Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a 3000 year old approach to health care that originated in China. It involves inserting needles into the body at any of the more than 400 precise acupuncture points that map the body’s energy pathways.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Traditionally, acupuncture was seen as a way of removing energy blockages and freeing the movement of the body’s energy or qi. Since acupuncture was first introduced to the west in 1970’s there now exists a substantial body of research into its efficacy and mechanism. Studies have not only shown that acupuncture is effective, but that it also has strong similarities with modern treatment approaches commonly used by massage therapists, physiotherapists and chiropractors. In particular, 93% of trigger points are located at acupuncture points. Also, Tom Myer’s “Anatomy Trains” map almost perfectly over acupuncture’s energy meridians.

Research has shown that acupuncture initiates a complex set of events that causes the body to release its own healing chemicals such as:

Cortisol – Cortisol has a bad name as the “stress hormone”, but it is also the body’s own version of cortisone injections. This powerful, natural, healing hormone breaks down scar tissue and adhesions and acts as an anti-inflammatory with none of the side effects of cortisone injections.

Endogenous Opiates – The body’s version of morphine. A very powerful pain killing analgesic without the grogginess or other side effects of morphine.

Endorphins, Serotonin, Acetylcholine – Natural pain killing analgesics.

Is Acupuncture Effective?

The World Health Organization, British Medical Association and the National Institute of Health (NIH) all advocate the practice of acupuncture in health care.

Acupuncture is an effective therapy for a wide range of conditions. In 1997, the NIH published a report outlining a few conditions where the research gives especially strong support for the use of acupuncture in treatment.  The 1997 NIH Consensus Statement said:

“Promising results have emerged showing efficacy of acupuncture in”:

  • headache
  • tennis elbow
  • myofascial pain
  • osteoarthritis
  • low back pain
  • carpal tunnel syndrome
  • post-operative dental pain
  • addiction
  • stroke rehabilitation
  • menstrual cramps
  • fibromyalgia
  • asthma
  • post operative nausea and vomiting
  • chemotherapy nausea and vomiting

Is Acupuncture Safe?

Acupuncture is a very safe form of therapy if the proper precautions are taken.Ken always uses single-use disposable sterile needles that are opened in front of the client and disposed of at the end of the treatment. The skin is always cleaned with alcohol or chlorhexidine prior to treatment.

Acupuncture needles are thinner than a human hair, with 10 acupuncture needles being able to fit into a syringe needle. Ken uses premium needles that are 40% thinner than standard acupuncture needles and coated in a surgical silicone lubricant. These needles are “ouch-less” and much more comfortable. Typically clients only feel a slight prick when the needle is inserted. After insertion, most clients feel no discomfort for the duration of the treatment.

Ken was trained in a very conservative approach to acupuncture using as few needles as possible with special consideration for safe needling techniques.

Ken’s Approach to Acupuncture

Ken is a graduate from McMaster University’s Evidence-Based Medical Acupuncture Program. This research-based program focuses on treatments and techniques that have proven to be highly effective in both quantitative research studies and clinical practice.  It also integrates the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach with the western approach to health and medicine. Greater emphasis is placed on the anatomy and physiology of the dysfunction and the nerves, muscles and structures involved in the painful syndrome. Medical acupuncture blends well with massage therapy as they both focus on freeing nerve pathways, breaking down adhesions and releasing hypertonic muscles to restore freedom and fucnction.

Ken tries to make the treatment as pleasant as possible. He uses premium extra-thin lubricated acupuncture needles. He prefers that the client feel almost nothing. If the client feels any unpleasant sensations when a needle is inserted, Ken adjusts the needles until the client feels nothing at all.