FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
Acupuncture is an ancient healing system that has been used throughout the world for over 3,500 years. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on treating specific acupuncture points located on energy pathways called meridians throughout the body.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?
Energy called Qi flows through your body. It moves along channels called meridians. Internal and external influences can block or damage this flow resulting in pain, disease or emotional imbalance. Acupuncture alters this flow to restore balance in the body and optimise good health. Each acupuncture point has a specific action and is carefully selected as part of your individually tailored Life Synergy treatment plan to remove blockages, increase circulation and stimulate the nervous system. Balance is achieved by regulating the Qi, ultimately restoring the function and health of your body, mind and soul.
WHAT DOES AN ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT INVOLVE?
The acupuncturist will take you into a private treatment room and ask you some questions. You will most likely remove your socks. You will lay on a comfortable bed. The acupuncturist will use fine needles into your skin at particular points. They stay in for about 30 minutes and then are removed.
DOES ACUPUNCTURE HURT?
Acupuncturists use extremely fine needles called filiform needles. We do not use the hypodermic needles that doctors use for injections. Many of our patients tell us they don’t even feel the acupuncture needle; if they do, it’s just a tiny sensation. These extremely fine needles are placed on the acupuncture points on the meridian channels running throughout the body. Commonly the needles aren’t felt at all. Instead, patients tell us they experience feeling light and deeply relaxed during treatments with an enhanced feeling of well-being. At Life Synergy, we often incorporate bodywork or Chinese massage as an adjunct to acupuncture to enhance the treatment effects by stimulating circulation and allowing the body to relax optimally.
ARE ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES REUSED?
No. In Australia, there are laws to ensure acupuncturists do not reuse needles.
IS THERE A RISK OF INFECTION?
The risk of infection through acupuncture needles is extremely low. And that’s because of how fine the needles are that we use. Infections need blood to transfer, but our needles are too fine for blood to hold onto the tip of the needle.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?
Research shows (reference) acupuncture can reap great results for both acute and chronic conditions. Acupuncture demonstrates better and long-lasting results if patients receive twice-a-week treatments for 8 weeks (16 treatments in total). For the best results possible Life Synergy acupuncturists suggest 4-6 treatments for acute problems (something that has occurred in the last few days or weeks) and 8-sixteen for chronic conditions (something that has been going on for a few weeks or months).
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACUPUNCTURE AND DRY NEEDLING?
The only real difference between dry needling and acupuncture is the professionals you use them and the years they have trained to master their skills. Both use the same type of needs and similar techniques. Dry needlers aren’t allowed to call what they do acupuncture.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE HELP MANAGE PAIN? By Jonathan Yang
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing technique that involves the insertion of thin needles into specific body points.
This technique stimulates energy flow, referred to in Traditional Chinese Medicine as – Qi.
Acupuncturists who follow Traditional Chinese Medicine understand that when the body has a disruption in our Qi, it can cause pain.
Acupuncture helps to restore balance and harmony to the body by unblocking our natural energy flow.
When acupuncture unblocks our natural energy flow, it regulates the body’s natural healing mechanisms, restores body balance and reduces pain.
Acupuncture is used to help with acute and chronic pain conditions.
ACUPUNCTURE RELEASES OUR NATURAL PAINKILLERS
With more and more studies into how acupuncture works and its effectiveness in treating pain, we are learning more about how acupuncture affects hormones.
These studies have started to find that acupuncture stimulates the body’s ability to naturally release its painkillers (opiates) as well as increase the body’s ability to receive them. Life Synergy works closely with Gold Coast Acupuncture Clinic acupuncturist and researcher John McDonald who says: “The discovery of various endogenous opioids released in response to acupuncture has done much to promote the credibility of acupuncture.”
Because acupuncture has been shown to release endorphins – the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals, it is useful in treating pain. Endorphins help block the transmission of pain signals to the brain, reduce pain perception and promote a sense of well-being.
Acupuncture has also been shown to affect the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood.
In short, because acupuncture releases endorphins and affects serotonin, it has been used effectively for thousands of years to treat many different pain types.
ACUPUNCTURE CAN REDUCE INFLAMMATION THAT CAUSES PAIN
Inflammation in our bodies can lead to pain.
Acupuncture has been shown to suppress how the body responds to inflammation and perceives pain. The studies show that over one year, acupuncture can typically outperform opiate medication like Endone with the added benefit that the patient eventually no longer needs it. This means similar relief can be achieved from acupuncture with the added benefit of no side effects and potentially reaching a point where no more treatments are needed as the pain eases or disappears.
Acupuncture increases blood flow and nerve activity.
As a result, the nerves receive more nutrient and oxygen-filled blood and a boost in positive nerve stimulation.
That process reduces inflammation and painful symptoms like swelling, stiffness and pain and encourages healing.
ACUPUNCTURE HELPS RELAX TIGHT MUSCLES THAT CAUSE TENSION PAIN
Tight muscles in our body can lead to tension which leads to pain.
Acupuncture can release the tension in the fascia (the lining of the muscle) and muscle knots, helping them relax.
OTHER TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE TOOLS THAT HELP EASE PAIN
Sometimes our Life Synergy acupuncturists use a special machine directly on the needle spot to trigger muscle relaxation and ease the discomfort muscle knots create.
Our healers can also use techniques like fire cupping. Research suggests cupping mainly acts by increasing local blood circulation, which can help relieve painful muscle tension.
Acupuncturists also use Gua Sha, which involves scraping and manipulating muscle and tissue with a specialised tool. Research and studies have found that Gua Sha can work like a deep tissue massage and relax muscle tissue.
In addition, Gua Sha increases microcirculation to the skin, promoting fresh blood flow to an area and moving the stagnation that may have been present such as tightness or pain.
WE DON’T NEED TO NEEDLE YOUR SORE SPOTS
ACUPUNCTURE IS A HEALTHY OPTION FOR PAIN RELIEF
Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture address the root causes of pain, rather than just masking the problem.
Research has shown how addictive some common pain medication can be as well as the severe side effects and dependency patients can experience when taking the medication long-term, all while the underlying cause of the pain remains.
Using acupuncture for pain is a healthy option because Chinese medicine addresses the root causes of pain rather than masking the problem like painkillers do.
Chinese medicine has a very simple way of understanding what causes pain. If there is a free flow of energy (Qi) there is no pain. If there is pain, there is no free flow of energy (Qi). Pain occurs when there is an obstruction to the free flow of Qi. Acupuncture aims to improve the circulation of Qi and blood by moving obstructions.
ACUPUNCTURE TREATS BOTH ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN
Acupuncture effectively treats both acute (short-term pain) and longer-lasting chronic pain that the patient has experienced for over 3-6 months.
WE DON’T NEED TO NEEDLE THE SORE SPOT
Most Life Synergy patients book in for acupuncture to help ease pain in their bodies. First-time patients sometimes worry that our only treatment option is to needle the sore spot they’ve come to see us about. So, the good news is that is not our only option.
Acupuncture works by tapping into the nerve fibres, which relaxes your body. Our bodies are well connected through our nerve fibres and muscle lining. Because of this, it is possible for an acupuncturist to needle the leg to release and stimulate the muscles and nerves closer to the spine in the lower back, for example. This technique is incredibly useful when we are treating patients experiencing incredible pain. It means we can release the tension and discomfort in the painful area by not even having to go near that spore spot. So, for example, if a patient has a really sore foot, we can needle the calf, and by increasing blood flow and relaxing muscles away from the affected area, the blood flow and sensation to the foot improve.
ACUPUNCTURE RELEASES OUR NATURAL PAINKILLERS
Acupuncture can help relieve pain by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals, and by affecting the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood. In short, because acupuncture releases endorphins, our treatments effectively treat many different types of pain.
Acupuncture increases blood flow and nerve activity. As a result, the nerves receive more nutrient and oxygen-filled blood and a boost in positive nerve stimulation. That process reduces inflammation and encourages healing. In addition, acupuncture can release the tension in the fascia (the lining of the muscle) and muscle knots, helping them relax.