Pain Reduction/Elimination
Pain is perhaps the most frequently encountered complaint that we have had much experience and success in treating. Whether your pain stems from a car accident, stress, operation, sports injury, arthritis, cancer or overstrain, we are certain that our acupuncturist and massage therapists will be able to help.
Although people generally find relief in drugs like painkillers, their bodies are weakened by their adverse side effects. Painkillers are therefore not as safe or effective as once thought. For example, it is well-documented that prolonged or excessive use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) can lead to serious gastro-intestinal disorder, as well as organ failure and impaired ability to stop bleeding.
World Health Organization has long recognized the efficacy of Chinese medicine, particularly acupuncture to relieve pain:
“The effectiveness of acupuncture analgesia has already been established in controlled clinical studies… Acupuncture analgesia works better than a placebo for most kinds of pain, and its effective rate in the treatment of chronic pain is comparable with that of morphine. In addition, numerous laboratory studies have provided further evidence of the efficacy of acupuncture’s analgesic action as well as an explanation of the mechanism involved. In fact, the excellent analgesic effects of acupuncture have stimulated research on pain… Because of the side-effects of long-term drug therapy for pain and the risks of dependence, acupuncture analgesia can be regarded as the method of choice for treating many chronically painful conditions.”
At Beautiful Minds, not only do we offer acupuncture tailored to your specific pain condition, but we also incorporate Chinese meridian massage done by our expert traumatologists, cupping, scraping, and/or other modalities in order to maximize the therapeutic benefit and accelerate the process of your recovery.
Mental Wellness/Addiction
Health can be severely impacted by stress or emotional imbalance, both short-term and long-term. If you experience the following conditions, our mental health specialists will help you manage your life better. We combine any of the following healing modalities: counseling, massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy, nutrition, spiritual healing and others.
˙Experience of Depression and Anxiety
˙Addiction
˙Sleep Problems
˙Psychosocial or Work Stress
˙Chronic or Life-threatening Illness
˙Grief, Loss and Change Issues
˙Loss of Meaning, or Purpose in Life
˙Challenge Life Transition or Transformation
With a Ph.D. in psychiatric nursing, Master in psychiatric liaison specialist training, and 20 years of experience, our qualified therapist is in a sound position to assess your condition and to assist the process of recovery for clients suffering from a variety of psychiatric disorders.
Our registered acupuncturist, also having an undergraduate background in psych, pursued a specialized series of training in acupuncture detoxification for addiction with the NADA protocol. The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol involves inserting tiny, sterilized needles in 5 acupuncture points on each ear and retaining those needles for 30-45 minutes to relieve symptoms of withdrawal and craving. While this protocol promotes recovery and stabilization, it also relieves symptoms of stress, anxiety and pain.
* In Chinese medicine, mental disorders arise from an imbalance that occurs at the level of the internal organs, which interact with each other and with the brain to maintain appropriate emotional responses to the outside world. By addressing the organ imbalance and their functional relationship as the root problem, Chinese medicine aims to correct such underlying imbalance with acupuncture, massage, herbs, and implementation of lifestyle and dietary changes.
In the publication of “Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trial” in 2003, World Health Organization is in support of acupuncture as a viable option for those suffering from mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia:
“The effect of acupuncture on depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke) has been documented repeatedly in controlled studies. Acupuncture is comparable with amitriptyline in the treatment of depression but has fewer side-effects…There have also been reports that, in controlled trials of schizophrenia treatment, acupuncture might have a better effect than chlorpromazine.”
Research has confirmed the efficacy of acupuncture detoxification:
A 2005 published research study out of the University of British Columbia, “Acupuncture for Substance Abuse Treatment in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver”, states that acupuncture therapy is designed to help alleviate the emotional (depression and anxiety) and physical (cravings) symptoms elicited by abstinence, particularly in the early phase of the process and then to achieve mood stabilization and relaxation in later stages of recovery. Researchers finally concluded, “Our study has demonstrated the success of a voluntary, inexpensive acupuncture program in engaging addicts in an acupuncture treatment, which they found to be beneficial in reducing their use of drugs.”
Women’s Health
From conception to motherhood, women encounter a host of transitions and challenges. Exposed to various environmental and social stressors, women’s reproductive capacity is tested against a background of a fast-paced society where women are often asked to juggle between different roles and responsibilities. Whether you are seeking to optimize your fertility or preparing for the birth of your child, our registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist can help you achieve reproductive wellness. Our treatment modalities can also address conditions such as menstrual abnormalities, premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhoea, morning sickness, fatal malposition, insufficient lactation, post-partum depression just to name a few.
In the Review and Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trial, the World Health Organization has acknowledged acupuncture as an effective modality to treat a number of reproductive disorders:
“In a controlled study, the majority of the patients receiving acupuncture for premenstrual syndrome gained relief from symptoms and no recurrence in the six-month follow-up…The data suggest that electric acupuncture with relative specificity of acupuncture points could influence some genetic expression in the brain, thereby normalizing the secretion of certain hormones, such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone and estradiol. Acupuncture is also worth trying in the treatment of female infertility due to inflammatory obstruction of the fallopian tubes, where it seems to be superior to conventional therapy with intrauterine injection of gentamicin, chymotrypsin and dexamethasone… It has been observed that acupuncture elevates the blood prolactin level in women with deficient milk secretion after childbirth.”
At Beautiful Minds, our registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist are available to provide a thorough consultation in order to put together a comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs.
Facial Rejuvenation
Healthy and well-balanced organs form the foundation of healthy skin tones. While Chinese medicine and acupuncture serve to correct imbalances occurring at the level of your internal organs, they can also directly influence the appearance of your skin. Effective in treating loose sagging skin, droopy eyelids, wrinkles, scars, oily acne skin and dark circles under the eyes, facial rejuvenation acupuncture helps to improve muscle tone, dermal contraction especially in the face and neck. Facial rejuvenation acupuncture has been shown to increase collagen production to tighten the skin and eliminate wrinkles. By increasing the blood circulation and tissue oxygenation to the face, it also serves to moisturize the skin and improve facial color, bringing out the radiance of innate beauty. Acupuncture is also a viable means to address acne because of its ability to promote hormonal balance.
A study out of the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture published in 1996 reported that in 300 cases treated with facial rejuvenation acupuncture, 90% showed marked effects with a single course of treatment. The effects included: the skin becoming delicate and fair, improvement of the elasticity of facial muscles and leveling of wrinkles, a ruddier complexion, and overall rejuvenation–not confined to the face.
At Beautiful Minds, our registered traditional Chinese medicine acupuncturist are available to provide a thorough consultation in order to put together a comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs.
Weight Control
Obesity is an important factor that contributes to a variety of illness including high blood pressure, high blood lipid (including high cholestrol and triglycerides), diabetes, fatty liver disease, gall stone formations, pancreatitis, sleep apnea, infertility, skin diseases and other cardiovascular diseases. As such, Chinese medicine and acupuncture, particularly ear acupuncture aim to treat obesity by making a direct impact on regulating one’s appetite, increasing the efficiency of excretory organs and their detoxification functions, as well as improving one’s overall metabolism. While treatments for obesity are geared towards reducing weight, they do so by promoting the functions and balance of your internal organs. So through weight loss treatments, you also acquire healthier immune, nervous, circulatory and endocrine systems.
Various research studies have found Chinese medicine and acupuncture to be effective in reducing serum blood cholestrol, triglycerides, LDL, blood pressure while achieving endocrine balance and a more efficient fluid metabolism. This bears important implications in the treatment of not only obesity, but other diseases as well.
At Beautiful Minds, we combine these traditional modalities with recommended exercise/diet regimen, self-massage techniques along with other lifestyle advices in order to achieve tangible and sustainable results.