|
As the summer heat begins to fade, our bodies, like nature, go through a seasonal transformation. For many, this transition can bring a dip in energy, vulnerability to colds or flus, seasonal allergies, or a general feeling of imbalance. This is a key time to support and strengthen the immune system.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine offer ways to fortify your immune system naturally. As the external environment changes, these therapies help regulate internal balance, ensuring your body can adapt smoothly, stay resilient, and maintain optimal health. IMMUNITY & CHINESE MEDICINE Seasonal change, particularly the shift from summer to autumn, places a unique stress on the body. In Western medicine, this is partly due to:
From a Chinese medicine standpoint, autumn is associated with the Lungs — the organ system responsible for respiration and immune defense. In Chinese medicine, the Lung system not only governs breathing and the skin, but also plays a central role in the body’s immune system. As the air becomes cooler and drier, this Lung system becomes more vulnerable, which is why respiratory issues — like coughs, sinus congestion, or asthma — are more common in autumn. It is also considered the ideal season to strengthen the Lungs and build overall immunity in preparation for the colder months ahead. Acupuncture boosts immunity by:
In addition to acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine plays a vital role in supporting the body's internal defenses. Rather than taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach, herbal formulas are selected based on each person’s constitution, lifestyle, and symptoms. These formulas are designed not just to address existing imbalances but also to strengthen the body’s foundational systems. Importantly, Chinese herbal medicine focuses on building long-term resilience — not just fighting off illness when it appears. Many formulas used in autumn aim to gently nourish the body’s vital energy while promoting balance. ACUPUNCTURE RESEARCH UPDATE For those of us that love research, it is exciting news that the most comprehensive review of acupuncture research has recently been published, called: ‘The state of evidence in acupuncture: A review of meta analyses and systematic reviews of acupuncture evidence (update 2017-2022)’. This review builds upon the ‘Acupuncture Evidence Project’ which was published in 2016, with an additional 862 high quality studies assessed. The review confirms evidence of acupuncture’s positive effect for the following conditions:
To see the full list of conditions and to read the report: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103149
0 Comments
 SHOULDER PAIN
Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints, affecting people of all ages and activity levels. Two common contributors to shoulder pain are tight muscles and bursitis. Both conditions can lead to significant discomfort, stiffness, and restricted movement, and if left untreated, can impact daily life. While conventional treatments like medication, physical therapy, and surgery are often recommended, acupuncture provides a natural, non-invasive solution to help alleviate pain and promote healing. We often have people come to our clinic for treatment due to shoulder pain that has impacted their usual activities such as playing lawn bowls, gardening, and doing daily tasks such as hanging clothes on the line. Sleep quality also tends to suffer, with them having a difficult time finding a comfortable position to sleep or being woken by pain. SHOULDER MUSCLES The shoulder is a highly mobile joint, with muscles and tendons working together to allow a wide range of movements. When these muscles become tight or overworked, they can often lead to discomfort and pain. Tight shoulder muscles often result from:
Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that helps reduce friction between the bones, tendons, and muscles around the joints. In the shoulder, the subacromial (below the shoulder “tip”) bursa is the most commonly affected, leading to shoulder bursitis. Common causes of shoulder bursitis includes:
ACUPUNCTURE FOR SHOULDER PAIN Acupuncture is effective in treating both muscle tension and inflammatory conditions like bursitis by::
 Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that often causes pain, stiffness, and limited mobility, which can affect daily activities and reduce independence. As the cartilage in the knee joint wears away over time, bones can rub together, leading to discomfort and inflammation. While conventional treatments such as pain medication and even surgery are common, acupuncture offers a natural, drug-free alternative that may significantly reduce pain, improve function, and enhance overall quality of life for those living with knee osteoarthritis.
Some of the common symptoms of knee osteoarthritis include:
HOW ACUPUNCTURE MAY HELP Acupuncture may provide several benefits for those living with knee osteoarthritis:
WHAT TO EXPECT Acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis begins with a consultation, during which we will assess your symptoms, lifestyle, and medical history. Based on this information, we will create a customised treatment plan. We will then insert thin, single-use, sterile needles into specific acupuncture points. These points may be located around the knee, leg, or even distal points on the body (such as the arm or back - which surprises many people!) that influences knee function. Once the needles are inserted, you will rest for about 20 to 30 minutes. During this time, you may experience a tingling sensation, warmth, or relaxation - many people fall asleep. A series of treatments is typically recommended for knee osteoarthritis. ACUPUNCTURE FOR POST-OPERATIVE PAIN Sometimes surgery is a necessary approach for addressing certain health conditions - whether that be for joint issues or other health concerns, as it may offer the best chance for recovery and improved quality of life when other treatments are insufficient. Acupuncture has been shown to provide several benefits for managing post-operative pain, including:
Though acupuncture is well known for its effectiveness in treating pain conditions, what often prompts people to come to see us at Bribie Acupuncture for treatment is not the pain itself but the impact the pain has on their quality of life. Pain can stop you from enjoying your morning walks, keep you off the golf course, or prevent you from running your best time in the next race.
One of the main nerves in our legs is called the sciatic nerve which traverses from the lower back, through the buttock and down the leg. When the nerve is inflamed, pain, numbness, and/or weakness is often felt in the buttock and upper leg - in some cases the pain can travel down to the feet, down the back or side of the leg. Sciatica can literally be a big pain in the butt! It is estimated that up to 40% of people experience sciatica at some point during their lives, most commonly in people in their 40’s or 50’s, and more commonly in men than women. Sciatic pain may be constant or it may be felt as a sudden pinching sensation. Oftentimes sciatica cannot be blamed on a specific trauma - sometimes simply bending, lifting, or straining may aggravate it. Even sitting for extended periods, such as during long car rides, may be the culprit. Pain is triggered when pressure is put on the sciatic nerve such as from the spinal discs or tight muscles, or more seriously spinal disc herniation, when a portion of the spinal disc bulges out of the spinal column and pushes on the sciatic nerve, or spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal. Fortunately tight muscles or spasms are the most common cause of sciatica, which can be treated more easily. Often the root cause is a tight piriformis muscle in the buttocks, but other muscles in the lower back and pelvic region often contribute to sciatic pain. TIGHT MUSCLES & MUSCLE SPASMS Though the source of pain can sometimes be obvious, often more subtle dysfunctions in the nervous system result in neuropathic pain (nerve pain) which cannot be seen on x-rays or ultrasound scans. Oftentimes this pain involves the nerve to muscle connection where affected muscles that have become shortened/ tightened or overstretched/ loosened, physically compounds the pain due to reduced blood flow. A classic example is someone who suffers back pain after long periods of sitting: though their back muscles may of course be affected, often the muscles in their buttocks become overstretched and the muscles at the top of their thigh become overly tight (simply due to the body position while seated), and the muscles become inhibited or “switch off”, causing pain to refer to the back. Or, in the case of sciatica, the tight muscles could be pushing on the sciatic nerve. When muscles are inhibited, matters can become more complex as these muscles can feel weak and we often compensate by altering our posture, creating more dysfunction in other areas of the body, creating a domino effect. We likely all know someone who has injured their knee, then started walking with a tilted posture, and wound up also having back pain. The first step to treatment with acupuncture is an assessment of which muscles may be contributing to the condition. Once this is determined, we are able to find the points in which nerves meet those muscles, known as motor points. When an acupuncture needle is used on a motor point with an electric impulse, it creates a contraction and relaxation phase releasing tight contracted bands of muscle or tightens overstretched bands of muscle. This is like hitting a reset button. The results are immediate pain relief and improved muscle contractibility and mobility. Acupuncture has been shown to be an effective treatment for sciatica, eliminating or significantly decreasing pain and increasing quality of life. Research has shown acupuncture to be successful in treating back pain and sciatica through the following mechanisms:
6000 BCE - Sharp bone and stone instruments are discovered in China, described as ‘pieces of stone used for treating illness by pricking the body’.
198 BCE - Burial tombs, amongst other artifacts unearthed in 1973, depict a medical practice related to acupuncture meridian systems. 552 AD - Acupuncture begins its migration from China to Japan and Korea. 1368-1600 - Acupuncture becomes one of the primary care systems used in China, alongside herbs, massage, diet, and moxibustion. 1500-1700 - The Dutch East India Company introduces acupuncture to Europe. 1822 - Acupuncture suffers a decline in China. 1880 - Acupuncture is introduced in Australia during the gold rush period by Chinese gold diggers. 1949 - Following the installation of the Communist government in China, all traditional forms of medicine are re-established and encouraged, including acupuncture. 1971 - In preparation for the unprecedented visit to China by US President Nixon, a US press corps member is treated with acupuncture following an emergency appendectomy. He describes his experience in the New York Times and as a result, teams of US physicians tour China to assess acupuncture's therapeutic applications. 1979 - The World Health Organisation conducts a symposium on acupuncture in China. 1997 - The National Institute of Health in the United States declares there is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine. 2000 - Research into acupuncture as a medical treatment grows exponentially, increasing at twice the rate of research into conventional biomedicine. From 2000-2020, there have been over 13,000 studies conducted in 60 countries, including hundreds of meta-analyses. 2012 - Mandatory national registration of acupuncturists with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia, under the governance of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, a government body that manages the registration of all health practitioners. 2017 - The Acupuncture Evidence Project reviewed the effectiveness of acupuncture for 122 treatments over 14 clinical areas. Evidence of effect was found for 117 conditions, including knee osteoarthritis, lower back pain, and headache.
|
Archives
March 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed