Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been around for over 3,000 years. It is a safe and effective method for regulating and restoring the energetic balance within the body.

The treatment and placement of thin needles is based upon the Chinese theory that energy or QI flows throughout the body and illness or pain is a result of blocked Qi. Specific anatomical points are located along energy meridians and most meridians are connected to a particular organ in the body.

Acupuncture has been known as an effective method of relieving chronic back, neck, or knee pain. People with joint pain, like arthritis, may benefit from acupuncture because it can help to reduce inflammation and restore natural function to the joints. It may also be helpful in treating sciatica and tendonitis. Sports injuries also benefit from acupuncture treatment.

Well known for managing fertility and menstrual problems in women with hormone imbalance, Acupuncture can also treat all kinds of ailments related to pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum term. Women going through menopause can benefit from acupuncture to prevent uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleep problems.

Acupuncture is a safe method for treating depression, and it does not have any known side effects. There are many studies which report positive findings for the treatment of anxiety disorders including panic disorders, phobias, and PTSD. It has been shown to decrease the severity of mood swings associated with hormone changes.

Acupuncture has been shown effective in relieving nausea related to chemotherapy treatment, motion sickness, morning sickness, or postoperative nausea. It can help with digestive issues such as IBS, constipation, heartburn and indigestion.

If you suffer from tension headaches, cluster headaches, migraines, or any other type of headache disorder, you may benefit from treatment with acupuncture.

Rather than turning to antihistamines and another allergy symptom-relieving medication, you can use acupuncture to relieve symptoms and boost the immune system. In one study, 52 patients with allergic rhinitis had acupuncture once a week for six weeks. An improvement was noted in 85% of the active treatment group when compared with a 40% improvement in the control group.

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Auriculotherapy refers to acupressure or acupuncture applied to the ear. On the external ear, there are acupuncture points that correspond to every part of the body, making it a self-contained system of treatment within the whole body. Auriculotherapy can be used successfully on its own or in combination with full-body acupuncture to enhance treatment results.

Shawna is also an Acu-Detox Specialist. The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) developed a 5-point auricular acupuncture protocol specifically for the treatment of addiction. NADA’s mandate is to promote community wellness for behavioral health, addiction, mental health, and disaster & emotional trauma.
In the clinic we use the NADA protocol most often to help people quit smoking, lose weight and also for trauma relief (PTSD), stress and anxiety. This protocol helps to promote organ recovery, calms the mind, eases anxiety, reduces cravings, provides pain relief, alleviates withdrawal symptoms and improves overall sense of well-being.
We offer NADA treatments as they were designed – to be a non-verbal approach to healing used in a group setting or we can customize your private acupuncture session to include this method of treatment.

Facial Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for renewing the face as well as the whole body. Fine needles are placed at a variety of acupuncture points on the face, neck and around the eyes to stimulate the body’s natural energies, or Qi. Since muscle groups are addressed as well the acupuncture points, the face lifts itself, via the acupuncture points, through the muscles’ toning and tightening action.

BENEFITS OF FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE RENEWAL

• Improves collagen production and muscle tone
• Helps reduce bags and sagging tendencies
• Helps eliminate fine lines and diminish larger wrinkles
• Helps reduce double chin and lift drooping eyelids
• Tightens pores and brightens eyes
• Increases local blood and lymph circulation
• Improves facial colour
• Reduces stress and promotes health and well-being

Cupping is used to improve circulation, relieve pain, release tension, and increase the body’s detoxification processes. Beyond physical advantages there are studies that note there are positive results for mental health benefits such as stress and anxiety relief.

Used most often in auriculotherapy. It provides a small current to stimulate the acupoints in the ear to provide relief to presenting symptoms.

Moxibustion is a method of heating specific acupuncture points on the body by burning an herb called mugwort close to the skin. This technique can be used alone or in combination with acupuncture. Mugwort is used because of its acrid, spicy odor which makes it able to travel through all of the meridians, regulate qi and blood, and expel cold. Moxibustion can be used to help strengthen the organs and immune system. It can be used to promote circulation over areas of chronic pain or muscle tension. It is especially used for pain that is worse with exposure to cold or damp weather, as with some types of arthritis pain. Moxibustion can boost the immune system and help with fatigue, digestive issues, and much more. In Chinese Herbal Medicine it is often used to increase blood circulation to the pelvic area to treat menstrual pain. Moxibustion has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position before childbirth.

Gua sha is a Chinese medicine tool, often made of a natural stone such as jade or rose quartz. It is used in a scraping fashion to bring about circulation to an area of the body where there is blood stagnation. This lack of blood flow can cause symptoms of stiffness, swelling, tightness or pain. Gua sha can cause slight bruising which shows up as purple or red spots known as “sha”. Used often for muscle tension/tightness in the back, neck, glutes, legs, arms, for plantar fasciitis, headaches and more! A more gentle version is found in our facial rejuvenation treatments.

Ear Seeds are tiny seeds or pellets attached to adhesive that are used to stimulate auricular acupuncture points in the ear. The ear is a micro system of the whole body and by stimulating the acu-points in the ear it can affect any area of the body (musculo-skeletal, organs, addictions, emotions, etc). They can be used as a stand alone treatment or to extend a needle treatment for up to 5 days. The patient simply stimulates the point by pressing on the seed. Home treatment kits available for purchase.