Your Questions, Answered
ACUPUNCTURE FAQS
WILL ACUPUNCTURE HURT?
At Modern Acupuncture we use very fine, solid needles that are designed to push through the skin easily. They are quite different to hypodermic needles which cut through the skin and cause bleeding and pain. Measuring just 0.22mm in diameter, the needles may cause a feeling of warmth, a slight aching, a spreading sensation, or you may feel nothing at all. It is very rarely unpleasant, and in the hands of a good practitioner, the sensations can be controlled.
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE USED FOR?
We use acupuncture for pain, illness and fertility issues, and have a wealth of experience with many health complaints. The length of treatment required varies from patient to patient depending on how acute or chronic the problem is. It is best to start your treatment with four Acupuncture sessions within a 10 day period. Frequency of treatment after that will vary depending on the issue and whether it is acute or chronic. Most people notice progress after four to five treatments and with most pain conditions you should expect some pain relief immediately.
WHAT WILL MY FIRST SESSION BE LIKE?
We will go through your intake form and ask you what your primary concern is. We may feel your pulse, look at your tongue and we will ask lots of questions (even some which seem irrelevant) but it all helps to form a Chinese medical diagnosis. We will discuss treatment options and come up with a plan (it's not set in stone but it's a good starting point). Acupuncture or Bowen therapy or a combination of the two are also used on your first visit. After that we hope you float home and sleep like a baby! Sometimes you may need a few minutes to get your head together before driving home (we're deadly serious!!) as treatment can be incredibly relaxing.
WILL I NEED TO UNDRESS?
Most of the time we use acupuncture points from the elbows to the hands and from the knees to the feet. If you wear loose fitting clothing we can easily access the required areas without removing clothing. If you need to disrobe then we have plenty of towels to cover you up and we will expose only the areas we need to needle keeping you warm and secure.
If it's Bowen therapy you need it can be done through light clothing although skin to skin is preferred so some clothing may need to be removed.
WHERE DO YOU PUT THE NEEDLES FOR MALE INFERTILITY?
Funnily enough this is a very common question from the blokes! The answer is, NO we don't put them in "down there". So now you can relax. We actually place the needles in the lower abdomen, legs and arms. And while you're on the table we can address a few of those sore areas for you too and reduce your stress.
DO YOU RE-USE NEEDLES?
Hell no!!
We only use high quality once-use only needles and then we safely dispose of them.
IS ACUPUNCTURE AND DRY NEEDLING THE SAME THING?
Sort of, but mostly NO. Both techniques use the same needles. Dry-needling can be learned in a weekend whereas registered Acupuncture practitioners require hundreds of hours training in needling techniques during a four year Bachelor degree in Health Science. Dry-needling targets muscle dysfunction caused by 'trigger points' by needling those areas of dysfunction to release tight muscles. Acupuncturists call these areas 'ashi points' and will treat them in a similar fashion. What is most unique to Acupuncture is that we can target and affect areas of the body by needling distally eg, treating a headache by using points on the hands and feet. In fact many times we don't even need to needle the sore area to make it feel better. Using Acupuncture we can also manage other health concerns and not just pain. A typical day in the clinic will see a whole array of problems like headaches, hayfever, mild anxiety, infertlity and IVF support, joint pain, sinus congestion, menopausal hot flushes, insomnia and fatigue and many more. If you would like expert advice and care then make sure you see a registered Acupuncturist. If you would like to discuss your health concerns then please get in contact with us.
WILL MY HEALTH FUND COVER ACUPUNCTURE?
Yes, provided you have the appropriate cover. Check with your health fund to make sure you're covered. We have HICAPS available so you can claim on the spot and you only need to pay the gap.