Frequently asked questions:
No. Massage therapy is not covered by OHIP. However, it is often covered through extended Health Insurance Plans.
To see a registered massage therapist you do not need a doctor’s referral. However, some insurance companies may require one in order that your extended health care benefits will cover you.
Individuals, in all walks of life can enjoy the benefits of massage therapy. If you are a stressed-out executive, a student, a laborer, a stay-at-home mom, a musician, or a professional athlete, massage therapy will aid you on the road to recovery, well-being or maintaining your level of health. Massage therapy can help release muscular tension and pain, reduce mental and physical fatigue, reduce stress, and promote faster healing.
Yes. Massage therapy has been proven to be safe and effective in treating the discomforts of pregnancy. Consult your physician before seeking massage therapy.
Your massage therapist will require you to fill out a health history form. Afterwards the therapist will begin by asking you general questions to establish what areas you would like worked on, if there are any conditions needing to be addressed, and to determine if massage is appropriate for you. Your massage therapist may perform certain assessments and testing to evaluate your condition, and to see if you have any presenting complaints. Your massage therapist will give you privacy to undress, and you will be covered with a sheet and blanket at all times except the area being worked on.
Chiropractic is a conservative approach to health that avoids invasive surgery or drugs with side effects. Chiropractic care is safer than back surgery, muscle relaxants, and even aspirin. A comprehensive history and examination shows the exact areas of the spine that may be causing joint fixation or nerve irritation. This also allows the doctor to determine the best course of care for each individual patient and condition.
They are gas pockets releasing in the fluids between your joints. This sound is not necessary for a successful adjustment and it is not your bones rubbing against each other.
A chiropractic adjustment is the use of a specific force in a precise direction that helps normalize spinal function. The adjustment is applied to a joint that is fixated, “locked up”, or not moving properly. Adjustments help to re-align your spine and add motion to the spinal joints, thus helping your spine gradually return to its normal position. By doing this, the adjustment releases tension or stress from the surrounding spinal nerves and spinal cord, leading to relief, improved nerve function and ultimately improved health.
Absolutely not. Similar to exercise, a person can begin, stop, or continue chiropractic adjustments as desired. Spinal adjustments do not have an addicting effect, nor do they create a condition whereby a person is worse off after receiving spinal adjustments. Simply put, regular chiropractic check-ups and adjustments help to ensure that you can enjoy your life to the fullest extent in a body that feels and performs at its personal best!
Acupuncture is an ancient Oriental system of health care that uses the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific sites or points proven to be effective in the treatment of many health problems. These points have been used by the Chinese for thousands of years to keep a balance of energy in the body and this balance helps maintain good health. Acupuncture works with the natural vital energy Qi, pronounced “chee”, inherent in all living things, to promote the body’s ability to heal itself. It is based on ancient Chinese theories of the flow of Qi and blood through distinct meridians that cover the body somewhat like the nervous system and blood vessels. According to ancient theory, acupuncture allows Qi to flow to areas where it is deficient and away from areas where it is excessive. In this way, acupuncture regulates and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body, allowing it to heal.
Since acupuncture promotes the body’s natural healing ability, many conditions, such as Arthritis, Tendonitis, hip and knee pain, hand and foot pain, Sciatica, shoulder pain, lower back and neck pain, migraines, and even addictions, can be successfully treated. Many athletes and musicians have discovered that acupuncture treatment have helped them achieve optimum performance level. Throughout its long history, acupuncture has established a solid reputation as an excellent alternative health care practice.
Acupuncture needles very flexible and fine, about the diameter of a human hair. The procedure is usually painless and in most cases the needles are inserted just below the surface of the skin. A patient may feel some tingling, heaviness, or electric sensation either around the needle or traveling up or down the affected meridian. These sensations are usually mild and subside quickly after insertion. Most patients find the treatments very relaxing and many patients fall asleep during the treatment, which lasts from 30 to 40 minutes.
If performed by a qualified practitioner, yes. Licensed acupuncturists know the human anatomy well and insert needles in a safe fashion. The instruments used to penetrate the skin are either pre-sterilized, disinfected and/or disposed after a single use. The practitioner is well aware of the concern over infectious diseases and takes every measure to ensure cleanliness, as all health care professionals do.
