Acupuncture involves gently inserting very fine, single-use, sterile needles into points on the body. Where the needles are inserted depends on your Chinese Medicine diagnosis. Acupuncture needles are not always inserted in the spot where you are experiencing your symptoms.

Most people find acupuncture treatment very relaxing and allow themselves rest, have a nap or meditate as the acupuncture takes effect. The needles are inserted and then left in for 10-40 minutes depending on the style of acupuncture and condition being treated.

Our patients usually look forward to treatment and find it calming and painless. If you are nervous, please let us know as the treatment can be adapted to make you feel comfortable.

Acupuncture is now regulated by AHPRA. Practitioners are required to have completed a minimum 4 year degree training with over 600 hours of clinical supervision. This differs from the recent popularity of dry needling courses in which health professionals can complete a short course in as little as a couple of days. We believe in only providing you with the highest standard of acupuncture in which we continually exceed the minimum requirements for ongoing education.

Chinese Herbal prescriptions often used in conjunction with acupuncture.

• usually prescribed in granule, capsule or liquid form

• mostly of plant origin, however some herbs such as MuLi (oyster shell) contain animal elements

• easily adapted for vegetarians and vegans (please clearly specify your requirements)

• contain no endangered species or unethical products.

If you are prescribed a herbal formula, it is important to tell us about any medications you are taking as herbs can interfere with some prescription medications.

Chinese herbal formulas may need to be adjusted as your body adapts and responds.

If you get a cold/flu or your health stasis changes during the course of your prescription, stop the herbs for the time being and check in with us at the clinic.

Moxibustion, or moxa, is the stimulation of an acupuncture point by burning a Chinese Herb Mugwort leaf (Ai Ye) over the point. This can be done in several ways:

• holding a moxa stick (like a giant incense stick) about 1-2cm above the point until the skin becomes nice and warm, moving it repeatedly to build heat but before becoming too hot

• moulding the moxa herb into little cones placed directly on the skin, on the end of a needle, or rolled into tiny threads for rice grain style moxa

• using smokeless moxa products to take home or if you are sensitive to the smoke.

Moxibustion stimulates the flow of energy through the body, warms the meridians (energy flow) and gets rid of cold and damp from the body.

We also use infrared heat lamps in the clinic.

Cupping is often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Glass cups are placed on the skin to create a vacuum to draw the pathogenic qi out of the body. Cupping can either be stationary (cups are left on for 5 minutes) or gliding cupping, where the skin is lubricated and the cup is glided over the skin creating a massage-like pulling sensation.

Cupping can leave markings on the skin for up to a week or two. Usually the darker the markings the more stagnation there needs to be resolved. Please let us know if these marks are unacceptable before treatment.

With cosmetic acupuncture silicon cups may be used to massage the face. Cosmetic cupping, when performed correctly does not leave markings on the face.

Guasha is similar to cupping in that it is used to clear pathogenic qi from the body and often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Instead of cups, a flat smooth tool made from stone, bone or ceramic is used to scrap the surface of the lubricated skin.

Like cupping, guasha can leave markings on the skin which usually fade within a week.

With cosmetic acupuncture a rose quartz guasha tool may be used to gently massage the face. Cosmetic guasha does not leave markings on the face.

Dry needling techniques help release tight muscles. It is typically a much stronger acupuncture style that can cause a strong muscle twitch response which aims to manage muscle pain and tension.

Dry needling is not suitable for all types of health issues. It is best suited to musculoskeletal conditions associated from overuse injuries, sports injuries, muscle spasms, chronic pain and rehabilitation.

We recommend you take it easy after a dry needling treatment, stay hydrated and try an epsom salt bath. You may have some local tenderness around your acupuncture points which usually subsides within 24 hours.