Big question that. Well, acupuncture is one branch of Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine is a perspective & understanding of health based on a channel (or meridian) system that links & interlinks our external body to our internal.

Channels are an invisible network, a web of connection, that carry blood, energy (Qi) & nourishment around the body. Channels unify all parts of the body which is essential to remaining in a harmonious balance.

Acupuncture is the branch of this medicine that uses needles inserted into acupuncture points to affect the internal workings of our channels & organs. Each of the points has a job to do, an effect on the channel or the organ it relates to, and those it is interrelated to.

To begin our session, we usually sit and have a chat about what has being going on for you, your body, your mind.

Then you get to take a lie down on the table; I feel your pulse, look at you tongue, ask some more questions, then get to creating your treatment for you by inserting the needles.

I leave you for 20 minutes whilst the needles do the work we are asking of them. We want you to be as relaxed as possible in this part so falling off to sleep is perfectly normal!

It may be appropriate to use other techniques such as moxibustion (heat therapy), guasha or cupping, depending on how these therapies may assist in your treatment. These therapies are all administered with your consent & only to your comfort level.

This may be different to how you have experienced acupuncture previously.

There are many different ways to practice acupuncture, or run your acupuncture clinic; as practitioners, we each have our own tone. I work only one room in this practice and so am available to you for the whole duration of your session.

Learn about your first visit

Most of my patients come in weekly; however, each treatment plan is different base on the individual & their needs.

We create this treatment plan together after your first visit. The plan may also flex with you & your response. Everyone is different & responds differently.

There are certain conditions that can be addressed in a visit or two; whilst others may require more treatments until your goal is met.

Patients may notice relief from a specific symptom straight away, though often we need more time to work on the underlying root cause. This is known in Chinese Medicine as the root & the branch of a condition.

It is important to me that we treat the root. It is also highly important to me is that you walk out feeling different.

Acupuncture, received from a registered acupuncturist, is very different to needling received from a physiotherapist or massage therapist who may call their needling ‘acupuncture’.

‘Acupuncture’ is not a protected title, and anyone can use this to describe their needling (inc. physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists). This may be an incorrect use of the term and have no association to Traditional Chinese Medicine and the techniques we use.

The title ‘registered acupuncturist’ is protected by the Health Practitioner National Law Act, allowing only practitioners registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA) to use this title.

The needling technique we use in Chinese Medicine aims to be as “pain-free” as possible. We seek a response from the body called ‘de-qi’ (from some of the points, not all). This is a dull, achey feeling, or heaviness, or sensation that travels along the channel pathway. These are positive signs that the body is receiving the message we are send. However, again, the primary goal if you to be comfortable, and so we do our best to achieve this.

Acupuncture needles are friendly— they have been manufactured to be as ‘pain-free’ as possible.

They are hair-thin, 0.18mm in diameter or less. I use high quality needles that are TGA approved. All registered acupuncturists use single use sterilised needles.

When we insert our ‘friendly’ needles, we are seeking a gentle response from the body. My highest priority is for you to be comfortable and to be able to relax. We communicate throughout your treatment to ensure this.

Everyone’s experience is different, but I am here to listen to you and work with what is comfortable for you.