Toronto Acupuncture

The use of sharp needles to alleviate pain and enhance well-being dates back to 100 BC among the Chinese. Traditional Chinese healers have, therefore, used acupuncture in the management of chronic and intermittent pain for over 2000 years.

To truly appreciate the potential pain-relief and rejuvenation benefits that this therapeutic technique offers, you need familiarity with key acupuncture principles, as derived from traditional Chinese medicine.  Life-force or ‘Qi’ (pronounced Chi) flows through the human body via 12 unconnected channels that begin at the head and terminate at the fingers and toes. These channels are the 12 acupuncture Meridians.

Each Meridian represents major organs/tissues/musculoskeletal structures and metabolic functions at various points along its length. All 12 meridians feature a total of 365 acupuncture points.Inserting needles at specific acupuncture points along a Meridian enhances the flow of ‘Qi’ from locations where this energy is in excess to deficit regions in the body. Oriental physicians believe that balancing ‘Qi’ restores health to damaged tissues, organs, musculoskeletal structures, and metabolic processes that are in disarray.

While acupuncture meridians do not follow routes used by the nervous and blood circulation systems, studies suggest that acupuncture points coincide with important nerve centers. Consequently, the pain-alleviating and rejuvenation effects of acupuncture can be explained neurologically. Researchers propose that acupuncture works like electrotherapy whereby the stimulus provided by acupuncture needles induces the release of endorphins in the brain. These Endorphins, natural opioid neuropeptides, are thus responsible for the vast range of beneficial effects of acupuncture avails.

Conditions

Braces and supports help in a variety of situations, such as recovering from an injury or just leading an active lifestyle and needing to protect your joints. Here are just a few examples of when braces and straps can help:

A patient with an arm injury being supported by a brace.

Injuries

A pair of crutches.

Post-operative rehab

Icon depicting knee pain from IT band syndrome.

Joint conditions like Arthritis

A pair of athletic shoes.

Conditions related to Athletic Injuries

A patient with back pain from heavy lifting.

Jobs involving heavy lifting or repetitive motions

A painful joint with strained connective tissue.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)

A knee joint with pain from jumper's knee.

Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee) and conditions related to Runner’s Knee

How Acupuncture Care Treats Arthritis

Arthritis is an auto-immune condition whereby your immune system attacks the lining in various joints, with finger and knee joints being the most adversely affected.This wearing out of joint lining considerably increases friction between bones in the joint, resulting in excruciating pain whenever you use the hands and legs.

Fortunately, acupuncture is a therapeutic technique that can help you to effectively manage your Arthritis-induced joint pain. During your acupuncture session, you lie on your back, a position that grants your Activa Clinics therapist access to your knee area.Access to your wrists and fingers is not likely to be encumbered by lying in this position. Furthermore, your Arthritis acupuncture doesn't require that you undress your torso region because the necessary acupuncture points are located on the limbs.

Once your acupuncture physiotherapist cleans the knee/hand area and ensures you are comfortable, he/she then picks up a meridian map of the human body.The Toronto Activa Clinics therapist then uses the meridian map to determine the location of acupuncture points associated with knee, wrist, and finger joints on your arms and legs.

Acupuncture then begins, whereby your assigned acupuncture physiotherapist meticulously and carefully inserts sterile needles into target acupuncture points on your arms or around the knee.

He/she does this at a very slow pace to ensure correct placement of the needles along meridians, and to also avoid rupturing any major arteries and veins near acupuncture points. On completing the needle placement, your Activa Clinics acupuncture therapist then guides you through a deep breathing exercise that promotes relaxation, allowing the acupuncture to take effect.

Typically, the range on sensations during your acupuncture therapy session are as follows: –

  •       You feel a sharp but subdued pain as each acupuncture needles enters your skin
  •       A tingling sensation then replaces the initial brief but sharp pain once your Toronto Activa Clinics physiotherapist completes needle placement.
  •       The tingling sensation originating from the various acupuncture points gradually subsides until all you feel is numbness around needle locations.

Note that the needle placement stage can use up to 10 minutes, while your entire acupuncture session can be 30 minutes long.

Furthermore, you are more than likely to doze-off during the later meditation stage of your acupuncture therapy session.

Finally, you may require up to 3 acupuncture sessions before lasting pain-relief and rejuvenation effects begin to manifest.

The Benefits of Acupuncture Care

Scheduling an acupuncture therapy session at our Activa Clinics Toronto facility means you access the wide range of benefits that we offer our clientele.

Our acupuncture therapists have ample experience and can, therefore, safely and expertly administer your treatment with minimal risk to you, the client.

Furthermore, the use of UV light to sterilize our acupuncture equipment eliminates any risk that you develop inflammation after your session.

You begin to experience lasting pain relief from your Arthritis as soon as the second acupuncture session at our Toronto Activa Clinics facility.

We combine our acupuncture physiotherapy with massage and heat treatment therapies to avail you with comprehensive therapeutic treatment for your condition.

Our Toronto Activa Clinics acupuncture physiotherapy not only offers effective pain-relief from your condition but also rejuvenates your mind by availing an environment that fights stress and anxiety.

What are the Conditions That Are Commonly Treated by Acupuncture?

The list of conditions and diseases that can benefit from Activa Clinics acupuncture therapy is vast. Approved and ongoing medical studies have proven acupuncture to be effective in managing several chronic illnesses and conditions that include: – 

  •       Facial pain, i.e. craniomandibular dysfunctions
  •       Biliary colic
  •       Dysentery
  •       Depressive neurosis and depression based stroke
  •       Headache
  •       Allergic rhinitis, i.e. hay fever
  •       Knee pain
  •       Post-operative pain
  •       Gastrospasm and chronic gastritis
  •       Dysmenorrhea, primary 

Furthermore, acupuncture therapy is the ideal treatment technique for you if you seek relief from pain without taking any drugs.

Acupuncture is an excellent treatment for patients who are suffering and want to relieve their pain without taking any drugs.

Where Can I Get Acupuncture Treatment?

If you are a Toronto resident, then look no further than Activa Clinics in your search for professional, safe, and effective acupuncture physiotherapy.

Call or email us today to book your acupuncture therapy session from our skilled, experienced, and qualified therapists. We pride ourselves in having the best acupuncture practitioners, who have vast experience and expertise in this therapeutic field.

You can also visit our Activa Clinics Toronto facility to book a session or for consultation.

Choosing the Right Brace

With the wide variety of braces available, it can be hard to find the right one for you, as there are knee sleeves, knee straps, knee braces and back braces for lower back pain to choose from,  but our experienced medical professionals can help.

Cost and Coverage

Our team includes physiotherapists, kinesiologists, chiropractors, and more. They have a thorough understanding of biomechanics and how to keep you moving properly. By analyzing your issues and goals, they will help you find the best solution. To learn more about our functional braces and straps, give us a call or schedule a consultation today.

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Visit one of our conveniently located clinics that serve communities in and around Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Scarborough, or Kitchener.

Toronto Activa Clinics Acupuncture FAQs

What should I avoid after acupuncture?

Any acupuncturist will tell you to treat your body as though you came from a vigorous workout session. You need to eat body nourishing foods and avoid any drugs whatsoever to promote the healing of your body.

How long should you wait between acupuncture treatments?

For an effective acupuncture treatment and quick recovery, you will need to take at least 3 to 4 day-breaks between treatment sessions. Your therapist can guide you best on how frequently you need to do the treatments.

How long should acupuncture needles stay in you?

Ideally, acupuncture needles should not stay for less than 10 minutes or exceed 20 minutes. The needle insertion and removal processes have no irritation effects whatsoever.