• Acupuncture: manual and electro acupuncture
• Moxibustion
• Chinese herbal medicine
• Cupping
• Gua sha

• Tui Na (Chinese remedial massage)

• Dietary advice

• Lifestyle advice

• Exercise therapy: conventional (western) and eastern (Qigong and tai chi) exercises

 

Moxibustion 

• Moxibustion is the burning of the herb mugwort (or smokeless moxa compounds) to facilitate heating to stimulate the flow of qi and blood, nourish blood and maintain general health
• At Synergy Acupuncture moxibustion may be applied using a smokeless moxibustion stick, tiger warmer or moxa caps on inserted acupuncture needles
  
• Part of your treatment may involve the use of treatment with mugwort moxibustion sticks at home
  
• Moxibustion produces a pleasant heating sensation that penetrates deeply into the skin
• Moxibustion has successfully been used for many conditions; however its greatest documentation in western medicine is its effectiveness in turning breech babies

Cupping

• Cupping involves the application of plastic or glass cups to the skin with a vacuum created inside the cup to provide gentle suction. The vacuum effect of the cup creates suction that softens tissues and increases the circulation of qi, blood and fluids
• The stimulation of the skin and underlying muscles with cupping helps release muscular knots, tightness and contracture; release localised toxins; and encourages blood and lymph circulation
• There are two main types of cupping therapy:
  
  • • Sliding cupping where mild suction is used and cups are slid over lubricated skin.
      
    • Static cupping where cups are applied with mild to strong suction and left in the localised area
• Cupping can be used on most areas of the body including the neck, shoulders, back, arms, legs and abdomen
  
• Many describe the sensation of cupping as deeply warming, softening and relaxing
• After cupping you may have some temporary discoloration of your skin ranging in colour from pink to purple.  Since everyone’s condition and treatment response is unique to them the prominence of these marks is hard to predict.  This discolouration is generally not painful and will fade in 2-10 days

 Gua Sha

• Gua sha involves repeated pressured strokes over lubricated skin using a round-edged instrument such as a ceramic Chinese soup spoon
• It is primarily used on the back, neck, shoulders, buttocks and limbs
• Gua sha may result in temporary discoloration of your skin ranging from light pink to dark blue-black that usually takes 2-4 days to fade.  This does not represent capillary rupture as is present in bruising.  Although the marks on the skin look painful, they are not
• Gua sha is used for acute and chronic pain conditions, especially musculoskeletal conditions.  It is also used to prevent and treat the common cold, flu, bronchitis and asthma.