How much does acupuncture cost in Kelowna?
7 minute read. Written by the Back in Health team, Kelowna.
In short
At Back in Health in Kelowna, a first acupuncture visit is 60 minutes and $140. Follow-ups are $115 for 45 minutes or $140 for 60 minutes, and an extended 90-minute session with cupping and massage is $195. Facial acupuncture is $145 and ProCell microchanneling with acupuncture is $275. Acupuncture is at our Glenmore clinic, and many BC extended health plans cover it.
Our acupuncture rates
Acupuncture at Back in Health is offered at our Glenmore clinic, #201-1014 Glenmore Dr in Kelowna. A first visit is 60 minutes and $140. Follow-ups are $115 for 45 minutes or $140 for 60 minutes. An extended 90-minute session is $195. Facial acupuncture is $145, and ProCell microchanneling with acupuncture is $275.
Every appointment length and price is also listed on our Rates page, so you can check them before you book. Needles are sterile, single-use and disposed of after each session.
If you are comparing with massage, the lengths line up: at Back in Health a 45-minute appointment is $115, 60 minutes is $140 and 90 minutes is $195 for either acupuncture or registered massage therapy. That makes it simpler to plan a year that mixes the two, which many people at Glenmore do.
What the first visit includes
The first appointment is longer because the intake is broad. Before any needles are used, your acupuncturist asks about the complaint you came in with and also about sleep, digestion, stress and energy, then chooses points based on that picture. Sixty minutes leaves room for the conversation and the needling without rushing either.
Needles usually rest in place for twenty to thirty minutes while you lie still in a quiet room. Most people describe the sensation as a dull heaviness or warmth rather than a sharp prick. If you are nervous about needles, say so when you book; fewer points and a gentler start are both reasonable requests.
Have something light to eat beforehand, since arriving on an empty stomach can leave you lightheaded, and wear loose clothing that rolls up above the knee and elbow.
Choosing a follow-up length
A 45-minute follow-up at $115 suits a focused session on one complaint once your acupuncturist knows your history. A 60-minute follow-up at $140 leaves more time when you are working on more than one thing, or when the plan includes cupping or gua sha alongside the needles.
The extended 90-minute session at $195 adds front and back points, cupping and massage in one visit. Our acupuncturist, Candice Jones, is also a Registered Massage Therapist, so the hands-on work is informed by the same assessment rather than booked as a separate appointment. It suits people who want needling and massage together, or who find two shorter visits hard to fit into a week.
Candice also holds a certification in orthopaedic acupuncture, which combines motor point needling with manual therapy. People commonly book it for pain and injury from sport, work and daily life.
Facial acupuncture and ProCell microchanneling
Facial acupuncture, $145, places fine needles on the face alongside body points. People book it for facial and jaw tension, headaches, sinus congestion and skin concerns. Gua sha, a smooth stone glided over the skin, is often part of the session.
ProCell microchanneling with acupuncture, $275, uses a precision device to create tiny channels in the skin, combined with acupuncture. People book it for fine lines, acne scarring, texture and uneven tone. Both are with our acupuncturist at Glenmore; call the clinic to book.
Some extended health plans treat sessions booked mainly for skin or appearance as cosmetic, so check with your insurer before assuming either one is claimable.
What insurance changes
Many BC extended health plans include acupuncture, usually as a yearly dollar amount, sometimes shared with other paramedical services and sometimes with a per-visit limit. Plans reimburse treatment by a registered acupuncturist; in BC that means registration with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, the same college that registers massage therapists.
Back in Health direct bills most major insurers, including Canada Life, Sun Life, Manulife, Johnson, Pacific Blue Cross, GreenShield, Empire Life and RWAM. When your plan allows it, you pay only the portion it does not cover. Direct billing depends on your individual policy, so check with your insurer first.
ICBC claims are accepted at Back in Health for massage therapy, physiotherapy and kinesiology, not for acupuncture. We do not currently accept WCB or WorkSafeBC claims.
How many sessions to budget for
Acupuncture is usually planned as a short series rather than a single visit, often weekly at first and then spaced further apart. Your acupuncturist should suggest a rough number at the first appointment, and a point at which you review together whether it is worth continuing.
For budgeting, think of a first visit plus a few follow-ups as a fair trial. If your plan has a yearly limit, compare it with that series early, rather than finding out in the spring that the allowance is gone. Track one or two things, such as pain at the same time each day or how you sleep, so the review rests on something concrete.
If nothing has shifted after a fair trial, say so. A good practitioner will adjust the approach, combine needling with hands-on work, or suggest a different discipline, such as physiotherapy at our Kirschner clinic, rather than simply booking more of the same.
Getting to the Glenmore clinic
The Glenmore clinic sits just north of downtown Kelowna, with a free on-site lot entered from Glenmore Dr or Mountain Ave. It is on the second floor, up a flight of stairs, and is not wheelchair accessible. Appointments run from 6:30am, Monday to Saturday; hours vary by practitioner, so see open times in Jane.
No referral is needed to book acupuncture in British Columbia. Some extended health plans ask for one before they reimburse, so check your own plan if you intend to claim.
Mention anything that changes how needling is done when you book or at the start of the visit: blood thinners, a bleeding disorder, pregnancy or trying to conceive, a pacemaker, or a history of fainting with needles. None of these automatically rules acupuncture out, but each one changes which points are used and how.
Common questions
Why is the first acupuncture visit longer than a follow-up?
The first visit includes a full intake about your complaint, sleep, digestion, stress and energy before any needles are used. At Back in Health it is 60 minutes and $140, so the intake and the needling both have room.
Is cupping included in an acupuncture session?
Cupping, gua sha and massage can be part of an acupuncture session. The extended 90-minute session, $195, is built to include front and back points, cupping and massage in one visit.
Does Back in Health bill ICBC for acupuncture?
No. ICBC claims are accepted at Back in Health for massage therapy, physiotherapy and kinesiology, but not for acupuncture. WCB and WorkSafeBC claims are not accepted.
Do I need a referral for acupuncture in BC?
No. You can book a registered acupuncturist directly. Some extended health plans ask for a referral before they reimburse, which is a plan rule, so check your policy if you intend to claim.
Is acupuncture offered at the Kirschner clinic?
No. Acupuncture at Back in Health is at the Glenmore clinic, #201-1014 Glenmore Dr. IMS needling is available at Kirschner as part of a physiotherapy appointment.
Book registered acupuncture in Kelowna at our Glenmore clinic.
General information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. If something is getting worse, or you are unsure whether it is right for you, speak to a clinician.