Dr. Tzu-Ya (Esther) Huang is an AHPRA registered acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist and Doctor of Chinese medicine. She is also an accredited member of the Australian Natural Therapists Association. Esther holds
Our natural therapy association has been accrediting acupuncturists for more than 60 years, ensuring that they meet the high educational and training standards required for membership. Every acupuncturist in our directory is qualified and capable of delivering first-rate treatment, which ensures you are searching for only the best therapists in Australia.
Find local acupuncture practitioners across Australia using our directory of the leading expert practitioners who have been individually accredited by ANTA.
Acupuncture is the process of inserting thin, flexible needles into the body, to provide pain relief and treat a range of symptoms. The stainless steel needles are used to stimulate meridians (lines running through the body), acupuncture points, or neural zones underneath the skin.
Acupuncture has been practised for over 2,500 years, originating in modern-day China. Some people believe it was practised in Eurasia as early as the Stone Age, with possible acupuncture needles found made of stone and animal bone.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that has ancient roots. The first description of acupuncture diagnosis and treatment appears in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, written around 300 BC in China. The chinese created needles from bamboo, copper, silver, iron, bronze and gold, and it’s believed that modern hypodermic needles were inspired from these original versions.
Traditional Chinese medicine states the existence of Qi (pronounced chee)—a life force within the body that flows along 12 to 14 pathways (meridians), between and through the surface of the body (skin, fascia, muscle, bone) and its internal organs. An imbalance or disruption to the flow of Qi can trigger illness, which can be manipulated and fixed with acupuncture.
The existence of Qi has never been scientifically proven, but despite this, acupuncture has been proven to treat a wide range of issues, including chronic pain, anxiety, fertility problems, and weight loss.
Given the complexity of the body and its numerous systems, it’s difficult to pin down a single process that makes acupuncture work, and in fact, it may work in a number of different ways.
A 2013 study (Dominic P Lu, Gabriel P Lu, 2013, PMC) from Dominic and Gabriel Lu found that acupuncture activates neurohormonal pathways, triggering biochemical processes in the body and releasing “endorphins, serotonin, enkephalins, γ-aminobutyric acid, norepinephrine and dopamine,” which can help to heal the patient.
By stimulating the body’s nerves, acupuncture needles send signals to the brain, which releases neural hormones that can make the patient feel happy, and reduce their pain. It’s thought that acupuncture doesn’t directly release feel-good chemicals, but instead works at a broader level, stimulating organs such as the pituitary gland, which produces extra hormones.
Other studies have shown that acupuncture decreases proinflammatory markers such as IL-1β and TNF, which reduces inflammation and pain. A common example of a proinflammatory marker in acupuncture is below the knee, which when targeted, can reduce inflammation across the entire body, as well as increase energy levels, and strengthen the immune system.
When using acupuncture to treat nerve damage, it’s believed that the needle sends signals to the brain that tell it to grow and repair nerves, which leads to nerve regeneration. When used in conjunction with fertility treatments, acupuncture has shown to increase the effectiveness of hormone-increasing drugs, with a better balance of hormones, and an improved chance of the patient becoming pregnant2.
To get the best and safest treatment, you’ll need to find an acupuncturist who is fully qualified and accredited, and because ANTA has strict criteria for practitioner membership, the easiest way to do this is to search our acupuncture directory. You can search directly using the form at the top of this page.
If you’d still like to find an acupuncture clinic yourself, these are the things that you should be considering while searching.
Acupuncturists must have national, formally-recognised accreditation, be registered with AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), and carry malpractice insurance.
Medicine changes and advances over time, and acupuncture is no exception. To receive the most effective treatment, you’ll want to find an acupuncturist who has up-to-date knowledge for their field, using the latest technique and practices to deliver treatment.
Some acupuncturists choose to specialise in certain areas, for example pain relief or weight loss. For the best treatment, you should find out the specialisations of each acupuncturist you are considering, so that they can treat you effectively.
As with any medical treatment, acupuncture must be performed in a sterilised area. Sealed, single-use needles are a legal requirement in Australia.
Acupuncture aims to treat the entire body holistically, rather than individual symptoms. Because an acupuncturist wants to take your entire health into account, your first appointment will be extensive, covering your medical history, diet, and lifestyle. They may also talk to you about your emotional health, sleep habits, sexual function, digestive function, or urinary function, depending on the nature of your complaint. The questions may seem invasive, but they’re important for the acupuncturist to provide effective treatment.
Acupuncture has been proven by science to treat a range of medical conditions, whether physical, mental, or neurological. These conditions and illnesses include:
Acupuncture works by inserting thin steel needles into the body, which starts the body’s natural healing processes, helping to heal the patient’s complaint. Where the needles are inserted in the body depends on the condition being treated, which the acupuncturist discovers during an initial consultation.
Given that acupuncture uses sharp needles, many people assume that it hurts. In fact, acupuncture usually just feels like a mild ache, or a slight tingling sensation, and many people don’t feel anything at all. If a patient feels pain, they should inform the acupuncturist.
Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles, and doesn’t hurt. A mild ache or slight tingling is all you should feel (if you feel anything at all). These sensations are considered to be positive, and show that the treatment is working.
Both acupuncture and dry needling involve the insertion of thin needles into the body. However, they’re both individual treatments with unique histories. Acupuncture has a rich 2,500 history, and aims to alleviate pain by unblocking a patient’s Qi (energy flow). Dry needling gained popularity in the last two decades, with an aim to stimulate trigger points or muscles that are causing problems.
Side effects of acupuncture are extremely rare, and usually less severe than conventional drug treatments. Potential rare side effects include bruising, soreness, light-headedness, fatigue, and emotional sensitivity (e.g. crying). Any soreness that a patient feels typically disappears within a day, but more intensive treatments can last for longer.
To prevent the chance of adverse side effects, search for a qualified and accredited practitioner from our acupuncture directory, located at the top of this page.
