic treatments.
Chiropractic:
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction occurs when the two joints of your jaw are not in sync with one another. Some causes include bite problems, poor posture, whiplash and spinal misalignment. Symptoms of TMJ include jaw pain, popping, teeth grinding at night, and/or inability to fully open or close the mouth, as well as headaches, neck pain, and ringing in the ears. Chiropractors work to restore the imbalances of the spine and muscles that directly and indirectly influence the health and function of the TMJ. Chiropractic is a safe, effective and noninvasive way to treat TMJ dysfunction and teeth grinding.
Massage Therapy:
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction is a disturbance in a jaw joint and its associated structures. TMJ disorder usually occurs with stress on the joint, tissue alteration, and genetic or traumatic predisposition. The dysfunction might result in jaw pain, clicking sounds, headaches, muscle spasms, restricted motions, and teeth grinding. The causes of TMJ dysfunction range from joint pathology to imbalances in jaw muscles. Postural dysfunction, cranial bone misalignment, increased stress, and trauma are all primary causes.
Massage therapy treatments are aimed towards reducing hyper tonicity of muscles in the shoulders, neck, face and jaw. Work on the muscles inside the jaw might be performed with patient’s consent. In conjunction with other therapies, therapeutic massage is an effective way for treatment of TMJ dysfunction.
TMJ Treatment Program
Our TMJ treatment program provides a comprehensive assessment and treatment management plan. Most traditional TMJ programs focus only on the TM joint itself. Although the TM joint can be the Center of focus for referred pain, more often the joint is not the primary cause of the pain cycle. Most of the time, TMJ Disorder is itself the result of a broader range of complications and is often related to muscular problems and poor posture. In our TMJ assessment protocol, the first objective is to remove the guesswork.
At our office, we recommend treatment only after taking a thorough health history and conducting a clinical exam, including appropriate X-rays and other diagnostic tests as necessary. Our findings help us determine the level of treatment appropriate for you. This may range from a minor corrective treatment to a multiple-phase treatment plan, depending on the severity of your specific condition.
The Nature of TMJ Disorder
Do you suffer from any of the following?
- frequent migraines or chronic headaches
- insomnia or poor sleeping patterns
- night-time teeth grinding
- chronic fatigue and discomfort.
If so, you may be experiencing TMJ Disorder (TMD), and may need immediate treatment to correct the problem.
In most cases, the symptoms related to TMJ Disorder can be successfully treated to reduce or eliminate discomfort. Postponing treatment usually results in more damage to the joint, muscles, or teeth.
What is TMJ?
 You may not have heard of it, but you use it thousands of times every day. It is your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the joint immediately in front of each ear that connects the mandible (the lower jaw) to the temporal bone of the skull. As in the knee joint, a small disc of cartilage separates the bones so that the mandible slides easily. You use this joint each time you chew, talk, and swallow (every three minutes or so). One of the most frequently used of all the joints of the body, it is also one of the most complex.
How many people suffer from TMJ Disorder?
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institute of Health indicates that 10.8 million people in the United States suffer from TMJ problems at any given time.
Both men and women experience TMJ problems; however, 90 percent of those seeking treatment are women in their childbearing years.
The Symptoms of TMJ Disorder
- Clicking & popping of the TM joint
Cause: Lack of cartilage at the rear hinge point.
- Grinding sounds
Cause: Irregular bone surface at the rear hinge point.
- Headaches and migraine headache
Cause: Pressure of the condyle (ball of the joint) pushing on the weak bone structure at the rear of the joint.
- Dizziness
Cause: Lack of blood flow to the brain due to obstruction of the blood vessels.
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Cause: Pressure on the ear canal.
- Excessive wear on teeth
Cause: Subconscious effort to correct the alignment of the TM joint by grinding the teeth to change their shape.
- Severe pain throughout head
Cause: Pinching of nerves by the condyle (ball of the joint) in the fossa (hinge at rear of the joint socket).
- Pain in neck
Cause: Unknown; however, most people with TMJ Disorder experience it.
- Earache
Cause: Pressure on the ear canal.
How does TMJ Disorder feel?
The pain may be sharp and searing, occurring each time you swallow, yawn, talk, or chew; or it may be dull and constant. It hurts immediately in front of the ear where the joint is located, but the pain can also radiate elsewhere. It often causes spasms in the adjacent muscles attached to the bones of the skull, face, and jaws. When this happens, pain can be felt in the the temple, cheek, lower jaw, and teeth.
A very common focus of pain is the ear. Many patients go to an ear specialist convinced they have an ear infection. However, if the earache is not associated with a hearing loss and the eardrum looks normal, the doctor will consider the possibility that the pain is instead associated with TMJ Disorder.
We make a difference. We care.
Call us (604) 439-1604 to make an appointment.
Click here for current fee schedule.
|
Case Study
Many acupuncture practitioners report typical successful clinical cases. Registered acupuncturist Dr. Ayvazov saw a 21-year-old woman for depression. She was on anti-depressant medication with only moderate improvement. After 3 sessions of acupuncture, she reported her depression lift completely. “Acupuncture is a powerful therapeutic tool,” says Dr. Galya Ayvazov.
|
Dr. Galya Ayvazov
D.T.C.M., R.Ac.
Dr. Galya Ayvazov is a graduate of the Western Canadian Institute of T.C.M Practitioners and is a registered acupuncturist in B.C. She has also graduated from a medical university in St. Petersburg, Russia. In addition, she has completed special training in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture which is breakthrough technique in facial rejuvenation that often provides outstanding results. She has been using her knowledge and significant clinical experience to successfully treat wide variety of different diseases to help patients balance body, mind, and soul.
|
|
Hong Chung,
Registered Acupuncturist
 Hong has bachelor’s and master's degree from the National Seoul University in Korea. He was trained and practiced in Korea the healing methods on body and spirit such as the meditation, yoga, deep breathing methods, hand acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and blood letting treatment etc. He graduated International College of TCM of Vancouver and got the license of acupuncturist. His major treatments are especially burns, infertility, back pain, sciatica, accident related injuries, persistent HA, weight loss, insomnia, menopausal syndrome, etc. |
|
