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.
The body is made up of numerous and complex systems that work together to keep you healthy and functional. However, while acupuncture does appear to help in the treatment of some conditions, the theory of acupuncture is not able to be explained by current medical science. This is why it is considered to be a complementary therapy.
Having said that, studies have shown that acupuncture can address a range of issues, including:
In recent years, Dominic and Gabriel Lu found acupuncture is capable of stimulating a key feature of the body’s biomechanical processes. These are known as neurohormonal pathways.
By stimulating these processes, they discovered that acupuncture can assist with releasing chemicals including serotonin, endorphins, dopamine, enkephalins, norepinephrine and y-aminobutyric acid, which can all help with the body’s healing process.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of hair-thin needles to stimulate certain points on a client’s body. Because they are so fine, the process is usually painless.
As many as 20 needles may be used in one session, and once the needles are inserted, they will be left in place while you lie still. The needles may also be wobbled or turned by your practitioner as part of the treatment. They usually remain in place for 25 to 40 minutes, depending on a client’s sensitivity. The needles will be removed at the end of the session.
It is imperative that you choose an acupuncturist who has the required accreditation and qualifications. At ANTA, we impose strict guidelines on our practitioner members, so our acupuncture directory is the ideal way of sourcing an acupuncturist who meets our standards.
If you are looking for Chinese acupuncture in Perth and would like to find your own acupuncture clinic, there are a number of things you should take into account. These include:
Practitioners are required to have relevant malpractice insurance, AHPRA registration, and formal and standardised accreditation.
The area of medicine is constantly evolving, whether it is in the area of Chinese or Western medicine. And the area of acupuncture is the same. To find the most suitable treatment for you, it’s important to seek out a practitioner who has up-to-date clinical skills and contemporary knowledge of the principles in their chosen field.
Just like those involved in Western medicine, acupuncturists often specialise in certain areas such as fertility issues or pain relief. When researching specialist acupuncture treatment, it is worth searching our directory for a practitioner that suits your individual needs.
All medical treatments should be performed in a sterilised environment, and acupuncture is no different. Some of the procedures your practitioner will instigate include the premises having adequate handwashing facilities and sharps disposal containers, and using sealed, single-use needles, which is a legal requirement in Australia.
Acupuncture is a holistic treatment that aims to heal your entire body, rather than individual health issues. Hence, your acupuncturist will aim to gain a clear understanding of your overall wellbeing, which will typically involve a physical exam and an extensive discussion regarding your health history and issues.
The first visit will usually take about one hour including the treatment time (in some more complicated cases may last over one and half hour). In the subsequent visit, acupuncture treatment lasts 25 to 40 minutes or so. A combination treatment session generally lasts at least 60 minutes.
The beneficial reaction usually starts during the first four or five visits, although you may feel better straight away even just after your first visit.
The diagnostic methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine include mainly the four techniques of diagnosis — inquiring and listening and inspection and pulse-taking — however this will depend on your practitioner. These techniques may include:
They will ask questions relating to:
This can include:
You may then be given acupuncture treatment or combination treatment with acupressure, cupping therapy or other therapies. Some practitioners may also prescribe Chinese herbal medicines for you based on your diagnosis.
Depending on your health issues, your practitioner may also offer dietary and lifestyle advice, breathing exercises for certain conditions, or physical exercise for pain or injury management.
Many people associate needles with pain, however, acupuncture is a relatively painless form of therapy. Typically, the sensations are limited to a slight tingling feeling at the site of the needle or, at worst, a mild ache.
Acupuncture is designed to redirect your body’s life force Qi (pronounced chee) which travels along 12 to 14 pathways (known as meridians). This helps to solve imbalances in your overall biomechanical system.
Dry needling is an amalgamation of Western medical principles and acupuncture. It involves the use of needles to target trigger points in muscles to relieve pain and muscle tightness. It is most often performed by physiotherapists.
Side effects from acupuncture are extremely rare, but can include fatigue, soreness, bruising, emotional sensitivity and light-headedness. If you do experience any soreness, it will typically disappear within a day, although sometimes soreness from more intensive treatments can last for longer. Engaging with an accredited and qualified practitioner will prevent the chance of adverse side effects. For more information on Perth holistic acupuncture clinics, search our acupuncture directory which is located at the top of this page.
