Are you tired, irritable and stressed out about not sleeping well?
A good night’s sleep is essential for living a healthy life. Insomnia and other related sleeping disorders are becoming more and more prevalent due to our increasingly busy and stressful lives. It’s been reported that one third of North Americans suffer from poor sleep. Don’t let this be you! Acupuncture is a safe, natural and effective solution to help you sleep better.
What type of sleep disorders do I treat?
Insomnia
There are many different types of insomnias:
– Difficulty falling asleep
– Waking frequently, tossing and turning all night
– Waking early and unable to go back to sleep
Each one of these conditions will have a different treatment plan specific to what you are experiencing. Acupuncture is very effective at treating insomnia and helping you sleep better naturally. You will fall asleep faster, stay asleep, get that deep restful sleep that is needed and wake at an appropriate time. If you do still wake in the middle of the night, you will be able to go back to sleep easily.
Sleep apnea and snoring
Sleep apnea is a complex disorder, and depending on your severity, it can be treated or significantly improved with acupuncture and lifestyle changes. People who have sleep apnea are commonly prescribed a CPAP machine to help keep you breathing through the night. We will look at the root issue that is resulting in the apnea and help restore your ability to breathe more easily at night.
Restless leg syndrome
Restless leg syndrome is one of the most common causes of severe insomnia. It is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs, such as creepy-crawly feelings, deep itching and pains, that are relieved only by movement of the legs. This syndrome can be caused by many different things such as iron deficiency, side effects of medications and genetics. Acupuncture can help by restoring proper blood flow to the legs and treating the root issue.
Nightmares, sleep walking and other parasomnias
Like restless leg syndrome, there is a genetic link to these conditions, but this doesn’t mean you have to live with them. Certain parasomnias are more common in children than adults, and most children will outgrow them by age 12. That being said, if parasomnias are very frequent and cause sleep deprivation, they can be treated effectively by acupuncture in both kids and adults.
Narcolepsy and hypersomnia
Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness not linked to a deprivation of sleep. Hypersomnia is characterized by prolonged night-time sleep. There is a significant neurological link to these conditions but they can also be symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, depression and head trauma. Like with every condition, we look at the root issue and treat that. Acupuncture can be very effective in treating these conditions and help you function better during the day.
Why acupuncture for sleep?
Lack of sleep can lead to a multitude of other symptoms such as irritablity, depression, anxiety, inability to lose weight, weakened immune system, inability to concentrate and digestive issues.
Acupuncture looks at the whole person and not just the symptom of “I can’t sleep.” I will ask you questions about your sleep, sleep habits and issues pertaining to these. I will also ask you questions about your diet, digestion, aches and pains, menstrual cycle, emotional state and anything else in your life that may be affecting you. It all matters. Everything is related.
From all of this information I will be able to diagnose you and come up with a treatment plan specifically for you. From there you will see your sleep improve, along with your anxiety, digestive problems and any other accompanying symptoms you’ve been experiencing.
Acupuncture is safe and effective. By treating the root cause we are able to bring the body back into balance so you can fall asleep and stay asleep naturally. The body has an incredible ability to heal itself: sometimes it just needs a little help in the right direction.
What modalities do you use?
The main modality used during your treatments is acupuncture. Other modalities that may be incorporated into your treatment:
Gua Shu
This gentle scraping technique is used to bring blood to the surface and increase circulation in an area to promote healing. It usually leaves small red spots on the skin that last for a couple of days.
Cupping
This Chinese medicine technique increases blood flow to an area to promote healing. I use glass cups to create a partial vacuum. When the cups are placed on the skin, the skin is drawn slightly up into the cup. The cups usually leave red/purple circular marks that last anywhere from two to five days.
Essential Oils
Using essential plant oils can aid in treating your underlying condition. I use them directly on acupuncture points to enhance the function of your treatment. This is also something you can use at home as well.
Herbs
Chinese herbs are used to aid in the treatment of the root condition. If needed, I use them to help enhance the treatment and will only require you to use them for a certain period of time.
Lifestyle Changes
This isn’t a modality but is very important to your treatment. A lot of sleeping issues are related to your overall lifestyle. I will work with you to find out what needs to change and what can change, and I will empower you to make these changes.
FAQ
Does acupuncture hurt?
No! I use very thin needles that most people don’t even feel. If you feel anything it may be a weird achy sensation that isn’t painful. This is completely normal and will subside once the needles are in for a minute. Most people find acupuncture to be incredibly relaxing and usually feel like napping either during or after treatment.
How often do I come in for treatment?
This depends on your treatment plan, but generally I like to see new patients twice a week for one or two weeks and then weekly after that until we can start spacing them farther apart. Acupuncture has a compounding effect that builds on previous treatments. Especially in the beginning, if we space treatments too far apart, we will lose some of the progress we have made in previous treatments. If you have any more questions on this topic, I would love to explain to you more how acupuncture works.
How many treatments will I need?
Again, this depends on your specific treatment plan, but, generally, acute conditions are usually treated in five to six treatments, and more chronic cases are about 10 or more. I will give you a treatment plan on your first visit and will continually re-evaluate throughout the course of our treatments together.
How long are the treatments and what are the costs?
Initial consultation: Free! We can talk about your condition and whether acupuncture is right for you.
- 15-30 minutes
Initial treatments: $125
- for those who have had the free initial consult – 45-60 minutes
- for those who haven’t had the initial consult – 75-90 minutes
Follow up treatments: $90
- 45-60 minutes
Unfortunately, we do not offer direct billing at this time.
Just a polite reminder that we require 24 hours’ notice to cancel appointments. No shows and late cancellations will be charged the full treatment fee.
Contact Kim
780-419-2600 to book appointments.
Located at St. Albert Acupuncture & Wellness
Suite #315, 7 St. Anne Street, St. Albert, AB
(It’s in the same building as Cajun House and Investors Group.)
There is free two-hour parking out front. It can be quite full around lunch and dinner due to Cajun House. I recommend parking at 7-Eleven on the corner for alternative parking.
St. Albert Acupuncture & Wellness
