Benefits of Electro-Acupuncture

ElectroAcupunctureElectro-acupuncture is the application of an electrical current to acupuncture needles to stimulate healing within the body.

Electro-acupuncture is similar to traditional acupuncture in that the same points are stimulated during a treatment. As with traditional acupuncture, needles are inserted on specific points along the body, and the needles are  then attached to a modality that generates a continuous electric pulse using small clips.

The electro-acupuncture device delivers about 10-80 milli-amps depending upon the selected setting.  Patients may experience a tingling sensation while being treated with electro-acupuncture, which is due to the current. The average treatment  length with electro-acupuncture is 10-20 minutes.

The benefits of using electrical stimulation are:

  1. Electro-acupuncture helps reduce total treatment time by providing continuous stimulus.
  2. It is easy to control the frequency of the modality, and it can be customized to produce a stronger current as needed.

According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, illness is caused when qi does not flow properly through the body. Acupuncturists determine whether qi is weak, stagnant or out of balance, which indicates the points to be stimulated.

Electroacupuncture is considered to be especially useful for conditions in which there is an accumulation of qi, such as in chronic pain syndromes, or in cases where the qi is difficult to stimulate. Using a gentle electrical current in conjunction with acupuncture needles is an alternative way to stimulate the point and enhance the qi.

Victoria Spaurel is a registered acupuncturist having graduated from the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Victoria BC in 2005. Her passion for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) philosophy and diagnostic theory is deeply rooted in long-developed holistic beliefs in true health and wellness.

As a well-known acupuncturist; Victoria teaches at the Pacific Rim College of Acupuncture in Victoria BC and is a 20 year veteran to complimentary health care.  In that time she has developed a keen ability to identify and effectively treat patterns of disharmony with regard to the health of her patients. She is well loved by patients in her family practice and respected by her colleagues.

For more information on electro-acupuncture please contact our office at 250-382-0018.

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What’s Considered A Mental Illness

images3First published in The mind Unleashed – Nonconformity and Freethinking Now Considered Mental Illnesses

Is nonconformity and freethinking a mental illness? According to the newest addition of the DSM-V published in 2013 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), it certainly is. The manual identifies a new mental illness called “oppositional defiant disorder” or ODD. Defined as an “ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior,” symptoms include questioning authority, negativity, defiance, argumentativeness, and being easily annoyed.

The DSM-IV is the manual used by psychiatrists to diagnose mental illnesses and, with each new edition, there are scores of new mental illnesses. Are we becoming sicker? Is it getting harder to be mentally healthy? Authors of the DSM-IV say that it’s because they’re better able to identify these illnesses today. Critics charge that it’s because they have too much time on their hands.

New mental illnesses identified by the DSM-IV include arrogance, narcissism, above-average creativity, cynicism, and antisocial behavior. In the past, these were called “personality traits,” but now they’re diseases. And there are treatments available.

All of this is a symptom of our over-diagnosing and overmedicating culture. In the last 50 years, the DSM-IV has gone from 130 to 357 mental illnesses. A majority of these illnesses afflict children. Although the manual is an important diagnostic tool for the psychiatric industry, it has also been responsible for social changes. The rise in ADD, bipolar disorder, and depression in children has been largely because of the manual’s identifying certain behaviors as symptoms. A Washington Post article observed that, if Mozart were born today, he would be diagnosed with ADD and “medicated into barren normality.”

According to the DSM-IV, the diagnosis guidelines for identifying oppositional defiant disorder are for children, but adults can just as easily suffer from the disease. This should give any freethinking American reason for worry. The Soviet Union used new “mental illnesses” for political repression.  People who didn’t accept the beliefs of the Communist Party developed a new type of schizophrenia. They suffered from the delusion of believing communism was wrong.  They were isolated, forcefully medicated, and put through repressive “therapy” to bring them back to sanity.

When the last edition of the DSM-IV was published, identifying the symptoms of various mental illnesses in children, there was a jump in the diagnosis and medication of children. Some states have laws that allow protective agencies to forcibly medicate, and even make it a punishable crime to withhold medication.  This paints a chilling picture for those of us who are nonconformists. Although the authors of the manual claim no ulterior motives but simply better diagnostic practices, the labeling of freethinking and nonconformity as mental illnesses has a lot of potential for abuse. It can easily become a weapon in the arsenal of a repressive state.

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The ABCDE’s of Melanoma

frecklesHere are the facts about the ABCDEs of Melanoma.  Part of good sun prevention and protection is checking your body for changes in moles at least once a year. Moles, brown spots and growths on the skin are usually harmless – but not always.

Anyone who has more than 100 moles is at greater risk for melanoma. That’s why it’s so important to get to know your skin, so that you can recognize any changes in the moles on your body.

Look for the ABCDEs of melanoma, and if you see one or more, make an appointment with a physician immediately.

Asymmetry                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             If you draw a line through this mole, the two halves will not match.

Border                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The borders of an early melanoma tend to be uneven. The edges may be scalloped or notched.

Color                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Having a variety of colors is another warning signal. A number of different shades of brown, tan or black could appear. A melanoma may also become red, blue or some other color.

Diameter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Melanomas usually are larger in diameter than the size of the eraser on your pencil (1/4 inch or 6 mm), but they may sometimes be smaller when first detected.

Evolving                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Any change – in size, shape, color, elevation, or another trait, or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting – points to danger.

Many sunscreens only protect against UVB rays, but to be protected against both UVA and UVB rays, look for a ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreen or products that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

Aside from skin cancer, the sun’s UV rays also cause:

  • Premature aging: Signs of premature aging include wrinkles, mottled skin, and loss of skin’s firmness.
  • Immunosuppression: Weakening of the body’s ability to protect itself from cancer and other diseases.
  • Cataracts / macular degeneration: Macular degeneration, for which there is no cure, is the leading cause of blindness in people aged 65 and older.

Remember to check your birthday suit on your birthday for moles, brown spots and growths!  Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early.

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