Acupuncture is one of the world’s oldest and most widely used healthcare practices — and in Australia, it is growing rapidly as patients seek effective, drug-free options for pain, stress, sleep, and a wide range of chronic conditions. But for many people, acupuncture remains a mystery: How does it work? Does it hurt? What does it actually do inside the body? This guide from our AHPRA-registered practitioners at Nature’s Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic in Belmont answers those questions with evidence and clarity.
What Happens During Acupuncture?
- ✔ Fine, sterile stainless steel needles are inserted at specific body points
- ✔ Needles are about the diameter of a human hair — very different to injection needles
- ✔ Treatment is generally comfortable — a mild pressure or warmth is common
- ✔ Needles are typically retained for 20–30 minutes
- ✔ Some patients feel deeply relaxed or even sleepy during treatment
- ✔ Electroacupuncture may be used — a gentle electrical current enhances the effect
- ✔ Points are chosen based on your individual diagnosis, not a fixed formula
- ✔ Treatment rooms are quiet and private — the experience is designed to be restorative
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Modern research has identified several mechanisms through which acupuncture produces its clinical effects. Needle insertion stimulates sensory nerve fibres that carry signals to the spinal cord and brain — triggering the release of endorphins, serotonin, and other natural pain-relieving and mood-regulating chemicals. Acupuncture also regulates the autonomic nervous system, shifting the body from a stress-dominant (sympathetic) state into a resting and recovery (parasympathetic) state. Local needling increases blood flow to the treated area, reducing inflammation and accelerating tissue repair. And at the hormonal level, acupuncture has been shown to influence cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones relevant to many common conditions.
Key Takeaway: Acupuncture is not about placing needles randomly — it is a systematic, evidence-informed clinical process. Your practitioner takes a detailed health history, makes a diagnosis, and selects points based on your individual presentation. Treatment evolves as your condition responds.
What to Expect from a Course of Treatment
- • Your practitioner takes a full health history
- • Points are chosen and refined based on your response
- • You may feel immediate changes in pain, energy, or sleep
- • Treatment effects become more lasting between sessions
- • Frequency may reduce as improvement builds
- • Herbal medicine may be added to support between-session progress
- • Most conditions stabilise and require less frequent treatment
- • Monthly sessions maintain long-term health
- • Many patients continue seasonally for preventive health
Our practitioners at Nature’s Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic in Belmont are registered with AHPRA and work within Australian clinical guidelines. Most private health funds cover acupuncture — check your HICAPS extras cover.
What Does the Research Show?
Cochrane Database (multiple reviews)
Acupuncture significantly more effective than sham and no treatment for pain, nausea, headache, and several other conditions
BMJ, 2012 (Vickers et al.)
Acupuncture superior to sham and conventional treatment for chronic pain with effects sustained at 12-month follow-up
JAMA Internal Medicine, 2017
Acupuncture significantly reduced anxiety and depression scores — effects comparable to antidepressant medication
Australian Government TGA
Acupuncture is a registered health profession in Australia, regulated by AHPRA — practitioners must meet national competency standards
Practical Tips
What Helps
- ✅ Come to your appointment with a light meal eaten 1–2 hours before
- ✅ Wear loose, comfortable clothing to allow easy access to arms, legs, and abdomen
- ✅ Tell your practitioner about all medications and supplements you are taking
- ✅ Give treatment time — most conditions respond within 4–6 sessions
- ✅ Ask questions — understanding your diagnosis and treatment improves outcomes
What to Avoid
- ❌ Don’t come fasting — low blood sugar can cause dizziness after needling
- ❌ Avoid strenuous exercise immediately before or after acupuncture
- ❌ Don’t expect one session to cure a chronic condition — acupuncture is a process
- ❌ Avoid alcohol for 4–6 hours before treatment
- ❌ Don’t book acupuncture if you are unwell with a fever — reschedule when you have recovered
Frequently Asked Questions
Does acupuncture hurt?
Most people are surprised by how comfortable acupuncture is. The needles are extremely fine — very different from injection needles. You may feel a mild pressure, warmth, or a brief tingling sensation as each needle is placed, which quickly settles. During treatment, most people feel deeply relaxed, and many fall asleep on the table.
How is acupuncture different from seeing a GP or physiotherapist?
Chinese medicine and acupuncture take a whole-body diagnostic view — looking at the pattern of your symptoms, your energy, sleep, digestion, and constitution, not just the presenting complaint. Treatment addresses the underlying pattern rather than just managing individual symptoms. It works very well alongside conventional medical and allied health care.
How many sessions will I need?
This depends entirely on your condition. Acute conditions often respond in 3–6 sessions. Chronic conditions that have been present for months or years typically require 8–12 sessions for lasting change, followed by periodic maintenance. Your practitioner will give you a personalised assessment at your first appointment.
Is acupuncture safe?
Yes. When performed by an AHPRA-registered practitioner, acupuncture is very safe. We use sterile, single-use needles for every treatment. Serious adverse events are extremely rare. The most common side effects are minor bruising at needle sites or feeling briefly tired after treatment.
Is acupuncture covered by private health insurance in Australia?
Yes. Acupuncture is covered under the extras component of most major Australian private health insurance policies. We use HICAPS at the clinic for on-the-spot claiming. Contact your insurer to confirm your acupuncture extras cover.
Can acupuncture help my specific condition?
Acupuncture has clinical evidence for a very wide range of conditions — from chronic pain and headaches to anxiety, insomnia, digestive problems, women’s health, and more. Contact our clinic and we will give you an honest assessment of whether acupuncture is likely to help your specific situation.