This treatment is offered by Dr. Michael Mason-Wood, ND

Biopuncture

Biopuncture is a natural therapy that involves the injection of dilute botanical and homeopathic substances into areas of acute or chronic pain to stimulate the natural healing response of the body. The injections are done at very specific areas of pain and inflammation to promote a local immune response that stimulates the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Biopuncture helps stabilize the inflammation in the mucoskeletal system by supporting the immune system. Therefore, different solutions are used on various tissues at different depths depending on the symptoms of the patient. This allows for an individual treatment program that is tailored towards the patient which allows for the best outcome.

Why have I only just heard about Biopuncture?

Injection therapies have been used in Europe since the early 20th century. Biopuncture was coined in 1991 by the Belgian family physician Jan Kersschot, MD. It was not until 2008 that he brought this therapy over to North America to share with the medical community. Biopuncture is safe and is based on decades of clinical experience. It is normally used in conjunction with other therapies such as diet, supplements, botanical medicine and exercise to enhance the body’s immune system. In addition, patients will be counselled on how to maintain their health post treatment so that their symptoms do not return.

How does Biopuncture compare to conventional medicine?

In conventional medicine pharmaceuticals are given to suppress your symptoms. For example, painkillers suppress pain and anti-inflammatories suppress inflammation. Therefore, high doses of chemicals are given to suppress symptoms, but as soon as you stop taking these pharmaceuticals the symptoms return. Biopuncture involves the injection of small doses of natural remedies whose purpose is to stimulate or “wake up” the immune system and the body’s innate healing process. Therefore, it is not the products themselves that heal, but the stimulation of the body’s natural healing capabilities. As a result, there is no “symptom masking” like can happen with daily pharmaceuticals because the intention of Biopuncture is to stimulate the body to heal itself. Further, unlike Biopuncture, the use of over-the-counter steroids has been associated with gastrointestinal issues, cardiovascular issues, kidney issues and potentially death.

Will Biopuncture help me as quickly as conventional therapies?

The effects of cortisone injections are immediate and powerful; however, with cortisone injections comes potential serious side effects and the masking of symptoms. Biopuncture, on the other hand, uses small doses that do not suppress the immune system. Inflammation is viewed as a natural process that is a key component to tissue healing. Biopuncture supports this inflammation and speeds up the healing process so that the body can fully heal injured tissue. Therefore, the day after a Biopuncture session the pain might be even worse or shift to another area of the body! Trained Biopuncturists see this as a good sign and know that it may take awhile to heal months or years of chronic pain. Furthermore, some patients may need to have a detox treatment because it is preventing them from getting better. Biopuncture does not seek to mask your symptoms and when the pain is gone, it is gone for good!

What is detox treatment and why do I need it?

Toxins in the environment such as heavy metals, air pollution, chemicals, bad nutrition, cosmetic products and medication you have taken can build up in your body. The body is too busy dealing with these toxins to properly heal itself. All of your bodies resources are too busy fighting off toxicity and so not enough resources are available to support the immune system. This is the reason why many people are constantly fatigued, get sick very easily and when they do get sick or injured take a long time to heal. Some Biopuncture treatments are specifically formulated to detox the body. By getting rid of toxins in the body, the body can then allocate resources towards healing itself.

What is being injected?

Biopuncture solutions are composed of a glucose base mixed with dilute botanical and homeopathic substances. The exact formula will differ depending on the person being treated. Some of the products that are commonly used are: Arnica for muscle pain; Echinacea to boost the immune system; Comfrey to reduce joint pain; and Peppermint for gastrointestinal issues. Some of the products being injected include:

 

The injection of glucose has many therapeutic effects which include pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties. Glucose can repair tissue damage by stimulating the release of growth factors and stimulates the nervous system which is involved in tissue repair.

Are these products safe?

No matter what is being injected into you, you can rest assured knowing it is a safe natural product. All of the solutions being injected during Biopuncture treatments were formulated and developed in pharmaceutical grade laboratories by companies that guarantee the quality of their products. In addition, since all Biopuncture solutions are homeopathic the active ingredients are present in such low concentrations that it is virtually impossible to cause any harm.

If these solutions are diluted how can they have any effect on the body?

Just because Biopuncture solutions cannot harm the body does not mean they cannot aid it. Like the principles behind vaccination only small amounts of the active ingredients are needed to activate the immune system. Furthermore, unlike conventional homeopathy micro-doses of the active ingredients are still present in the solution and so are able to produce an immune response.

What conditions can be treated with Biopuncture?

Biopuncture is predominantly used to treat mucoskeletal problems such as:

Biopuncture can also be used to manage chronic inflammatory conditions such as:

Biopuncture can also be used to treat autoimmune illnesses such as Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis. Biopuncture cannot be used to treat the following:

What can I expect during the first treatment?

Before the first appointment, patients need to complete a health intake form that details their health history. During the initial consult, the patients history will be evaluated by Dr. Mason-Wood. This will be followed by a complaint oriented physical examination. Biopuncture will then be performed on the patient if deemed appropriate. However, it may be the case that another injection (eg. Prolotherapy & PRP, Neural therapy, Prolozone therapy) is more appropriate for a patient’s problem and so these might be recommended.

The injection itself is typically brief and relatively painless, but this depends on the area of the body and the tissue that is being injected. Many patients who have a fear of needles are shocked at how quick and easy Biopuncture sessions are. There may be some soreness or bruising the following day. Several injections will be given to a patient each session depending on what is being injected. For example, if the liver is being treated, around 20 injections will be given in the upper body. As noted above, Biopuncture is slower than conventional medicine and so patients must be patient during the healing process as it can take time for symptoms to disappear. In fact, your symptoms might worsen, but this just means that your immune system is being activated and that healing has begun. A patient will need follow up treatments once or twice a week and the total number of sessions will depend on their condition and area of the body being treated.