What Is Medical Acupuncture?
Contemporary Medical Acupuncture applies the evidence-based concepts of acupuncture to relieve pain, alter movement patterns, and improve performance. It is a precise peripheral nerve stimulation technique, in which needles are inserted into anatomically defined neurofunctional sites and stimulated manually or with electricity for the therapeutic purposes of modulating pain and other dysfunctions. Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to put the body’s natural mechanisms of healing into action.
Contrary to popular belief, acupuncture treatment has been very well studied in both eastern and western scientific literature. The scientific proven benefits of acupuncture include: pain relief, inflammation reduction, improved blood flow, stress reduction, improved nerve conduction, improved range of motion, addiction control, as well as improved organ function. It is a very safe and effective method of treatment and most patients feel very minimal to no discomfort as the needles are inserted.
Dr. Mike Orefice has completed the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program at McMaster University, which focuses on the science and neurofunctional-based application of acupuncture. The practitioners select needle insertion points based on their extensive knowledge of neuromuscular anatomy. Inserting needles alters nerve flow and muscle tone, making medical acupuncture a common component of treatment plans for various conditions.
What Is IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation)?
IMS is a therapeutic treatment that uses acupuncture needles to target tight, hyperactive and sore muscles. The goal of IMS is to release hypertonic (tight) muscles, to restore normal range of motion and release nerve irritation. Inserting a thin acupuncture needle into a muscle’s trigger point causes a twitch or grab response, reflexively relaxing the muscle.
Once the tension in the muscle is released, the pain is reduced and range of motion is improved. The effects of these treatments are cumulative, each treatment builds upon the previous session to stimulate healing and dissipate all of the pain.
Some commonly treated conditions:
- Headaches
- Neck & Back pain
- Muscle Pain or Strains
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Stress and Tension Syndromes
- Golfer’s/Tennis Elbow
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Rotator Cuff Dysfunction
- Fibromyalgia
- Frozen Shoulder
- Bursitis
- Shin Splints
- Knee Pain
- Nerve Pain, including Numbness & Tingling
- Trigeminal Neuralgia, Facial Pain
- Sciatica
- Arthritis
- Scar Tissue Breakdown