The Balance Method, developed by Dr. Richard Tan, is a highly systematic acupuncture approach that uses specific mirroring and balancing principles to produce rapid and reliable pain relief. Dr. Yang has trained extensively in this system and uses it alongside classical acupuncture for patients presenting with pain of any kind — from acute sports injuries to long-standing chronic pain that has resisted other treatments. This page explains the Balance Method, how it works, and why it produces results that sometimes seem surprisingly fast.
What the Balance Method Offers Patients
- ✔ Rapid pain relief — often within minutes of needling, tested while needles are in place
- ✔ Treats pain at a distance from the site of the problem — no local needling required
- ✔ Highly systematic and predictable — point selection follows clear anatomical logic
- ✔ Particularly effective for acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain
- ✔ Can treat multiple pain sites in a single session
- ✔ Works even in post-surgical areas or areas where direct needling is not possible
- ✔ Immediate feedback allows the practitioner to adjust and optimise within the session
- ✔ Can be combined with conventional acupuncture for comprehensive treatment
The Logic Behind the Balance Method
The Balance Method works on the principle that the body is organised into interconnected channels that run in pairs. When one channel is blocked or causing pain, its mirror channel — often on a different limb — can be used to restore balance. Dr. Tan developed a series of specific strategies for finding and using these mirror relationships reliably. Crucially, the method includes a built-in feedback mechanism: the practitioner needles the mirror points and then asks the patient to move and assess their pain immediately. If the pain has not reduced, the practitioner adjusts the needle position or adds additional mirror points until a significant reduction is achieved — in the session, not at a later appointment. This immediate feedback loop makes the Balance Method one of the most efficient pain treatment systems in acupuncture.
Key Takeaway: The Balance Method’s built-in feedback system means that every session produces a clear result — either the pain reduces, which confirms the strategy is correct, or it doesn’t, which tells the practitioner to adjust. There is no guessing.
What to Expect Over Treatment
- • Full assessment to identify the correct balance strategy for your pain pattern
- • First session includes immediate pain feedback — you will be asked to move and rate pain
- • Strategy adjusted until a meaningful response is achieved
- • Continued sessions to build on initial pain reduction
- • Strategy refined as your condition changes and improves
- • Most patients report meaningful cumulative improvement by this stage
- • Frequency reduced as pain stabilises
- • Maintenance sessions to prevent recurrence
- • Self-care guidance for managing between appointments
Our practitioners at Nature’s Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic in Belmont are registered with AHPRA. Most private health funds cover acupuncture — check your HICAPS extras cover.
What the Research Shows
Journal of Chinese Medicine 2015
Systematic application of Balance Method principles produced significant pain reduction across musculoskeletal conditions in a clinical case series
Evidence-Based Complementary Medicine 2019
Protocols using immediate in-session feedback showed faster and more consistent outcomes compared to standard point selection without feedback
Acupuncture in Medicine 2022
Distal point approaches including Balance Method produced equivalent or superior acute pain relief compared to conventional local needling
Clinical Audit — Balance Method Practice
Dr. Tan’s Balance Method training programs have been adopted by major hospital integrative medicine departments in the US, UK, and Australia, reflecting its clinical credibility
Do’s and Don’ts
Do
- ✅ Tell your practitioner exactly where the pain is and what makes it better or worse — precision matters in the Balance Method
- ✅ Move the painful area when asked during the session — this is how the feedback system works
- ✅ Report changes honestly — if pain has only reduced slightly, say so; the practitioner will adjust
- ✅ Wear loose clothing so arms and legs can be accessed for mirror points
- ✅ Continue reporting changes between sessions — the cumulative picture helps refine the strategy
Don’t
- ❌ Don’t be surprised if needles go nowhere near your pain — this is the whole point of the Balance Method
- ❌ Don’t compare your point selection to another patient’s — every pain pattern uses different mirror strategies
- ❌ Don’t stop after the first session if you got only partial relief — building the response takes multiple sessions
- ❌ Don’t ignore changes between sessions — improvements that begin after treatment sometimes continue building for 24–48 hours
- ❌ Don’t hesitate to ask what is happening — your practitioner should be able to explain the mirror logic being used
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Balance Method?
It is an acupuncture system developed by Dr. Richard Tan that uses precise mirroring relationships between body channels to treat pain from a distance. Points are selected on limbs opposite or corresponding to the site of pain, and feedback is tested immediately during the session.
How quickly should I feel results?
Many patients notice significant pain reduction within the first 1–3 sessions. Acute pain often responds in the first session. Chronic pain that has been present for years typically takes 6–10 sessions for lasting improvement, though improvement usually begins within the first few appointments.
Is it suitable for all types of pain?
The Balance Method is best suited to musculoskeletal pain — joints, muscles, spine, and nerve pain. It is also used for headaches and some internal organ pain. Purely inflammatory conditions (like active gout or fresh injuries) may need initial rest and anti-inflammatory management before Balance Method treatment is most effective.
Does Dr. Yang use this for all patients?
No — the Balance Method is one of several acupuncture systems Dr. Yang uses. It is selected when pain is the primary complaint and the Balance Method strategy is the most direct approach. Some patients benefit from a combination of Balance Method and other classical acupuncture techniques.
How is this different from Master Tung’s acupuncture?
Both use distal points rather than local needling, but they come from different classical traditions and use different point sets and theoretical frameworks. Master Tung’s is a family lineage system; the Balance Method is Dr. Tan’s synthesis of classical principles. Dr. Yang is trained in both and uses whichever — or both — suits the presentation.