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Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct form of primary health care that has been practiced in North America for over 125 years. Naturopathy utilizes a patient-centred approach that emphasizes prevention, treatment, and optimal health using therapeutic methods and substances that both support the body’s natural ability to heal and help the patient experience sustainable health and wellness.
Naturopathic medicine works with a functional medicine approach to healthcare—identifying physiological and biochemical imbalances within the individual, and using natural, scientifically-proven solutions to rectify these imbalances.
Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) focus on minimally invasive methods, naturally occurring substances, and the promotion of natural healing. They also emphasize illness prevention and a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin needles to stimulate specific points of the body that reach meridians. These stimulation points are called acupuncture points or acupoints.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that there are 361 commonly used acupuncture points on 14 meridians on the human body. Typically, it takes 15 to 30 minutes of manipulating the needles in these acupuncture points and 30 to 60 minutes of retaining the needles. Doing this helps to regulate the flow of qi throughout the body and restore health to the mind and body, thus balancing the yin and yang. The insertions of needles are manipulated either by the hand or by electrical stimulation, called electroacupuncture.
Is it safe? Does it hurt?
Yes, acupuncture is safe! The needles are sterilized single use, thin filiform needles; needles are discarded after being used once and never shared between patients.
Needles are inserted during an acupuncture treatment. Every patient experience is different; patients may experience bruising, bleeding, needle site pain and sensation, or needle fainting. However, these symptoms may be expected (minimal bleeding) and desired (tingle, tight sensation – “de qi response”). Patients should inform the practitioner if any discomfort arises.
Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China and has a history of over two thousand years. Influenced by ancient Chinese philosophy, culture, and science and technology, Chinese medicine uses the theory of Yin and Yang and the theory of Wu Xing to explain the mechanism of balancing the function of the body.
What types of treatments do TCM Practitioners use?
Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners use a number of treatment options based on the patient diagnosis. This may include a combination of herbal medicine and treatment modalities, such as acupuncture, moxibustion or cupping.
Chinese Herbal Medicine - Chinese herbal medicine is primarily plant based (using leaves, roots, stems, flowers and seeds), but some minerals and animal products are also used. These herbs are classified by its energy characteristics and taste property, where a combination of different herbs is used to balance the yin and yang energy patterns of the body. These herbs are dried and specifically combined for your individual health by your R.TCMP, which you take home and simmer in a pot on the stove and consume one to three times daily, as recommended by your TCM practitioner. It excludes endangered plants or animal products.
Moxibustion - Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy in which mugwort (a commonly used herb) is burned on (direct moxibustion) or near the skin (indirect moxibustion). The purpose of moxibustion is to heat acupuncture points in order to stimulate the flow of qi and strengthen the blood.
There are two types of direct moxibustion: scarring and non-scarring. In the procedure of scarring moxibustion, the moxa is placed on an acupuncture point, burned and remains on the skin until it burns out completely. In the procedure of non-scarring moxibustion, the moxa is placed on an acupuncture point, burned, but extinguished or removed before it burns the skin.
There are several forms of indirect moxibustion. One method is to light one end of a moxa stick and hold it close to the acupuncture point for a few minutes until the area turns red. Another method uses both acupuncture needles and moxa. A needle is inserted into an acupuncture point and retained. The tip of the needle is then wrapped in moxa and burned, generating heat to the acupuncture point and its surrounding area. The moxa is then extinguished and the needle is removed.
Cupping - Cupping is a form of therapy that involves the suction of the skin and the surface muscle layer to stretch and be drawn into a cup. Cupping is used to encourage the blood flow of the body and treat conditions such as acute or chronic pains, respiratory problems and musculoskeletal problems.
There are two methods of cupping: dry and wet. Each method includes different types of cupping.
The two most common types of dry cupping are fire cupping and suction cupping. In the procedure of fire cupping, the inside of a glass cup is heated with fire, then placed onto the skin. As the air inside the cup cools, a vacuum is created causing the skin and muscle layer to rise and redden into the cup. In the procedure of suction cupping, a plastic or silicone cup, with valves at the top that attach to hand pumps, are placed on the skin then pumped to create suction by removing the air. The cups in both methods are to be left on the patient’s skin for 2 to 10 minutes.
In the procedure of wet cupping, the skin is punctured by sterile disposable needles before either the fire cups or suction cups are placed on the skin. This technique draws out the blood, thus removing harmful substances and toxins from the body. The disposable cups are to be left on the patient’s skin for 2 to 10 minutes.
Gua sha - Gua sha is a technique in which a smooth-edged tool, such as Chinese and is pressed and stroked on a lubricated area of the body until a mark appears. Press-stroking is to be performed sequentially – line by line and in one direction – until the entire area is completed.
Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a manual form of therapy that emphasizes the relationship between the structure and function of the human body. Osteopathy was founded in the late 1800s by physician, surgeon and Osteopath Andrew Taylor Still in Kirksville, Missouri.
Osteopathy is a drug-free holistic whole-body approach to healing; it believes in the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate, which is why Osteopathic Manual Practitioners do not heal, but facilitate the body’s own natural healing by using a variety of principle-based techniques.
Osteopathic Manual Practitioners recognize a patient as an integrated whole and work to maintain, improve and restore the normal physiological function of interrelated body structures and systems, enhancing the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
What can Osteopathy help with?
Osteopathy can help a wide range of symptoms/conditions. The goal is to identify and gently ease the restrictions or constrictions so the body can function normally again. Systems addressed by treatment include; musculoskeletal, genitourinary, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive and nervous.
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