What Is Acupuncture? 

Acupuncture is one of the most common treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It involves inserting fine needles into specific points on the skin to achieve balanced Qi (chi) inside the patient’s body. Acupuncture is believed to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes and provide relief for many ailments, such as chronic pain. Some examples of chronic pain are neck pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain, and knee pain.

Acupoints are specific points on the body where Qi can be accessed and stimulated. Qi flows through the body via invisible channels called meridians. These meridians connect the acupoints in the body. While Yin and Yang govern the internal organs and meridians. If Yin and Yang become imbalanced in the body, Qi will be disrupted which can lead to illness.

What Are the Other Benefits of Acupuncture?

As more and more people understand acupuncture, the demand for this treatment increases quickly. Acupuncture suits people of all ages from children to seniors. This treatment not only relieves chronic pain but also supports treatment for various health conditions such as cancer, facial skin conditions, headache, sleep difficulty and weight gain problem.

Facial rejuvenation / cosmetic acupuncture is a treatment where TCM practitioners insert needles at specific points on the person’s face. This stimulates blood flow and collagen production around the face area, which improves overall facial complexion. Benefits include brightening skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles (forehead lines, frown lines, crow’s feet), or lifting sagging skin & bags under the eyes.

What Is the Difference Between Acupuncture and Dry Needling?

Dry needling involves inserting fine needles to the patient skin to relieve pain. Dry needling specifically targets trigger points in muscles to relieve pain and muscle tightness. Whereas acupuncture is inserting fine needles to specific points to stimulate nerves. It controls the flow of Qi relating to those meridians and acupoints, restoring balance of the body’s energy state.

Where To Find Registered Acupuncturists?

TDMall acupuncture clinic in Macquarie Park has a team of Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registered TCM practitioners. They are skilled in using acupuncture and related modalities to gently create the right conditions for healing. You do not require a referral from your doctor to see TCM practitioners.

In addition, TDMall clinic practices strict hygiene and safety. For instance, the clinic uses only sterilized, single-use and disposable needles.

What To Expect at Your Acupuncture Treatment?

You will receive one-on-one professional medical diagnosis from our TCM practitioner. Firstly, our TCM practitioner will review and discuss your diagnosis outcome with you. Next, they will advise you on a suitable treatment plan that is consistent with your personal goals for care. Your initial treatment will last up to 60 minutes. The number of treatments you require depends on your health condition. In most cases, patients experience a reduction in symptoms within a few sessions.

Besides acupuncture, our TCM practitioners may use additional therapies during treatment sessions. These include:

• Remedial Massage – applying suitable pressure to the muscles and soft-tissue, as well as stretching different parts of the body. This will ease and stabilize the muscles which relieve headaches and various chronic pain.

• Herbal Medicine – the TCM practitioner mixes herbals or herbal medicine comes in pre-prepared tablet or granulated form. TDMall clinic sources all herbal medicine from accredited suppliers.

• Cupping – suction designed to promote blood circulation at acupoints. It provides relief for chronic pain such as neck, shoulder or back pain.

• Moxibustion –burning dried mugwort on specific points on the patient’s body. It improves Qi flow that can assist in a range of health issues. 

Is Acupuncture Painful?

This treatment is painless as the needles used during the treatment are very fine. Hence, you may only experience mild tingling around the area where the needle is inserted. Another key point to note is that the needles may be turned or wobbled as part of the treatment. All needles will be removed at the end of the session. You will feel relaxed and refreshed after your treatment session, but specific responses depend on each person. For instance, some people feel energized while others may feel sleepy.

TDMall TCM practitioners may also perform electroacupuncture. Low electric current transmits from an attached device to the patient through those needles.

Is Acupuncture Safe?

So long you engage a trained and registered practitioner, this treatment is generally considered safe and effective. Adverse effects and complications will be expected to be minimum too. Besides, TDMall TCM practitioners use only sterile, single-use and disposable needles. Therefore, there is no risk of infection or transmission of disease.

How Much Does Acupuncture Cost At TDMall Clinic?

Does Health Insurance Cover Acupuncture?