Contemporary
Acupuncture
Contemporary Acupuncture is utilized independently or in combination with other treatment methods to facilitate healing and return the body to pre-injury function. Utilized by the physiotherapists in North Vancouver & Langley of Movéo, Medical Acupuncture applies the evidence-based concepts of acupuncture to relieve pain, alter movement patterns and improve performance.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a therapeutic application of heat created by burning dried mugwort (artemisia vulgaris) either near the body or directly on the skin. This treatment, often referred to as ‘moxa’, can be used in conjunction with or independent of acupuncture needles. The deep penetrating heat has many healing properties including stimulating tissue repair, improving organ function and strengthening the body’s immune functions.
Japanese style moxibustion uses tiny ‘cones’ of moxa placed directly on the skin over a barrier cream. The heat penetrates deep into the specific point on the body without burning or damaging the skin.
Functional
Dry Needling
Functional Dry Needling is a therapeutic treatment procedure that involves multiple advances of a filament needle into the muscle in the area of the body which produces pain and typically contains a ‘Trigger Point’. There is no injectable solution and typically the needle which is used is very thin. Most patients will not even feel the needle penetrate the skin, but once it has and is advanced into the muscle, the feeling of discomfort can vary from patient to patient.
Usually, a healthy muscle feels very little discomfort with insertion of the needle; however, if the muscle is sensitive and shortened or has active trigger points within it, the subject may feel a sensation much like a muscle cramp — which is often referred to as a ‘twitch response’. The twitch response also has a biochemical characteristic to it which likely affects the reaction of the muscle, symptoms, and response of the tissue.
The patient may only feel the cramping sensation locally or they may feel a referral of pain or similar symptoms for which they are seeking treatment. A reproduction of their pain can be a helpful diagnostic indicator of the cause of the patient’s symptoms. Patients soon learn to recognize and even welcome this sensation as it results in deactivating the trigger point, thereby reducing pain and restoring normal length and function of the involved muscle. Typically positive results are apparent within 2-4 treatment sessions but can vary depending on the cause and duration of the symptoms, overall health of the patient, and experience level of the practitioner.
Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and even pain and injury prevention, with very few side effects. This technique is excellent in finding and eliminating neuromuscular dysfunction that leads to pain and functional deficits.
To find out more about Functional Dry Needling, visit www.kinetacore.com
Intramuscular Stimulation
IMS
IMS is able to treat this neuropathic pain by desensitizing affected nerves and muscles using acupuncture needles. It is important to note that there is no use of electricity with IMS, rather it is the mechanical stimulation of the insertion of the needle into the affected muscles that provides the therapeutic effect. The needle activates a reflex causing the muscle to release and in doing so, eases the pain. Inserting the needle also creates a minor therapeutic injury to the area, stimulating the body to increase local circulation and activate its healing systems. The technique is particularly effective for deep muscles that can be difficult or impossible to reach with other forms of treatment. For example, there are some muscles around the spine and pelvis that are too deep to be treated manually and can only be addressed with a needle. There is applicable, well founded basic science evidence of neuropathy supporting the physiology of the UBC Gunn Intramuscular Stimulation (UBC GunnIMS) assessment / needling approach to treatment.