Asked what she hears the most from new clients, Zea Friesen, a Registered Acupuncturist, said the most common response is one of surprise by how fast treatment can work.
"They should experience a reduction of pain, or it will completely dissipate in seconds, with the type of acupuncture that I do. It鈥檚 really fast relief," said Friesen. "That being said, it is working with the healing potential so it doesn鈥檛 last forever. So people really need to do a course of treatment to really resolve things鈥� most need a few to really get better."
Trained in Nelson at the Academy of Classical Oriental Sciences (now the Kootenay Columbia College of Integrative Health Sciences), Friesen said she's treated thousands of people over the past two decades. The last three of those years have been in Salmon Arm, where Friesen recently opened a new clinic, Zea Friesen Acupuncture, located downtown at 3A 350 Shuswap St SE.
Friesen said moved from Creston to Salmon Arm with a desire to be in a larger urban centre and closer to family. Another draw was the many outdoor recreation opportunities the area offers.
Friesen's decision to become a registered acupuncturist stemmed, in part, from an interest in holistic healing and from her mother.
"There was pretty much no processed food in my house growing up 鈥� although I wanted the processed food, naturally," laughed Friesen. "She made really healthy food for us. I've always just tried to go a more holistic route. I think that definitely influenced me."
Friesen also got into acupuncture when she was unable to find helpful treatment in the "regular medical system."
Friesen's work is influenced by mindfulness practices and functional medicine, as well as classical Chinese medicine.
"I want people to know that in these high-stress times we are living in, this timeless, powerful medicine is even more valuable than ever," said Friesen. "Acupuncture is part of a complete holistic medical system that works tremendously for pain relief and so much more."
Friesen said she's very aware "people are not generally wanting to be poked by needles," and that she's treated hundred of people with a needle phobia.
"Acupuncture uses super hair-thin, fine needles," she explained. "It鈥檚 an ancient technique that鈥檚 treated many things over time."
Zea commonly sees people in need of pain relief, particularly people suffering from pain in the lower back, the neck and shoulders. She explained acupuncture does several things in the body to bring relief. It promotes blood flow; it stimulates the body鈥檚 ability to spontaneously heal injuries to the tissue through nervous, immune and endocrine system activation; it releases "natural pain killers" such as endorphins, norepinephrine and enkephalin; it relaxes shortened muscles, and works to reduce stress.
"The main things it does is how it works by promoting circulation and regulating the area so if there鈥檚 too much of something in terms of an imbalance in the body, then it helps to reduce that, or if there鈥檚 not enough it brings more to that," said Friesen. "Circulation is a big one in terms of healing, improving blood flow."
In addition to pain, both chronic and acute, Friesen's clinic also focuses on optimizing women's hormones, fertility, pregnancy, labour preparation, postpartum care and menopause, digestive and respiratory ailments, stress and insomnia.
"Over the last two decades I have helped thousands of people feel more at ease and less in pain to live happier lives," said Friesen.
