TENSION HEADACHE

MIGRAINE PREVENTION

TMJ DYSFUNCTION / JAW PAIN

NECK TENSION / WRY NECK

CERVICAL SPINE OSTEOARTHRITIS (CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS)

NERVE IMPINGEMENT FROM CERVICAL SPINE (CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY)

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

SHOULDER ROTATOR CUFF TEAR / SUBACROMIAL BURSITIS

SHOULDER OSTEOARTHRITIS

TENNIS ELBOW / GOLFER’S ELBOW

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

FINGER AND WRIST OSTEOARTHRITIS

THUMB TENDONITIS (DE QUERVAIN’S TENOSYNOVITIS)

TRIGGER FINGER

DUYPUYTREN’S CONTRACTURE

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

SCAPULAR (SHOULDER BLADE) PAIN

RIB FRACTURE PAIN

COSTOCHONDRITIS

INTERCOSTAL MUSCULAR STRAIN

BACK MUSCULAR STRAIN

LUMBAR SPINE ARTHRITIS (LUMBAR SPONDYLOSIS)

FACET JOINT DYSFUNCTION

SCIATICA (OFTEN FROM BULGING DISC)

COCCYDNIA (TAIL BONE PAIN)

TROCHANTERIC (HIP) BURSITIS

HIP OR GLUTEAL MUSCULAR TIGHTNESS / STRAIN

GROIN PAIN (VARIOUS CAUSES)

HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS

KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

PATELLAR AND QUADRICEPS TENDONITIS

CALF AND HAMSTRING TIGHTNESS / STRAIN

ANKLE OSTEOARTHRITIS

CHRONIC ANKLE PAINS (VARIOUS CAUSES)

ACHILLES TENDONITIS

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY OF TOES/FEET

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

POST RADIOTHERAPY NERVE PAIN

POST SURGERY NERVE PAIN (OFTEN CHRONIC)

POST CHEMOTHERAPY PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

TINNITUS (only if early)

LOSS OF SMELL (ANOSMIA)

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

GASTRIC OESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GORD)

MENOPAUSAL HOT FLUSHES

BELL’S PALSY

FAECAL INCONTINENCE (NEUROGENIC)

ACUPUNCTURE FOR WEIGHT LOSS

ACUPUNCTURE FOR SMOKING CESSATION

COSMETIC ACUPUNCTURE

The laser sends a beam of energy into an acupuncture point to stimulate it. As the skin is not physically pierced, there is no pain at all. The light will penetrate about 2-5 mm into the skin. The amount of energy is tiny (0.15 Joules) but the effects are profound. The light beam is absorbed by cells and this triggers a chemical reaction that releases various anti-inflammatory and healing factors, as well as sending signals to your central nervous system. There is good evidence that acupuncture points activate/modulate the peripheral, central and autonomic nervous system.

There is also quite a close anatomical correlations between the ancient Chinese ‘meridian’ channels to nerve pathways and myofascial planes. Medical acupuncture is about interpreting the ancient knowledge with a modern scientific lens. Science is beginning to understand the mechanisms of acupuncture but there is still a lot more research needed in this field.

No it’s not! It is NOT ‘radiation’. It is equivalent to shining a red light onto your skin – totally safe!. The laser light is just the red part of the visible light spectrum aka electromagnetic radiation. So yes, it is technically electromagnetic radiation that is specifically the wavelength of the visible light portion of the spectrum. The ‘radiation’ that is harmful are gamma waves which are much higher in frequency and released in things like nuclear reactions.

Traditional acupuncturists may claim to treat nearly everything. I will not make any outlandish claims. If I think I cannot help your condition, you will be first to know. With regards to chronic conditions, acupuncture is used for control, NOT a cure. Generally speaking, acupuncture’s greatest strength is it’s effect on the nerves. It is therefore quite helpful with anything nerve related like neuropathic pain SO LONG AS there is nothing that needs to be surgically corrected. Of course, acupuncture also works great for bony, muscular, ligamentous and tendon related problems.

Acupuncture is a complementary medicine – meaning it is meant to complement good medical care. Before I treat you with acupuncture I will always ask whether the usual medical treatment has been done. Treating a condition with ONLY acupuncture is NOT recommended. Only a minority of people are able to ‘cure’ their conditions with just acupuncture alone.

Example 1: it can reduce your need for pain medications, but for a rare few people it may eliminate the need altogether. Example 2: for rotator cuff (shoulder) problems, acupuncture helps to speed recovery in conjunction with physiotherapy exercises. 20% of people are considered ‘strong responder’ – they need minimal acupuncture and achieve a powerful effect. Another 20% are very poor/non-responders – acupuncture just will not work. The other 60% are somewhere in between.

Less is more – that is my acupuncture philosophy. The most powerful acupuncture treatments require only a few points. Not uncommonly, I only do one point. The more acupuncture points I use, the more the body’s attention or “energy” is divided. It is similar to controlling an army. Think of an acupuncture point as an order by a general. Sometimes it is better to keep the army together for a decisive attack on the enemy. At other times, you may need to split the army to fight several fronts. Spread your army too thin, and it will be ineffective.

Acupuncture works by returning everything back to its normal state (homeostasis). It works by directing the body’s OWN resources (e.g. anti-inflammatory factors, immune system) to heal the damaged area. Therefore people who live a healthy lifestyle will likely respond to acupuncture a lot more powerfully than to person who smokes and eats junk food. For my chronic pain patient (which I treat most commonly), I usually them after treatment but I can reduce their pain and inflammation but they have to do TWO things. FIRSTLY, don’t make it worse especially if with the reduced pain you end up doing more physical activity. Secondly, make it stronger – this usually involves gradual strengthening exercises of the painful area e.g shoulder. An exercise physiologist and/or physiotherapist is very helpful in this matter.

The response after a treatment is highly variable. You may feel the positive effects either immediately or after a few hours to days. The condition may also worsen for a variable period time before it starts improving – akin to the initial increased pain you may feel after a strong massage. This is what I call a ‘flare up’ and if it occurs at all, it will usually start within a few days of treatment and persist for hours to a few days in most people. Some other reactions you may need to be aware of are: fatigue (up to several days), nausea, lightheadedness and increased effects of alcohol.

This is a matter of preference. Great effects can be achieved with both modalities in the hands of a skilled acupuncturist. I prefer laser acupuncture as it is non invasive and allows me access to a great number of powerful acupuncture points that would be uncomfortable if a needle was used. If you want needle acupuncture then I will usually refer to on to my medical acupuncturist colleagues.

Yes, it’s really true. Acupuncture works, but it works in ways that are not immediately apparent. Please refer to the “How does it work” section. It’s not just placebo. It will work whether or not you believe in it.

Traditional acupuncturist study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and interpret pathology via that lens. Medical Acupuncture is performed by trained medical practitioners like GP’s with degrees in western medicine but who have also branched out to learn TCM. We look at acupuncture from a scientific point of view, but we also understand TCM and work from both principles.