Acupuncture/Dry Needling
Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles through the skin and tissues at specific points on the body. There is no injection of any substance and the treatment itself causes minimal discomfort. This needling stimulates the body to produce endorphins which attach to opiate receptor sites found throughout the nervous system. Endorphins help block pain pathways resulting in relief of pain. The World Health Organization has identified the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems. An electrical current can be applied to these needles which is called electroacupuncture and this has been found useful in the treatment of pain.
Since 1976 a voluminous body of knowledge has been published in scientific journals in both China and the west elucidating some of the mechanisms of action of the needling involved. This evidence of the physiological effects of acupuncture has led to a deeper understanding of the complex neurophysiological events which take place when the body has to deal with pain.
Our physiotherapists are educated by the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute. The AFCI has been training medical professionals in acupuncture since 1974. Membership includes medical doctors, physiotherapists, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, and naturopaths. The program is accredited by the Dept. of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto and incorporates both an anatomical approach to pain management and dysfunction and classical acupuncture.
In the hands of western practitioners acupuncture has served as a therapeutic modality for the following types of conditions:
- Control of pain
- Autonomic nervous system disorders
- Promotion of tissue regeneration and healing
- Surgical analgesia
Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute certification ensures the highest standard of treatment and professional care.