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Christine Berle
Alan Oxley
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Q. What are needles made of?
A. Today stainless steel. In earlier times practitioners used thorns, bamboo splints and pieces of sharpened stone. Iron needles were manufactured during the Iron Age, and later needles were made from gold and silver. Practitioners believed that gold and silver possessed especial qualities of stimulation and sedation. Disposable stainless steel needles are relatively cheap today.Q. Could acupuncture help me?
A. Most conditions respond to acupuncture. Most pain appears to respond to acupuncture. However client must insure that the practitioner is properly qualified to know when to refer to a medical or other practitioner. Life threatening conditions such as acute appendicitis or meningitis should be treated by a medical practitioner.
Q. Do I need to be ill to have acupuncture?
A. No. Traditionally the Chinese doctor and his patient were concerned with prevention rather than cure. In ancient times the practitioner was only paid while the client was well. If anyone became ill it was considered to be the doctor's fault, and the patient would be treated and restored to health without payment. Patients usually had a maintenance treatment on the change of the seasons.
Q. Are there people who should not have acupuncture?
A. Yes. Needles are not usually used on babies and young children. Usually we use massage, laser or magnets. Extremely weak and very old people and those who are unduly nervous are better treated by laser. There are some conditions such as cancer, severe infections, heart disease, and muscular dystrophy that acupuncture can be used as a supplement to other forms of treatment. Acupuncture does not really treat named diseases; it enhances the general health and well-being of the individual, that's why there are really no conditions where it is not of some value.Q. Are there times when I should not have acupuncture?
A. It is better if you can relax after the treatment. You should tell your practitioner if you are menstruating, taking steroids, or have just started a course of drug therapy. You should avoid alcohol for 12 hours both before and after acupuncture as its use will limit the effects of treatment and may cause adverse reactions.
Q. Should I ask my doctor?
A. Ideally yes, as a courtesy. Your GP may want to notify the acupuncturist of any important facts concerning your medical history. Many GPs are happy for their patients if they think it might help, provided that the acupuncturist is properly qualified. Some doctors may want to send patients to medical colleagues who have often only taken short courses in acupuncture. Ask your practitioner about their qualifications. Generally speaking most patients consult an acupuncturist independently of the GP. In some cases doctors suggest acupuncture to patients especially for workers' compensation and for motor vehicle accident injuries.
Q. What do I need to do before seeing an acupuncturist?
A. Very little. Try not to make an appointment when you are very busy. Don't do strenuous exercise or drink alcohol just before the visit. Do not have a heavy meal or a very hot bath beforehand.
Q. What do I wear?
A. Wear suitable underclothing so that you can remove your outer garments without embarrassment.
Q. Does this mean I shall have to undress?
A. Sometimes depending upon the diagnosis.Q. Can I have acupuncture if I don't like needles?
A. Acupuncture is almost painless. A small amount of discomfort is usually well worthwhile in most cases. Other forms of treatment can be used but are usually not quite as effective e.g. laser, magnets and Moxibustion.
Q. Can acupuncture be dangerous?
A. Provided the treatment is carried out by a properly qualified practitioner, acupuncture can be regarded as completely safe.
Q. Are there any side-effects?
A There can be a few minor problems, but these are rare. Minor bruising is probably the most common. There may be slight swelling and discoloration. This normally disappears after a few days.
Q. Can needles break?
A. Because we use disposable needles the needles are not re-sterilised and there is no metal fatigue. Needles should never be inserted to the hilt. There have been about twenty reported cases world wide of needle breakage over the past twenty five years.Q Are needles properly sterilised?
A. As part of the manufacturing process needles are properly sterilized. Only one use pre-sterilised disposable needles are used in this clinic.
Q. What about AIDS and hepatitis C?
A. Only one use disposable needles are used and so disease transfer is impossible.
Q. What things to avoid before having acupuncture.
A. Do not take recreational drugs including alcohol in the 12 hours prior to treatment. Do not have a hot bath, strenuous exercise or sexual intercourse within a few hours of acupuncture. Don't squeeze your appointment in between engagements as this will prevent you from getting the best out of your treatment.
Q. What will the acupuncturist want to know?
A. All your past medical history, particularly the season of the year when past problems occurred, the time of the day, when you felt better or worse, and when you finally recovered. Similar questions will be asked about your present problem, as well as how you are affected by heat, cold, dryness, damp and the wind. The acupuncturist will want to know about your emotional state; your relationships with parents, children, spouse, friends, employer, fellow workers and so on. Family medical history, the results of any relevant tests, your diet, including foods you like and dislike, your general lifestyle and in what sort of recreational activities and exercise you partake. Confidentiality is, of course, maintained as it would be with your GP.Q. How long will the treatment last?
A. About one to one and half hours.
Q. What will actually happen?
A. Acupuncturists will ask a lot of questions and will be looking at the way you walk, stand, sit and talk. They will look at your face. They will be looking at your complexion, the lines on your face and also be trying to detect any odours or observe anything that might lead to a diagnosis. Sometimes they will look at your tongue - don't be embarrassed. Various points may be touched to see if they are sensitive. Sometimes they will look at your eyes and pulses will be taken. When all information has been compiled and you are in a comfortable position, usually lying down, a few acupuncture needles will be carefully inserted into the chosen points. Arms and legs are the most common.
Q. How many treatments will I need?
A. It depends on your inherent vitality and powers of recover, how long you have had the problem, how serious it is and what other problem/s you have. Generally speaking between three and six treatments for most conditions, but long-standing and serious complaints may take considerably longer. Usually at least one month's treatment for every year you have had the complaint.
Q. Will the treatment be painful?
A. Acupuncture is almost painless. You may feel a tiny sting like the bite of an ant. If the needle needs to be manipulated it may be a little painful if a nerve is being irritated. Acupuncture needles are very fine and are inserted with great skill. The experience cannot be compared with the familiar injections you might have received from your doctor or in a hospital. Those injections are carried out with much thicker needles and the material injected often causes much of the pain.
Q. How much will it cost?
A. $40.00 normal consultation fee, $25.00 for those on social security or special programs (quit smoking etc) - see fee structure. Rebates available from a variety of private health funds as long as you have the right cover - see list of funds. Workers' Compensation under doctor referral is billed directly to the insurance company.
Q. Will the cure be permanent?
A. Most honest practitioners distrust the word 'cure'. Their kind of medicine works by enhancing the general vitality so that patients are in fact cured by their own healing powers. Problems can recur if treatment is abandoned prematurely, or if the patient continues to indulge in bad habits which may have brought on the problem in the first place. For example, if you smoke tobacco and suffer from lung problems or circulatory disease, these are almost certain to return if you continue to smoke. Acupuncture may appear to work miracles at times, but it cannot do the impossible.
Q. How many needles will I need?
A. This will depend on the practitioner's diagnosis. However, usually about eight needles are used, but the number can vary from one to about twenty.
Q. Do the needles contain anything?
A. No.
Q. Do acupuncturists give any other kind of treatment?
A. Yes, Moxa - a number of different methods of applying a herbal heat treatment to various acupuncture points. Electrical stimulation, magnets, laser and sometimes massage. Some acupuncturists are qualified in some other branch of medicine or natural therapies.Q. Will treatment be the same each time?
A. It depends on why the treatment is being undertaken. Sometimes it is the same; other times it will be different because you have changed.
Q. Should I feel the benefit immediately?
A. Sometimes yes. Sometimes after a few hours you may find yourself gradually feeling better. Often the benefit is not really experienced for a few days and may not be noticed until after a second or third treatment. In a few chronic cases it is necessary to have a long series of treatment before any benefit is felt.
Q. How will I feel after the treatment?
A. You might feel very relaxed and lightheaded. This is a good sign and the acupuncture has been effective. Some people feel very tired for a day or two after treatment, but the onset of this is often on the day after the treatment. This is a good sign. On rare occasions symptoms may actually be worse after the first treatment. This is also usually a good sign and you should arrange to have a second treatment as soon as possible. The second treatment will probably return you to your original state, and after subsequent sessions you will start to recover because the treatment has stirred up the energy e.g. when you have been leaning on your arm and it has fallen asleep, you may only feel numbness. When you start to move there is discomfort and then it settles down to normal. Generally any reaction is a good reaction - things are moving.
Q. What should you do if you feel ill after the treatment?
A. Phone the acupuncturist. Do not blame the practitioner or the treatment because this is probably part of your own individual healing process. Be happy that something has happened. Occasionally people may feel ill after acupuncture because they have exceptionally unstable nervous systems. In such a case the problem will disappear after a day or two.
Q. How does acupuncture work?
A. By correcting disharmony within the body. All cells resonate at a certain frequency, and in disease these vibrations become disharmonious. Acupuncture works by correcting this. Acupuncturists are also amongst those who postulate that an electromagnetic field force surrounds and permeates the body. Disharmony in this body 'energy' and stagnation of fluids can be corrected by acupuncture.
Q. How does acupuncture stop people smoking?
A. Acupuncture can only help. It helps you relax, reduces cravings and improves your general vitality. This reduces the need to smoke and makes smoking more distasteful. Acupuncture also helps to clear the lungs and return them to their pristine state, thus making smoking nauseating and unpleasant. Acupuncture helps to reduce the withdrawal effects and helps you remain on a reasonably even keel during the difficult period which follows the cessation of any drug taking.
Q. Isn't it all in the mind?
A. Acupuncture works particularly well on both children and animals (some prominent horse trainers use acupuncturists for the treatment of prize race horses) where it can reasonably be assumed that there is no psychological influence. Most people who seek acupuncture only try after all else has failed.
Q. Do I have to stop my drug treatment if I have acupuncture?
A. If you are on a maintenance dose of a drug for some condition then it is necessary for you to remain on the drug. It is, however, important that you notify the acupuncturist. Give the exact name and the dose that you have been prescribed.
Q. What if I want to discontinue the treatment?
A. There is no harm in discontinuing acupuncture treatment at any time; however it may impede any continued progress.
Q. Do I have to go on a diet?
A. No. But you may be advised to make some dietary changes. Chinese categorise all foods in terms of hot or cold, yin or yang. This fits in with the basic philosophy.
Q. Will the acupuncturist understand my condition?
A. Acupuncture is often practiced according to traditional concepts, in which case an acupuncture diagnosis is made. Such a diagnosis is not dependent upon any western medical knowledge. Expert acupuncturists will formulate a treatment in terms of what their investigations reveal. However all Australian qualified practitioners have to have a sound knowledge of western medical sciences.
Q. What is symptomatic acupuncture?
A. This is predominantly practiced by those not trained in the traditional philosophy. Sometimes the treatment is the same. Symptomatic acupuncture is based on the knowledge that certain acupuncture points have specific effects. For example, a point on the top of the head is known to have a sedative action, while a point on the back of the hand between the thumb and first finger is good for controlling pain and helping with elimination of toxins. There is a real danger that this type of treatment will be of very limited value and not get to the real cause. Traditional acupuncture has stood the test of time and has been found to work.