Clinic Blog

Accidental Acupuncturist by Everyday Acupuncture

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Recently, I did something I have never done before… It forced me to venture way outside my comfort zone. But it was a memorable experience nonetheless: I was interviewed for an American Acupuncture podcast show! I shared my thoughts on the integration of Eastern and Western intervention techniques for chronic pain management. We also chatted about where acupuncture fits in through the lens of modern day Scientific research. I found it difficult not following a script. But it was key to creating an organic and natural conversation surrounding everything from acupuncture to chronic conditions – and how I became an Acupuncturist accidentally. Want to know what you’ll hear during the interview? Here is just a glimpse at the golden nuggets we covered during our time together: ●  Your body is built to self-heal. But there is a specific wear-and-tear pattern that impacts your body’s natural ability to recover. Learn what […]

Effect of Somato-Sensory Training on Intra-Examiner Reliability in Determining the Evenness of Standardized Paired Blocks

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Hypothesis 1.  Somatosensory calibration training improves the ability to determine evenness on standardized paired blocks. 2.  Somatosensory calibration training will increase intra-examiner reliability in determining evenness on standardized paired blocks. Statistical significance will be measured by using p ≤ .05. Abstract Objective / Purpose: Osteopathic medicine practitioners require reliable manual palpatory skills for identifying structural abnormalities (asymmetries).  Past osteopathic and non-osteopathic palpation training studies have shown poor inter-rater reliability and intra- rater reliability.   The objective of this study is to determine if a fabricated training tool (symmetrical) can help calibrate the somatosensory system.  The study looks at whether this tool improves a clinician’s ability to detect smaller differences in asymmetry and increase inter-reliability and intra-reliability. Methods: Testing and training will be performed by participant students from the year one through five classes at the Canadian College of Osteopathy (CCO). The study will include two groups (experimental condition group, and control group) and two […]

How a bag of soup helps me detect pain – Toronto Acupuncture Clinic – Samuel Lo

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When a patient who is experiencing pain enters my office, one of their most common questions is: “How do you know where the pain is?”   Here’s what I tell them:   Imagine your body as a bag of soup with multiple layers.   Now picture pressing your finger into that bag of soup…   …What happened to your finger?   Well, your finger would be absorbed by the bag of soup. But if you remove your finger, the bag would return to its original shape, wouldn’t it?   Typically, in a healthy individual, it’s always the same process: your finger gets absorbed when you press it into a bag of soup. And when you remove it, the soup returns to its original shape.   So what does a bag of soup have to do with pain?   Here’s the secret sauce: I can find pain when your soup pushes […]

The Truth About Medication – Toronto Acupuncture Clinic – Samuel Lo

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In my practice, I see a lot of patients with long histories of medication for multiple diagnosed conditions. In fact, by the time I have seen these people, they have consumed 50>=100% of their body weight in medication.   These medications are often prescribed by a variety of specialists for things like pain, hypertension, cholesterol, digestive issues, and more. And for the most part, they are prescribed to stabilize the condition – and not to “cure” the condition.   Of course, it is critical to take your meds when prescribed by a doctor. The medication has been prescribed to you for a reason. So if you are not compliant, your health could be at risk! But it is also important to be aware of the side effects… …Most of these medications actually have very similar side effects, like:   Broad short-term effects, including: gastrointestinal issues, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. This […]

How an IT technician would explain my job – Toronto Acupuncture Clinic

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When I get asked, “What do you do?”   I know that nobody wants to sit through my technical scientific explanation, so I explain it in terms everyone can understand: in basic IT terms.   Imagine buying a brand-new computer.   As soon as you take it out of the box, you can bet it’s running quickly and smoothly. But as the years go by, a significant amount of software gets installed, files get cluttered, and videos get downloaded. And eventually, all of this wears on your once new computer and it slows down over time.   Of course, we try to preserve our computer with antivirus software, system updates, and even a defragmentation of the hard drive.   We use countless tools to enhance and optimize system performance, but will it ever be in the same condition as the day you took it out of the box?   Unfortunately […]

Yin and Yang and how it is used it to help you achieve optimal health – Toronto Acupuncture Clinic – Samuel Lo

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Yin and Yang are famously associated with Chinese medicine, you may already know that it is the foundation of diagnosis and treatment.  Did you know that the concept is just as important to my work with osteopathy and western medicine? Let me explain.   In Chinese medicine, Yin and Yang are used to represent the balance between health and disease. It represents a constantly changing homeostasis. We can only be healthy when they are in balance.   In osteopathy I also seek to maintain a homeostasis.  In the practice of osteopathy we aim to strike a balance of structure (yin) vs balance (yang).   In traditional medicine there are numerous systems that we try to keep in balance.  Which include, muscles and bones, hormones in the endocrine system, and the nervous system.   During my assessment of  a patients health identifying the balance between the Yin and Yang is the foundation […]

Here’s what happens to your body as you age… Toronto Acupuncture Clinic

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Did you ever get injured as a kid?   Maybe you fell off your bike. Or got hurt on the playground.   You might remember that the recovery period was relatively quick and painless.  Or perhaps there was no recovery period at all. Maybe you simply picked yourself up, dusted yourself off and kept on playing.   So why can’t we pick ourselves up and keep on playing when we get injured as adults?   When we’re born, we have a natural ability to recover well and heal quickly.   In fact, a study (Sheffield 1970) reveals that children under the age of six have the ability to heal naturally. Just like salamanders that regenerate lost limbs and sliced spinal cords. Unfortunately, this natural healing ability changes as we get older.   As we advance in age, our inherent ability to regenerate diminishes. In the medical world, we call this […]

“How long will the pain last?”

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When patients are in pain from an injury, the first thing they want to know is: “how long will the pain last?” and “will it ever get better?”   I always tell them that recovery time depends on how severe the injury is and how long they’ve had it for.   As a general rule of thumb, injuries can take the same amount of time to heal (undevelop) as they did to develop. So if you succumbed to an injury 3-4 days ago, then it could take 3-4 days to fully recover if you get the right treatment. But if you’ve had an injury that has been lingering around for years, or even decades, then we have to shift gears to control and maintain the issue. In fact, those are our two goals: first, we need to control it, then, we need to maintain it.   To achieve our first […]

Fact or Fiction? The Great “Triple Burner” Debate!

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Have you ever seen the show, “Fact or Fiction?” If not, it goes like this: each week, an unbelievable story is told and the viewers get to judge if they believe the story is fact or fiction.   In Chinese medicine, we have our very own “fact or fiction” debate. Except this debate is centuries-old and we still don’t have the answer.   This ongoing debate has stayed in the back of my mind for years.   Here’s what it’s all about: TCM practitioners have long questioned the existence of the organ, The Triple Burner. Unlike all of the other organs in the human body, it is the only one with no physical component.   It’s said to be the organ with a name but no form.   How could that be?   Well, the triple burner “holds the office of the sluices (water channel controlled by gates); it manifests […]

“Does Acupuncture Really Work?” Toronto Acupuncture Clinic

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Many of the new patients that walk through my doors are very curious about acupuncture and wonder if it will work for them.   While some people see results faster than others, virtually everybody starts feeling improvements after their very first session.   The big question is, “how does acupuncture work?”   I’m going to do my best to explain it to you, while sparing you the gory details.   Sound good?   To start, let’s talk about nerves.   Nerves are what allow you to feel, breathe, touch, and move. They are responsible for all your senses and affect every major part of your body like your organs, heart, digestive system, and more. It is also how you feel pain, heat, cold, soft, rough, etc.   Acupuncture targets the nerves at your fingertips and toes because those fine, sensory points are what help you to restore balance.   In […]

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Days Hours
Monday 9.00 - 5.00
Tuesday 9.00 - 5.00
Wednesday 9.00 - 5.00
Thursday 9.00 - 5.00
Friday 9.00 - 5.00
Saturday 10.00 - 2.00
Sunday Closed

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