Frequently Asked Questions

Japanese acupuncture encompasses various styles, all emphasising touch, or palpation during assessment and treatment. The needling techniques are light and subtle. Suitable for sensitive or needle-phobic patients. Practitioners continuously monitor the body's responses, such as pulse variables, reduction of abdominal discomfort, and improvement in pain or tension, to gather feedback on treatment efficacy. 

NeoClassical acupuncture is a revolutionary, palpation-based style of acupuncture that provides immediate feedback with each needle placed. Alleviation of symptoms can be experienced within 5-20 minutes, and using very few needles - often just one! A powerful and robust style of treatment, the results get better and better with each session.

Remedial massage is a therapeutic treatment designed to address specific health issues, injuries, or musculoskeletal problems. It involves the systematic assessment and treatment of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues to promote recovery, alleviate pain, and enhance overall well-being. Techniques used in remedial massage may include deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, myo-fascial release, and stretching. This type of massage aims to identify the root cause of discomfort and tailor the treatment to the individual's needs, providing both immediate relief and long-term benefits. Remedial massage can be effective for conditions such as sports injuries, chronic pain, postural problems, and tension headaches.

There are many styles of acupuncture practised around the world, and each style employs its own needle technique and point stimulation, so there is no single answer to this question. At Sherwood Acupuncture, we mainly use the Japanese style or the NeoClassical style.

In Japanese-style acupuncture, treatments are designed to be completely painless. Needle insertions are typically very shallow or may even just touch the skin. We use high-quality Japanese needles to ensure a comfortable experience. Our techniques are gentle, subtle, and relaxing. Occasionally, you might feel a sensation of heaviness, warmth, or tingling at the needling site or along the treated meridian.

NeoClassical Acupuncture (NCA) takes a different approach, aiming to work at the deepest level to treat the underlying cause. Thicker needles provide stronger stimulation to promote a rapid response. The sensation may be intense but is usually very brief and quickly fades. 

Many patients find that acupuncture is more comfortable than remedial massage. 

Sherwood Acupuncture is the perfect choice for patients who are needle-shy, needle-averse or even needle-phobic. We have many other tools and techniques to stimulate acupuncture points. Moxibustion (heating), Gua Sha (rubbing), Shonishin (stroking), Teishin (touching) are all part of the acupuncture compendium.

We are committed to meeting you where you are at, and following your lead. You are in control, and must only consent to the treatment style you prefer. Having said that, acupuncture needles are very different to other needles used in health care. Once you are familiar with them, you may find that one day you are ready to try a new therapy.  We are with you all the way.

There are laws in Australia that forbid us from saying that acupuncture is safe. These laws apply to all health services, and recognise that every intervention carries some risk or adverse reactions or unfavourable side effects.

But you can be confident that when performed by a fully qualified and registered acupuncturist the risk of adverse outcomes is minimised. Our practitioners are highly knowledgeable about the body and skilled in placing acupuncture needles to achieve beneficial results.

We use pre-sterilised, pre-packaged, disposable, single-use needles. We adhere to a stringent code for skin penetration.

While minor side effects like bruising, tenderness, light-headedness, or fatigue may occur, they are rare. 

Moxibustion, an external herbal treatment, carries a small risk of minor burns at the treatment site.

There are no known cases of death in Australia as a result of acupuncture.

There have been a small number of cases of pneumothorax (punctured lung) recorded as being due to acupuncture. Upon further investigation, these injuries were caused by practitioners providing “Dry Needling” services. None of them by a qualified, registered Acupuncturist. 

Moxibustion is a traditional healing technique within traditional Chinese medicine. It is a form of heat therapy, involving the burning of a herb (moxa) near specific acupuncture points or areas of the body to stimulate healing and promote well-being. 

It can be used as a stand-alone treatment (instead of needles) or it may be used along with acupuncture to enhance the effect.