Frequently asked questions

Where are you located?

We are located inside the Mission Medical Arts builds on Tutt street in Pandosy village. We are on the main floor of the building in unit 102. The address is 3040 Tutt Street.

Where do I park?

There is a free parking lot for patients in front of the building on Tutt street. You are welcome to park here for the duration of your treatment. We ask that if you need to do other errands in the area that you please repark your vehicle as the parking lot does get busy with patients of the entire the building.

What do I wear?

Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing is best. If we are working on the lower body, wear or bring shorts. If we are working on the shoulder, neck or mid-back area, wear a tank top with access to the area that hurts.

What can I do to prepare for my treatment?

Drink plenty of water the day of treatment. It is also a good idea to have a light meal 1-2 hours prior to your treatment.

What can I expect after the treatment?

Idealy, we see improvements after each visit such as increased range of motion, ease of movement, and decreased pain/signs/symptoms.

You may experience some soreness post treatment (similar to if they did a hard workout). This soreness typically lasts up to 24 hours following treatment. Occasional bruising is also possible.

What should I do after treatment?

Rest, relax, and recover.

It is important to drink additional water after the treatment to flush out the fluid that was released. Rest or light movement, drinking water, heat, or ice as well as stretching the treated areas can all help to alleviate the soreness that may follow treatment. We also recommend Epsom salt baths as the magnesium in Epsom salt is great for muscle relaxation, and the heat of a bath helps increase blood flow.

Does Acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture needles are as fine as a hair. You will feel the pressure of the tube on your skin, and then a tap when the needle is inserted. This typically does not hurt, however, sometimes people feel a pinching sensation at insertion. Once the needle is in you may feel a heavy, dull pressure sensation. If we are doing a motor point release of a muscle the desired response is for the muscle to twitch, helping to reset the tight or shortened muscle to its proper length. Although this is generally painless, if you are new to acupuncture, this twitch response may feel strange and sometimes perceived by the brain as pain for a brief second.

With electrostimulation that we typically use with motor point acupuncture, you will feel your muscle pulsing, however, we never want this to be causing any pain. The goal is to provide a stimulus to the area that is NOT painful.

When dry needling (releasing a trigger point), you may or may not feel the needle being inserted. The specific needle manipulation is intended to produce a local twitch response that can elicit a very brief painful response that some patients describe as a deep ache or cramping sensation. The therapeutic response occurs with the elicitation of this local twitch response and is a desirable reaction.

If you want to try acupuncture but are nervous, just let us know, we meet everyone where they are at, and will tailor the treatment to you.

How long is my appointment?

Our treatments are not billed by “time”. Our treatments vary in length depending on what is individually required for each patient that day. We schedule appointments for 60 mins for initials and 40 mins for follow up visits. Sometimes a bit more time is required and sometimes a little less time is required.

You may find for the follow ups your appointments may vary from 30-45 mins. Our prices do not differ based on the amount of time you are in treatment. Our rates are flat fee per treatment visit.

Do you reuse needles?

No, never! Every needle is a single-use, sterile needle. Once it is used, it is properly disposed of. Every patient gets new needles opened at the time of treatment.

Do I need a doctor to refer me to KOA?

Patients do not need a referral to be treated with acupuncture. However, some private insurance companies do require a doctor’s referral. Please check with your private insurance company before making an appointment.

Do you offer direct billing to extended health care medical Providers?

Yes! We offer direct billing to most major extended health medical providers.

Extended Health Plans: We offer direct billing to most insurance companies! Generally insurance plans cover between 70-100% of Acupuncture fees. Please contact your insurance company for details on your plan.

ICBC: Active claims are generally covered for Registered Acupuncture Treatments.

Medical Services Plan (MSP): At this time we do not direct bill MSP.

WCB: We do not accept WCB claims at Koa.

Why Choose Koa?

At Koa, we combine manual muscle testing with Chinese medicine to create the perfect treatment for our patients. We believe that, in some way, everything is connected to everything else.

We start by looking at how your body moves and how one issue can lead to problems elsewhere. This helps us look strategically and systematically at identifying the root cause of pain, dysfunction, or areas holding you back from performance improvements. From this point, we use acupuncture and electrical stimulation combined with cupping and manual therapy to address muscle imbalances and weakness and restore proper function to the body.

Our goal is results-driven. We are striving to get you back doing the things you love to do!