Category Information

Acupuncture

What is Acupuncture?

A key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture is an alternative complementary therapy that focuses on the improvement of a person's overall wellbeing by stimulating specific points, called acupoints, in the body using thin needles to relieve pain and treat various health conditions.

What acupuncture is, and what a session involves

Acupuncture places fine, single-use needles at points chosen for your pattern rather than from a fixed protocol. A first appointment is mostly assessment: your history, your sleep, your digestion, your cycle if it is relevant, and what you notice and when. The needling itself is usually the shorter part of the hour.

People most often come for persistent pain, sleep that will not settle, stress held in the neck and shoulders, digestive complaints and cycle-related symptoms. You should leave the first session knowing what the practitioner thinks is going on and roughly how many appointments they expect it to take — if you do not, ask.

Acupuncture in Australia is regulated: practitioners are registered with AHPRA under the Chinese Medicine Board, and you can check any practitioner on the public register. It is a complement to medical care, not a replacement for it.

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

Acupuncture does not usually cause pain or discomfort. It is a common misconception that acupuncture hurts, and a reason why some people are hesitant to try it. The treatment is not meant to hurt, but during the treatment, the patient may experience some sensations.

These sensations vary between people, depending on their overall sensitivity and level of pain tolerance. Sometimes, the first acupuncture session will be more painful than the succeeding treatments because certain acupoints are being activated for the first time.

What Are the Benefits of Acupuncture?

Research has shown that acupuncture may have a role in relieving tension headaches and migraines. It can also help alleviate pain and other symptoms that are associated with the following conditions:

• Lower back pain
• Neck pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Knee pain
• High and low blood pressure
• Chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea 
• Some gastric conditions, such as peptic ulcer
• Urinary tract infections
• Painful menstrual periods
• Dysentery
• Allergic rhinitis
• Facial pain
• Morning sickness
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sprains
• Chronic pain
• Tennis elbow
• Sciatica
• Dental pain
• Stroke
• Labour pain

What Can You Expect From Acupuncture?

During the initial treatment session, the acupuncturist will ask the patient about their medical history to identify the root cause of their health problem. Following the principles of diagnosis in TCM, the acupuncturist may examine the patient's tongue and take their pulse on either wrist. Then, they will ask the patient to lie down on a treatment table and start inserting sterile, disposable needles into specific acupoints.  

Acupuncture needles are painless, but a slight tingling sensation may be felt as they're being inserted into the skin. The needles will be left to stay in for about 20 minutes to stimulate the meridians. An acupuncture session may last for 30 minutes, and the patient is advised to receive at least two treatments a week for several months until their body has regained homeostasis. 

Acupuncture is highly recommended as an adjunct to other natural therapies or conventional medicine.