If you're experiencing persistent or significant changes in memory, concentration or cognitive function, speak with your healthcare provider. New, severe or rapidly worsening cognitive symptoms should be medically assessed rather than assumed to be related to hormones or aging.

​Naturopathic Doctor, Aoifa Earls at Dalhousie Health & Wellness in St. Catharine's can help you with your brain fog symptoms and get you back to living well and loving life! 

 At Dalhousie Health & Wellness in St. Catharines, osteopathic manual practitioners assess the body as a whole rather than focusing solely on the area where you feel discomfort.

Osteopathic manual therapy takes a whole-body approach to assessment and treatment. Rather than focusing only on the location of your pain, your practitioner may look at how your spine, pelvis, hips, ribs, shoulders, and surrounding tissues are moving and interacting.
For example, if you're experiencing low back discomfort, your practitioner may also assess the hips, pelvis, legs, and upper body to better understand how you are moving as a whole.
Treatment is individualized based on your symptoms, stage of recovery, and goals.

Postpartum discomfort isn't always caused by the birth itself. Repetitive daily activities can place significant demands on your body.
Feeding your baby in the same position for extended periods, carrying your baby on one side, lifting a car seat, getting up and down from the floor, and interrupted sleep can all contribute to muscular tension and stiffness.
Osteopathic treatment may help support comfortable movement as your body adjusts to these new demands.

At Dalhousie Health & Wellness, osteopathic manual therapy is available for postpartum patients in St. Catharines and throughout the Niagara Region.
Your postpartum body has been through a significant physical experience. Osteopathic care can provide individualized support as you navigate the transition into this new stage of life.

Acupuncture can be used to alleviate mild-moderate acne, and works well with conventional treatment. ​

Here's how acupuncture may help:
● May reduce inflammation: Acne is an inflammatory condition. Some studies suggest acupuncture may influence inflammatory pathways and reduce certain inflammatory markers.
● May reduce stress: Stress can worsen acne in some people by affecting hormones and increasing inflammation. Acupuncture may help some people feel more relaxed, which could indirectly reduce stress-related breakouts.
● May influence oil production: Acupuncture affects the nervous and endocrine systems, potentially helping regulate sebum (skin oil) production. 
● May improve overall well-being: Better sleep, reduced anxiety, and improved mood are commonly reported benefits of acupuncture. While these don't directly treat acne, they may support overall skin health for some individuals.


Can it be used alongside conventional treatment?
Absolutely! If performed by a licensed practitioner, acupuncture is generally considered safe and can often be used alongside standard acne treatments, such as:
● Topical retinoids
● Benzoyl peroxide
● Azelaic acid
● Prescription antibiotics (when appropriate)
● Hormonal treatments
● Oral isotretinoin for severe acne

It should not replace treatments that have strong evidence butrather assist those treatments. This is especially true if you have moderate to severe acne or acne that is causing scarring.

What a typical treatment looks like
Tammy, a registered acupuncturist, places very thin needles at specific points on the body, including the face. Sessions commonly last 20–30 minutes. Many treatment plans involve multiple sessions over several weeks. In addition to needles, your acupuncturist may suggest cupping and moxibustion as part of the therapy. Smokeless moxa is used to “dry” up the fluid of the acne or any other ‘dampness’ in the body.  Tammy will discuss minimal nutritional options and discuss certain pathogens to avoid.The goal is to bring the body back to balance in order to eliminate the root cause of the acne.

Some treatments will be on the front of the body, and others on the back of the body. Because we are always looking at balancing the body, treatment will look differently each session. 

What to expect
During your first acupuncture appointment with Tammy, she will ask a series of questions about your diet,digestion, lifestyle, sleep quality, medical information, history and concerns. She will then take a look at your tongue, check your pulse and palpate the front body for tenderness. With this information, she will diagnose a Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern. This helps her decide which meridian or acupoints to target. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that acne comes from stuck energy (qi), dampness or blood stasis. Depending on the severity of the acne, it may be necessary to receive 8-10 sessions.

Expect to feel relaxed, calm, centered, lighter or even sleepy during and after your treatment. Most patients report having a good night’s sleep immediately after acupuncture.

There may be some bruising at the site of the needles, however there are no contraindications to acupuncture (except during pregnancy). Acupuncture is a great add-on to other treatments that you are receiving for acne. 
​
Explore your options by booking an acupuncture treatment with Tammy, a registered Acupuncturist, at Dalhousie Health & Wellness today! Covered by most extended health benefit plans.

Let Me Explain Why?
Acupuncture is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine which looks at the whole mind, body and spirit. If something is off balance, we see symptoms such as “weight gain”.
The good news? Not all weight gain is fat. Sometimes the body is sluggish in digestion, or there is slow movement of the intestines causing food stagnation. There are acupoints for that!Additionally, fluctuating hormones, water retention, stress, cravings, blood stasis can all be underlying reasons why we are retaining ‘material’ of the body.
In TCM, there is yin and yang. Yang represents warming, function, movement, brightness, flow and energy. Yin on the other hand, is dense, material, storage, fluid, blood, water and cold.
Your acupuncturist will look at your tongue and pulse to determine if there is too much yin, not enough, too much yang or not enough. Then we come up with a treatment plan to balance your body as an individual. 

How it might help
Acupuncture may indirectly support weight management by:
● Reducing stress and anxiety, which can contribute to emotional eating.
● Improving sleep quality.
● Helping some people feel more mindful about eating habits.
● Potentially affecting appetite-regulating hormones.
● Reducing water retention
● Increasing digestion

What to expect
● Expect to feel relaxed, experience improved sleep patterns, have deep rest
● Your acupuncturist will provide you with a suggested list of foods to include in your diet, and possibly, foods to avoid
● Improved digestion and increased bowel movements

Safety
Acupuncture is generally safe when performed by a licensed practitioner using sterile needles. Possible side effects include:
● Minor bruising
● Soreness at needle sites
● Lightheadedness

Other effective options
For meaningful and sustained weight loss in addition to acupuncture, your acupuncturist will advise of:
1. Nutritious food according to your constitutional body type
2. Discuss the nature of foods
3. Regular physical activity such as walking, yoga, meditation, tai chi or qi gong
​
Book with Tammy today at Dalhousie Health and Wellness!

​Acupuncture works with your body to optimize fertility. It can also, 
● Reduce stress and anxiety
● Improve relaxation and sleep
● Help manage chronic pelvic pain or menstrual discomfort
● Support overall well-being during fertility treatment

1. Influence on stress and the nervous system
○ Acupuncture may promote relaxation and reduce perceived stress.
○ Chronic stress can affect hormones involved in reproduction, so some researchers hypothesize that reducing stress could indirectly support fertility.

2. Effects on reproductive hormones
○ Some studies suggest acupuncture may influence the release of hormones through the brain's hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.
○ This could potentially affect ovulation and menstrual cycle regulation, though the exact mechanisms remain uncertain.

3. Changes in blood flow
○ Researchers have proposed that acupuncture may increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries.
○ The theory is that improved blood flow could support the uterine lining or ovarian function

4. Management of fertility-related conditions
○ Acupuncture has been studied as a complementary therapy for conditions associated with infertility, such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS  and Endometriosis.
○ Some people report improvements in symptoms
​
5. Support during assisted reproductive technologies
○ Acupuncture is often used around IUI or IVF cycles.
○ Acupuncture might improve implantation rates or pregnancy rates
○ Acupuncture may increase sperm motility and quality

On your journey and needing some guidance? Book today with Tammy at Dalhousie Health & Wellness!

While osteopathy does not treat the concussion itself, it may help address neck pain, headaches, muscle tension, and movement restrictions that commonly occur after a concussion or head injury.

If you are experiencing ongoing physical discomfort after a concussion, an osteopathic assessment may help identify musculoskeletal factors contributing to your symptoms and support your recovery as part of a collaborative healthcare approach.

​If you're looking for an osteopath in St. Catharines for post-concussion symptoms, osteopathic treatment may help address neck pain, headaches, stiffness, and movement restrictions that can occur after a concussion.
Whether your concussion resulted from a sports injury, fall, motor vehicle accident, or workplace injury, osteopathic care can be integrated into a collaborative recovery plan alongside recommendations from your physician and healthcare team.

Here at Dalhousie Health & Wellness, Krysta Robazza provides individualized osteopathic assessments to help patients throughout St. Catharines and the Niagara Region address the musculoskeletal challenges that can accompany concussion recovery. Through a thorough evaluation of movement, posture, and areas of restriction, osteopathic treatment aims to support comfortable movement and help you return to your daily activities with greater ease.
​
If you are experiencing headaches, neck pain, stiffness, or other post-concussion symptoms, osteopathy may be one part of your recovery journey.

Many people seek osteopathic treatment for jaw pain, TMJ dysfunction, pelvic floor tension, or chronic stress without realizing these concerns may be connected. From an osteopathic perspective, the body functions as an integrated unit, meaning tension in one area can influence function elsewhere.
At Dalhousie Health & Wellness in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, Krista Robazza provides osteopathic care for patients throughout the Niagara Region experiencing jaw clenching, pelvic floor dysfunction, chronic muscle tension, and stress-related symptoms.

Osteopathy views the body as a dynamic system that constantly adapts to physical, emotional, and physiological stress.
When stress becomes chronic, the nervous system may remain in a prolonged protective state, leading to:
    •    Increased muscle tension in the jaw, neck, and shoulders
    •    Reduced diaphragm and rib cage mobility
    •    Abdominal gripping or poor core coordination
    •    Pelvic floor tension and dysfunction
    •    Changes in posture and movement patterns
Rather than treating these symptoms separately, osteopathic treatment aims to identify the underlying patterns contributing to dysfunction.

Osteopathic practitioners recognize that fascia—the body's connective tissue network—helps distribute tension and movement throughout the body.
Persistent jaw clenching may be associated with:
    •    Neck and shoulder tension
    •    Altered rib cage movement
    •    Reduced diaphragm function
    •    Increased pelvic floor guarding
    •    Changes in overall movement patterns
Although there is not a single direct connection between the jaw and pelvis, the body's fascial system allows tension patterns to influence multiple regions simultaneously.

​Many postpartum individuals experience increased tension patterns due to significant physical and hormonal changes.
Factors that may contribute include:
    •    Changes in abdominal and pelvic floor function during pregnancy
    •    Altered breathing mechanics
    •    Rib cage mobility restrictions
    •    Sleep disruption
    •    Increased caregiving demands
    •    Reduced recovery time
The body often prioritizes stability and protection, which can lead to increased muscle tension and movement compensation

At Dalhousie Health & Wellness, Krista Robazza uses a whole-body osteopathic approach to assess how different systems may be contributing to symptoms.
Treatment may focus on:
    •    Improving diaphragm mobility
    •    Restoring rib cage movement
    •    Addressing jaw and cervical spine tension
    •    Supporting pelvic floor relaxation and coordination
    •    Improving fascial mobility
    •    Enhancing breathing mechanics
    •    Supporting nervous system regulation
The goal is to improve overall function and coordination throughout the body rather than focusing solely on symptom management.

Krista Robazza provides osteopathic treatment at Dalhousie Health & Wellness, helping patients from Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold, Welland, Niagara Falls, and throughout the Niagara Region improve movement, reduce tension, and restore whole-body function.
Whether you are experiencing jaw clenching, TMJ discomfort, pelvic floor dysfunction, postpartum challenges, or stress-related tension, osteopathic care offers a comprehensive approach that considers the entire body rather than focusing solely on isolated symptoms.

Krista Robazza is an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner at Dalhousie Health & Wellness in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines. She provides patient-centred osteopathic care for individuals across the Niagara Region, with a focus on whole-body function, women's health, postpartum recovery, pelvic health, stress-related tension patterns, and musculoskeletal wellness.

​Book an appointment with Krista here!

Acupuncture has been used for centuries to support healthy pregnancies and is commonly used to help encourage babies in a breech position to move head-down in preparation for birth.
Typically, treatment begins around 34 weeks of pregnancy. A combination of acupuncture and moxibustion—a gentle warming technique using the herb mugwort—is often recommended. Research has shown that acupuncture treatments twice per week combined with daily moxa therapy for approximately 10 days can result in a success rate of up to 72% for turning breech babies.

At Dalhousie Health & Wellness, I use gentle acupuncture techniques designed to help relax muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues throughout the body. By reducing tension and creating more space within the pelvis and abdomen, we encourage optimal conditions for your baby to move into a head-down position.
Many patients find acupuncture treatments deeply relaxing, and babies often respond positively during the course of care.

Book a Consultation Tammy Stunden, Registered Acupuncturist
Dalhousie Health & Wellness
Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, Ontario
Serving families throughout the Niagara Region
Contact us today to learn more about acupuncture for breech presentation and your available options.