PurA
Experience
Pura Acupuncture & Wellness is a destination for alternative medicine, health, and holistic healing in Encino, California.
Our synergistic approach combines the best of Western and Eastern medicine, our solutions tailored specifically to each patient and their unique situations. Rather than simply treating the symptoms, we get to the root of the problem, with the ultimate goal of whole-body wellness and sustainable well-being.
To support our treatments, we encourage diet and lifestyle modifications that promote optimum health and wellness, finding lasting solutions that improve the quality and enjoyment of life.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a painless system that involves pricking specific areas (points) on the skin or tissues with fine needles at various depths.
The needles are as thin as a hair strand (0.22 mm- 0.30 mm). In comparison, regular hypodermic needles are much larger, in some cases up to 2.5 mm.
During a typical acupuncture session, your practitioner will perform needle manipulation to achieve “Qi.” In terms of how this feels to the patient, it could be described as a slight tingling sensation which enhances the release of energy. This sensation is often used as a stop signal, indicating that the proper amount of stimulation has been reached for that particular point.
Common post-treatment side effects can be a feeling of slight drowsiness or euphoria, but many patients do not experience this.
Acupuncture treatments last for 45-50 minutes and can be combined with various other holistic modalities, resulting in improvements to many areas of concern.
Moxa
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy in which a dried herb (moxa) is burned, either on the skin, in a cone, grain, or pole, or on an acupuncture needle to help facilitate the flow of energy (Qi), disperse stagnation, promote blood flow, and dispel pathogenic influences, such as toxins and free radicals, during treatment. Moxibustion is very effective in helping to amplify the beneficial effects of acupuncture.
The moxa itself is made from a spongy, dried leafy material called Chinese mugwort, but it can also be made from Artemisia argyi or A. vulgaris.
Your practitioner will strategically place moxa on specific points of the body, depending on the disease or illness to be treated. You will feel warm sensations against the skin, similar to being close to a heat lamp.
There are no known side effects of moxa. Typical moxibustion treatments can last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
Electro-Stimulation
Electro-Stimulation
Also known as “estim”, this treatment involves using a machine that generates electrical currents that pass through the body to stimulate nerves and muscles.
Primarily used to treat various forms of paralysis, estim is also helpful to those recovering from injury, surgery, or muscle atrophy. The frequency and speed of the currents are manipulated by your practitioner and will depend on the severity of the condition.
“Estim” is usually painless, feeling like a slight tingling sensation in the area of treatment. Estim sessions can last anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes.
Cupping
Cupping
Cupping is an ancient healing method that involves using heated glass cups to create suction on various parts of the body. Plastic, silicone, or ceramic cups may also be used. The best way to describe the sensation of getting “cupped” would be similar to a reverse “pulling” massage. By drawing up the blood to these points, we can disperse congestion and stagnation of the blood, bringing toxins to the surface where they can be dispersed.
The side-effects of cupping include the appearance of round, raised red or purple areas on the skin. These marks fade after a few days but in some cases, might remain visible for two weeks or more.
Cupping is often done in combination with acupuncture, but it can be used as a treatment on its own.
Some patients are not ideal candidates for cupping. If you have certain blood disorders, thinning of the skin, or open wounds or lesions, cupping may not be suitable for you. Cupping treatments typically last anywhere from 15 to 35 minutes.
Herbs
Herbs
Herbs have been a foundational aspect of traditional Chinese medicine for millennia. Often used in conjunction with acupuncture and other holistic modalities, herbal remedies can be tailored to very specific needs to affect a targeted healing effect. In many cases, herbs are as powerful or even more so than western medicine, but they can also work in conjunction with conventional therapies to promote a more effective result.
If we can say that acupuncture treats the body by focusing external energies, herbs work from the inside out, opening any underlying blockages and accelerating the healing process. Herbs are dispensed as oral medicine or blended for you as a tea, packaged in easy-to-use individual servings for your convenience and may be combined in custom formulas or delivered as single herbs to promote optimal healing.
Facial Rejuvenation
Facial Acupuncture
Facial acupuncture, sometimes known as cosmetic acupuncture, is a natural alternative to harsh chemicals and treatments like Botox and fillers. It approaches healing from the inside out, resulting in improved and brightened skin tone, better muscle tone and elasticity, and a visible reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.
As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which results in reduced elasticity and sagging skin. During treatment, acupuncture needles are placed at points on the face and body to stimulate blood flow and boost collagen production to the area. Facial acupuncture can also be very effective in softening facial scarring, treating acne, rosacea, and eczema.
The results of facial acupuncture can be enhanced and extended by implementing lifestyle and dietary changes. Typical treatments can last anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.
About Traditional Chinese Medicine
Dating back almost 3,000 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the earliest forms of medical treatment. It focuses on treating the root cause of illness, strengthening the body’s defenses, and enhancing its capacity to heal from injury or disease and to bounce back from pre-existing conditions.
As one of the oldest healing systems on the planet, TCM has been very effective in helping people live a life of wellness and harmony through physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance.
The core theory of TCM is based on our body’s meridians. Essentially, these are channels that run through the body while allowing vital energy (also known as “qi”), blood, and oxygen to flow freely through the body’s pathways. Anything that disrupts these pathways is said to cause illness, create stagnation, and allow disease to take hold.
