Acupuncture & Dry Needling
Medical Acupuncture is a contemporary, western medical approach to acupuncture.
It is part of the Physiotherapy scope of practice. Medical Acupuncture utilizes sterile, single use, fine filiform needles that are inserted into specific points on the body. These needles can be used to promote circulation of blood and oxygen, stimulate the peripheral and central nervous system, release endorphins, reduce muscle tension and also stimulate your own natural healing responses.
Integrated Dry Needling is another form of acupuncture and is a scientific approach for the treatment of myofascial and neuropathic pain. A thorough assessment is conducted whereby myofascial trigger points are located in the body. Trigger points are tight bands of muscle or fascia that produces pain either locally, or may radiate to a distant site. They can limit joint range of motion, inhibit muscular strength, and compress nerves, leading to neuropathic pain. Sterile, single use acupuncture needles are inserted into these trigger points to elicit a twitch response.
The physiological effects to this twitch response are:
- Stimulates receptors in the muscle and tendon to produce a relaxation effect of the muscle
- Improves blood flow and oxygen to the muscle integral for natural healing
- Lowers hyperactivity at motor endplate in muscle thereby improving muscular function and strength
Is acupuncture and dry needling safe?
The needles used for acupuncture and dry needling are sterilized, single use needles, which lowers the risk of infection. Your physiotherapist has undergone extensive training in medical acupuncture and dry needling. During your assessment at our acupuncture clinic in North York, Physiotherapist Alphonsus Chan will determine if this is a suitable treatment option for you, and will determine if there are any precautions or contraindications to this form of treatment
What conditions can acupuncture and dry needling treat?
Both acupuncture and dry needling are effective treatments for musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain. Common conditions treated are:
- tension headaches
- neck and upper back pain
- rotator cuff tendinitis
- tennis elbow
- golfers elbow
- carpal tunnel
- postural dysfunction
- lower back pain
- disc herniation
- piriformis syndrome
- hip bursitis
- hamstring strain
- meniscal or ligament sprain/tear
- knee tendinitis
- jumpers knee
- calf strain or tear
- ankle sprain
- achilles tendinitis or tear
- plantar fasciitis
- And Many More…