What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the insertion of sterile fine needles into specific body points of the skin to trigger stimulation to surrounding nerves that modulate pain reception and inflammation, control blood circulation, and coordinate muscle activity. It is a traditional medicine practice which is proven to promote healing for many medical conditions and is widely accepted to use for musculoskeletal illnesses.
The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture to be considered in many conditions, including for examples:
- Chronic neck pain
- Chronic low back pain
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy)
Why acupuncture?
Acupuncture can be a safe alternative to oral analgesia or corticosteroid injection therapy.
Oral analgesia contains side effects and can be toxic if inappropriately used. For example, paracetamol (Panadol) can cause liver and kidney injury; NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen) can cause stomach ulcer and kidney injury; and opioids (e.g. oxycodone) can be addictive, sedative and potentially lead to opioid-induced hyperalgesia. Many people with chronic medical conditions cannot tolerate these medications. For some patients, acupuncture and other non-pharmacological intervention e.g. physiotherapist and exercise prescribing become essential components to manage chronic pain condition.
It is important to seek professional opinion from a qualified doctor, because not all patients are suitable for acupuncture treatment.
What does a course of acupuncture look like?
A course of acupuncture involves regular, often once to twice weekly, sessions in which the doctor inserts sterile disposable fine needles at selected points, manually manipulating the needles to achieve therapeutic effects. The process takes about 10-15 minutes while you rest. Depending on clinical situation, cupping might also be performed following acupuncture. A typical treatment plan is 5 sessions over 2.5 to 5 weeks but can vary subject to clinical needs.
Fee structure
Dr Kwan Chia is a registered acupuncturist with Chinese Medicine Board of Australia and is a Medicare-recognized acupuncture provider. As a result, a proportion of the service fee will be subsidised by Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS).
The Acupuncturists
Dr Kwan Chia, Principal Acupuncturist
Dr Chia completed Bachelor of Chinese Medicine with University of Hong Kong in 2012 and subsequently has been registered as acupuncturist, before he completed his medical training to become a specialist general practitioner. He is MBS-recognized acupuncture provider.
He has a special interest in treating selected acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions by acupuncture. He currently provide acupuncture to the following conditions:
- Chronic neck pain
- Chronic low back pain
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy)
Amy Chan, Chinese Medicine Officer
Amy holds a Bachelor of Chinese Medicine and Master of Sciences in Stroke and Neurosciences with Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is a registered acupuncturist and assists Dr Chia for clinical, academic, and administrative duties that are relevant to Chinese medicine practice. One of her current projects is to support Dr Chia to develop a culturally appropriate acupuncture protocol to support neurodiverse children in Australia.
