*Please note I use a combination of Acupuncture and Osteopathy in my treatments. Your appointment is based on your individual needs and wants, so book the modality according to your extended health plan, if applicable. You must consent to both modalities even if both are not used in your treatment.

Acupuncture is a technique that involves inserting very thin metal needles into the skin at precise points on the body to clear energy channels, with the aim of restoring and maintaining health. The spots of insertion are picked based on a complex network of lines of energy, termed meridians. Meridians are thought to encircle the body like global lines of longitude and latitude.

Acupuncture is a mainstay of traditional Chinese medicine, which has been practiced for thousands of years. The Chinese healing tradition sees the body as a delicate balance of yin and yang. These are two opposing, but inseparable forces. According to traditional Chinese medicine, disease occurs when the forces of yin and yang are out of balance.

Imbalance, it is believed, blocks the flow of qi, a vital energy that regulates spiritual, emotional, mental and physical balance, along meridians. By inserting needles at specific points on the body that connect with these meridians, acupuncture is believed to unblock the flow of qi, restoring health to the body and mind.

Western medicine explains acupuncture's effects within a different framework. Some Western scientists believe that acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system, signaling the body to release various substances including endorphins, immune system cells, opioids, neurotransmitters, and neurohormones. These may help control pain, change how the body experiences pain, and promote physical and emotional well-being. Some research also indicates that acupuncture influences involuntary central nervous functions, such as blood pressure, blood flow, and body temperature regulation.

What It's Used For

Acupuncture is used for a wide variety of ailments, such as:

persistent painful conditions including back, joint, muscle, connective tissue pain and arthritis-type pain

auto-immune disorders

headaches

post-operative pain

adverse reactions to chemotherapy and radiation therapy

addiction

allergies

insomnia

emotional and psycho-somatic disorders

hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms

It can be used as a stand-alone treatment, or alongside more traditional medical treatments like prescription medication or surgery. It is also great for maintaining health and wellbeing, change of season tune ups, and it should be added to any mindfulness and calming practices

*Please note I use a combination of Acupuncture and Osteopathy in my treatments. Your appointment is based on your individual needs and wants, so book the modality according to your extended health plan, if applicable. You must consent to both modalities even if both are not used.

Osteopathic manual therapists believe that abnormal functioning of one area of the body can cause symptoms to present elsewhere in the body, the theory of ‘Tensegrity’. When the body is balanced there is no excessive stress anywhere in the body, but when the body becomes out of balance this can be amplified to other areas. Osteopathic manual therapists regard the whole of the body as greater than a collection of all its parts. They acknowledge the body’s inherent ability to heal itself and seek to support that process by removing any obstacles that impede it. In order for this to happen Osteopathic manual therapists specialize in individualized patients management, which includes educating the patient about their particular condition and how they can adjust their lifestyle to allow themselves the best possible chance recovery or optimal management. In treatment, visceral manipulation, cranial sacral, joint mobilizations, breath work and cupping may be used.
Please note that the word "Osteopath" is a patented term by the Physicians Association for Medical Doctors who perform Osteopathy. Registered Manual Osteopathy is performed by a trained and educated practitioner but is NOT a medical doctor and has no prescription rights.