I just wanted to share my sad experience at the Shiatsu School of Canada Inc. & SSC Acupuncture Institute. I actually wrote to the school of Acupuncture with a copy to the Transitional Council of the College of Acupuncturist of Ontario regarding the treatment I received at the SSC Acupuncture Institute.
I went to the Institute seeking relief from lower back pain and iliotibial band syndrome. The treatment performed by a student in his last year consisted of deep needling (thick needles) with a brisk and painful technique. Also, there was no appropriate supervision and instead of obtaining relief; the treatment resulted in what appears to be a peripheral neuropathy affecting my legs and feet. I felt tingling and pins-and-needles sensations, and strange cramps and spasms in different parts of my legs. I also experienced increased pressure on both ankles, which became swollen and painful. I was extremely concerned about nerve damage so I reached out to the SSC Acupuncture School and the Institute's Director could no answer any of my questions. Actually, his answer to my many questions was simply that he didn't know if all these symptoms were caused by the treatment; that he didn't know if I'd ever get better; and that he didn't know if there was a another type of doctor that could help me. He was polite and friendly, but his lack of knowledge regarding possible side effects of acupuncture treatments was surprising, for lack of a better word. Oddly enough, the executive director contradicted him and mentioned that there had been other cases of patients at the Institute who suffered side effects from acupuncture treatments. Yet, they were not able to provide information as to how the problem could be resolved, other than offering one Shiatsu massage session (which I received, but it didn't help alleviate any symptoms).
This condition has greatly affected my life over the past several weeks and I hope that sharing the details of my experience will help other people.