COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE

We offer individualized acupuncture treatments from skilled practitioners** in a safe and supportive group setting. Many people find the silent group setting very comforting. 

• How do we practice acupuncture in a group setting?

  A common question we are asked is why we are not putting needles into where the concern is located. It may surprise you to know that if you visited two different acupuncturists for the same issue, you may receive two very different, and yet effective treatments. There are two general ways to use needles in acupuncture - locally (where the concern is) and distally (or far away). Because we are a community acupuncture studio that uses reclining chairs, we use distal acupuncture points, which are located below the knee, below the elbow, on the head and at the ears. The main benefits to distal needling are efficiency, accessibility, safety and comfort.
  
  It is believed that distal points work faster and better because they’re found on the parts of the acupuncture channels that are closer to the surface (i.e. in areas of dense nervous tissue) than other sections. Using distal points is a way to access those channels quickly, leading to more stimulation of natural pain relieving chemical and blood flow via the central nervous system, and often making for dynamic, fast results. Dr. Richard Tan, the developer of the Balance Method (a distal style of acupuncture), described distal acupuncture in this way: “you can drag over a ladder and screw in the lightbulb, or you can flip the switch. We needle where the switch is.”
  
  Since the site of pain will not be needled, there is less risk of causing any aggravation to an area that is already painful, irritated and/or inflamed. This method is especially ideal for patients who are sensitive to direct touch or manipulation at the site of their discomfort. Distal needling can be more enjoyable because it allows you to move the area of concern. This allows the patient to give feedback as they are needled whether the injured site is better. Moving or stretching the area can also improve circulation and reduce discomfort while the needles are in place.

• What styles of acupuncture do we use?
  

  There are many styles of distal acupuncture, including systems using only points on the ear or scalp or abdomen or hand to treat the whole body. Our distal approach at ToCA is influenced by the Tung family lineage of acupuncture, Richard Tan’s Balance Method and the Korean Four-needle Technique (Saam style).
  
  These distal styles are system-based approaches to the classical acupuncture concepts of healing the body by balancing the channels and using more accessible areas of the body to image and treat specific locations (e.g. the ankle corresponds to the neck and may be needled for neck pain). Treatment is individualized for each patient depending on the manifestation of the condition (i.e. where it is felt and what it feels like) but also individual constitutional characteristics (e.g. anatomical traits, climate and temperament), which may explain individual differences in apparently similar health concerns.

• Do we take walk-ins?

  The community setting can often accomodate short notice visits for acute and time sensitive needs or occasional tune-ups but our treatments become more personalized for patients who visit regularly or frequently.

**All of our acupuncturists are registered with CTCMPAO

INDIVIDUAL ACUPUNCTURE

We offer acupuncture appointments in both group and private settings - the choice depends on your recommended treatment plan but also on personal preference. Some patients will benefit from periodically doing an individual session to complement or supplement their treatment plan in the community clinic.

• Why should you choose to book an individual session?

  Individual sessions provide opportunity for added body work, like cupping, tuina or gua sha, and access to local points not used in the group setting (e.g. on the back). They allow extra time for us to do additional assessment (e.g. abdominal palpation), clarify our diagnosis, and explain what we are doing. They are also an option for people with acute or time senstive concerns when the community shifts are full.

nada SESSIONS

The NADA protocol is a standardized auricular (ear) acupuncture treatment that involves the placement of up to five small acupuncture needles at specific points on each ear. The calming effect of the NADA protocol is not only beneficial for regulating the nervous system but is also good for general wellbeing, including pain management. 

• What is the history of NADA?

  NADA was originally developed  by Mutulu Shakur in the 1970s at the Lincoln Detox Center in the Bronx for the treatment of substance use disorders and is now widely used in withdrawal management programs all of the the world. NADA has also been utilized in the military and by disaster relief organisations, such as Acupuncturists Without Borders in the prevention and treatment of PTSD. Given it's effectiveness for treating a wide range of conditions, the protocol has been adapted for use in a variety of community health settings to support stress relief, mental health, addiction recovery and pain mangement.

• How is a NADA circle different than a regular community acupuncture session?
  

  Everyone receives the same set of ear points with minimal (or no) discussion of health concerns. Everyone arrives and starts their treatment at the same time, sitting quietly together for 30-40 minutes.

virtual support

We offer online appointments to supplement and streamline our in-clinic work.

• Why should you choose to book a virtual session?

  Online consultations are where we can discuss your health goals, assess your individual situation, and map out a treatment plan. It might include suggestions for home care such as acupressure, breathing exercises or Qi Gong (pronounced 'chee-gung') and using food and culinary herbs as medicine.
  
  Online is also where we will periodically discuss your response to your treatment plan, and whether we need to adjust it.