Acupuncture works on the qi—the body’s signals. Tuina works on the form—the muscles, fascia, and joints that carry those signals. In any single session, the qi—the body’s signals—and the form—the muscles, fascia, and joints—are tuned together. For most of our Vancouver acupuncture and tuina guests, that’s the question they arrive with: “Should i do acupuncture or tuina (推拿) for this shoulder?” Our usual answer: “Let’s look at the whole picture first—maybe both, or maybe what really matters is something in your digestion that hasn’t come up yet.”
About Sky TCM
Sky TCM sits in Aberdeen Centre, Unit 1138, Richmond. We’re known for integrated care — not “one symptom, one tool,” but full pattern differentiation (辨证) first, then a tailored combination of acupuncture (针灸), tuina (推拿), herbal medicine, moxibustion (艾灸) and energy-chamber work. Dr. Judy Chu leads the practice — CTCMA of BC registered [Reg # · pending Dr. Judy verification of R.Ac / R.TCM.H / R.TCM.P scope], more than twenty years in clinic [years · pending verification].
What we offer for Vancouver acupuncture and tuina guests
- Acupuncture (针灸) — sleep, chronic pain, facial palsy (peripheral type, Bell’s palsy), neuropathic pain, women’s cycles
- Tuina and structural work (推拿) — cervical and lumbar spine, shoulder joints, pelvis, postpartum pelvic-region tuina and soft-tissue care
- Herbal medicine
[Reg # · pending Dr. Judy verification — requires R.TCM.H or R.TCM.P scope under CTCMA]— decoctions or granulated formulas, prescribed by constitution - Moxibustion (艾灸) — warming yang, clearing damp, easing joint cold, painful periods, and what TCM calls “palace cold” — a pattern of chronic cold in the lower abdomen
- Energy chamber as adjunct — supporting deeper rest after primary treatment
- Combined sessions — two or three modalities woven into a single appointment
Why acupuncture and tuina work better together than apart
In our practice these aren’t separate services. They’re a single narrative — acupuncture tunes the signals, tuina shapes the structure, herbs work on the internal environment, moxibustion warms what’s grown cold. This four-part combo is what most Vancouver acupuncture and tuina guests come to Sky for.
Done alone, acupuncture mobilises the qi but the old fascial holding patterns stay in place. Done alone, tuina releases the structure but the qi hasn’t caught up. When tuina opens the structure first and acupuncture then guides the qi through, the result lands more cleanly than two separate sessions added together — which is why most guests come for the integrated appointment.
Dr. Judy Chu — Twenty years of acupuncture and tuina practice
Dr. Judy spent more than twenty years in tertiary hospitals in mainland China [years · pending verification], working across acupuncture, tuina, internal medicine and women’s health. Her needling style runs gentle — light insertion, longer retention. First-time guests often say, “It wasn’t anywhere near as sharp as I’d expected.” With tuina she has particular experience with postpartum pelvic-region tuina and soft-tissue care, and with long-running neck-shoulder strain. Her herbal formulas aren’t built around large doses — they’re built around accuracy. Her most repeated line: “Slowly. But far enough that it holds.”
Why Vancouver’s Chinese-speaking community chooses Sky for acupuncture and tuina
“One visit, several things attended to.” Most of our guests juggle work and family. Integrating acupuncture, tuina and moxibustion into a single appointment is efficient — and the body responds better to layered work than to fragmented appointments.
Where integrated care really earns its keep — slow conditions. Chronic complaints common in the immigrant community — eczema, persistent rhinitis, insomnia, irregular cycles — rarely resolve in one or two acupuncture sessions. They want acupuncture and herbs and lifestyle care, layered together.
A body translator across two systems. Many guests arrive with lab work from a Canadian family doctor. Dr. Judy reads both — the Western results and the TCM pattern — and explains what one means in the language of the other.
Three working languages. Dr. Judy practices in Mandarin, Cantonese and English. Mixed-language families can switch back and forth in a single appointment without losing thread.
New to TCM? See our guide to choosing a Vancouver TCM clinic; for chronic-condition work, see why Vancouver’s Chinese community comes to TCM.
Visit us
Sky TCM (Sky 中医养生)
3779 Sexsmith Rd, Unit 1138, Richmond BC V6X 3Y6
Aberdeen Centre · 778-681-8886
Daily 10AM – 6PM by appointment
In Richmond, with regular guests from across Greater Vancouver — Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam, the North Shore. A short walk from Aberdeen Station on the Canada Line.
Frequently asked
Acupuncture or tuina first in a combined session?
We usually begin with tuina to release fascia so the meridians sit clearly, then follow with acupuncture. A combined session runs about 75 to 90 minutes. For an acute sprain we may invert that — needles first, hands after.
How long does a full course of treatment usually take?
Acute issues — a sprain, early peripheral facial palsy — often show change within three to six sessions. Longer-running concerns like insomnia or irregular cycles typically run six to twelve sessions per stage.
Can I do acupuncture or tuina alongside physiotherapy or chiropractic?
Yes, but ideally not all on the same day. TCM looks at qi, blood and the whole pattern; physiotherapy focuses on strength and range of motion — complementary, but stacking them in one day can be a lot for the body to integrate.
Is the needling really uncomfortable?
The needles we use are around 0.25mm — extremely fine. Most points feel mildly distended or achy rather than sharp. Most first-time guests leave saying it was lighter than they’d imagined.
What’s the energy chamber actually for?
It’s an adjunct to the main treatment, supporting deeper rest and integration after acupuncture or moxibustion. Whether you’d benefit is something Dr. Judy will mention after your first assessment.
Book a consultation
If you’re looking for layered, integrated care for something that’s been with you a while — come in for a first visit, and we’ll figure out together where acupuncture, tuina or herbal medicine should sit.
Dr. Judy Chu at Sky TCM
3779 Sexsmith Rd Unit 1138, Richmond BC · 778-681-8886 · Daily 10AM–6PM
Book a first consultation · About Dr. Judy · Our treatments
TCM patterns such as “palace cold” are diagnostic categories within Traditional Chinese Medicine and do not correspond to Western medical diagnoses. Sky TCM does not provide fertility treatment; for fertility concerns please consult both your TCM practitioner and your family doctor or fertility specialist. [Disclaimer · 待朱医师终审]
