Charles (Xinchen) Zhang R.ac RMT

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Charles joins us from Whitby, ON where he still practices during the weekdays. Charles is a Registered Acupuncturist with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario since 2013 after being grandfathered in from the Canadian Society of Acupuncture in 2005, as well as a Registered Massage Therapist with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario since 2006. Charles comes to us with a plethora of experience in the medical field with a B.S. of Medicine in China, a Doctoral degree of acupuncture in the USA, 18 years of medical experience in China as an Eye Doctor and 3 years of medical research experience in the USA.

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What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the insertion of thin, metal needles to stimulate specific points of the body that reach meridians. These stimulation points are called acupuncture points or acupoints. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that there are 365 commonly used acupuncture points on 20 meridians on the human body. Typically, it takes 15 to 30 minutes of manipulating the needles in these acupuncture points and 30 to 60 minutes of retaining the needles. By doing so, it regulates the flow of qi throughout the body and restore health to the mind and body, thus balancing the yin and yang. The insertions of needles are manipulated either by the hand or by electrical stimulation, called electroacupuncture.

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Needles inserted during an acupuncture treatment should be painless. Every patient experience is different; patients may experience bruising, bleeding, needle site pain and sensation, or needle fainting. However, these symptoms may be expected (minimal bleeding) and desired (tingle, tight sensation - "de qi response"). Patients should inform the practitioner if any discomfort arises.

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Is dry needling the same as TCM acupuncture?

Dry needling is a technique used by Western practitioners such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, and occupational therapists etc. based on strictly body anatomy in opposed to TCM principals. Thin metal needles are inserted in specific muscle trigger points to release tension and pain. Dry needling does not apply any TCM principals nor diagnosis. Hence, dry needling practitioners are not necessarily receiving the same level of training as set out by the standards of our College. In other words, those who practise dry needling might not meet the requirements to use the title of "Registered Acupuncturist" or "Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner" in the province of Ontario.

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Conditions Acupuncture may help with:

• reduce pain

• decrease sympathetic flight or fight response thereby decreasing stress

• boost fertility by increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs

• reducing nausea and fatigue in the first trimester of pregnancy 

 

Charles' Clinic hours:

Mondays 9am-12pm

Saturdays 10am-3pm

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Initial acupuncture + massage therapy consult appointment:

45 min $80 + HST

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Follow up acupuncture + massage therapy treatment:

30 min $65 + HST

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