Sunrise Neuro-Acupuncture Integrative Clinic

07/24/2026

Every migraine has a story. Sometimes that story spans decades.

This patient’s journey included childhood migraines, multiple concussions, chronic neck pain, and years of neurological challenges before seeking care.

Recovery isn’t always about eliminating pain overnight. Sometimes it’s about helping someone read again, return to work, and reclaim everyday life.

Every treatment plan starts with understanding the whole story.



This case reflects one individual’s experience. Results vary from person to person.

07/23/2026

This is one of the patients I will never forget.

Harbin, China. 1998.

Department of Neurology, Harbin Medical University.

In 1998, I travelled to China to continue my training in acupuncture, which I had already been practising for several years.

What changed my career wasn’t acupuncture itself. It was seeing what rehabilitation could achieve.

It was meeting this young patient.

She had been admitted after a severe motor vehicle accident with a spinal cord injury.

She was unable to sit, stand, or walk independently.

Under the guidance of Professor Gao Wei Bin, I had the opportunity to observe her rehabilitation.

By the end of her treatment program, she was able to stand on her own and take her first steps.

I have never forgotten that moment.

During the following months, I studied alongside professors, neurologists, and rehabilitation teams in one of China’s university hospitals.

For the first time, I saw neurological rehabilitation begin almost immediately after patients became medically stable.

Recovery wasn’t delayed, it started early.

I also witnessed acupuncture used as part of comprehensive rehabilitation rather than as a stand-alone treatment. It was integrated into the care of patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, and other neurological conditions.

Watching daily ward rounds, multidisciplinary discussions, and the gradual progress of each patient changed the way I think about recovery.
It taught me that survival is only the beginning.

The real goal is helping people regain function, independence, and quality of life.

Nearly three decades later, those lessons continue to shape my clinical practice, and acupuncture remains one of the tools I integrate into neurological rehabilitation.



Educational content only. This post is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Individual outcomes vary.

This photograph was taken during clinical training in China in 1998 and is shared with respect for the patient and the educational purpose of this post.

07/18/2026

Most people can describe brain fog.
Very few can explain what it actually is.

The term has become so common that it’s often used to describe almost any change in thinking after a concussion.

But brain fog isn’t a diagnosis.

It’s an umbrella term for a range of cognitive symptoms that may involve attention, processing speed, executive function, visuospatial skills, memory, and other aspects of cognition.



This content is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you have persistent headaches following a concussion, consult a qualified healthcare professional for an individualized assessment.

07/17/2026

Your brain is changing every single day 🧠

For decades, scientists believed that once brain cells were damaged, recovery was limited. Today, we know the brain is far more adaptable than previously thought.

This remarkable ability called neuroplasticity helps explain how the nervous system can learn, adapt, and reorganize throughout life.

In our latest article, we explore what neuroplasticity is, how it works, and why it plays such an important role in rehabilitation, from stroke and concussion to speech development and chronic pain.

https://www.neuroacupuncture.ca/what-is-neuroplasticity/



This content is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you have persistent headaches following a concussion, consult a qualified healthcare professional for an individualized assessment.

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganise and form new connections throughout life. This guide explains what it is, how it works, and why it matters for recovery.

07/16/2026

Headaches after a concussion don’t always have the same underlying mechanisms as migraine.

While acupuncture has been studied extensively for migraine and several systematic reviews suggest it may reduce headache frequency and intensity in some individuals research into its potential role in persistent post-traumatic headache is still developing.

Selected references:
📚 Journal of Neurotrauma (Post-traumatic headache research
📚 Cochrane Reviews & systematic reviews on acupuncture for migraine
📚 International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3)



This content is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. If you have persistent headaches following a concussion, consult a qualified healthcare professional for an individualized assessment.

07/12/2026

For years, this 52-year-old man lived with severe neuropathic head and neck pain after multiple motor vehicle accidents.

Despite physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and medication, his symptoms persisted. Sleep became a struggle, anxiety increased, and everyday environments became difficult to tolerate.

When he came to our clinic, he rated his neuropathic pain 10/10.

This case explores how scalp acupuncture, used as part of supportive care for persistent post-concussion symptoms and chronic neuropathic pain, was incorporated into his treatment plan and what happened over the following weeks.

Read the full case study to learn more:
https://www.neuroacupuncture.ca/post-concussion-symptom-support-case/



This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or replace medical advice. If you’re experiencing persistent or worsening symptoms, seek assessment from a healthcare professional.

Case overview of scalp acupuncture for post concussion symptoms and neuropathic pain. Patient reported better sleep, clarity, and reduced pain.

07/10/2026

Your nervous system can transmit signals faster than a Formula 1 car.

So why can a concussion make your thoughts feel painfully slow?

The answer isn’t as obvious as most people think.

Watch until the end to understand what may actually be happening inside the brain after a concussion and why «brain fog» isn’t simply about slow nerves.



This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or replace medical advice. If you’re experiencing persistent or worsening symptoms after a concussion, seek assessment from a healthcare professional.

07/09/2026

Most people don't connect their pain to their job, at least not right away. It tends to show up gradually. A neck that feels stiff by Wednesday.

A lower back that needs twenty minutes to settle in the morning.
Hands that ache by the end of a busy week.

Easy to explain away as tiredness, or age, or just the cost of a demanding career.

But these patterns are rarely random.

Different professions create different physical demands and when those demands repeat often enough, over enough years, the body starts to reflect them in very specific ways.

The research on this is remarkably consistent, and the patterns are recognizable long before most people think to look for them.

We've put together a series of articles looking at Ottawa's workforce profession by profession what the occupational health literature actually shows, what we observe clinically, and what tends to help. Government workers, nurses, lawyers, massage therapists, tradespeople, musicians.

Each one is different.

If any of that sounds familiar, the article is worth a few minutes of your time.

And if someone in your life has been managing something quietly for too long, it might be worth sharing with them too.

https://www.neuroacupuncture.ca/how-professions-affect-physical-health/



This content is for educational purposes only. Results may vary. Please consult a healthcare professional if you are experiencing persistent symptoms.

Ottawa government workers, nurses, lawyers and tradespeople each develop distinct pain patterns. What research and local practitioners observe and when to seek support.

07/07/2026

Have you ever felt completely drained after just a few minutes in a grocery store following a concussion?

Many people assume it’s anxiety or stress. In reality, there can be neurological reasons why busy environments become so challenging after a concussion.

In this video, Denis explains what may be happening inside the brain and why these symptoms are more common than many people realize.

Have you experienced this during your recovery?



This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or replace medical advice. If you’re experiencing persistent or worsening symptoms after a concussion, seek assessment from a healthcare professional.

07/03/2026

Do all post-concussion headaches come from the brain? Not necessarily.

Many people are surprised to learn that headaches after a concussion can have different contributing factors.

For some, they resemble migraine.
For others, the neck may play a role.
Some notice symptoms become worse while reading, using a computer, driving, or in busy environments where the brain has to process large amounts of visual and sensory information.

In this series, we’ll explain what current research tells us about post-concussion headaches, why symptoms can vary from person to person, and the rehabilitation approaches that may be considered as part of recovery.

If you’ve been struggling with persistent headaches after a concussion, follow along for the next videos.



This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or replace medical advice. If you’re experiencing persistent or worsening symptoms after a concussion, seek assessment from a healthcare professional.