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Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 4pm

Australian Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA), Suite 6A, 50-56 Sander Street, Upper Mount Gravatt (2025)

12/10/2025

(PART 1) As we are in Spring in Australia (September to November), let's learn about the Wood element (木 mù) from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Five Elements theory which offers a profound framework for harmonizing health with nature's cycles.

• Wood (Spring): Growth, renewal, flexibility – the focus of this post!
• Fire (Summer): Expansion, joy, peak vitality
• Earth (Late Summer/Transitions): Stability, nourishment, centring
• Metal (Autumn): Introspection, release, refinement
• Water (Winter): Rest, conservation, wisdom

With our southern hemisphere's unique rhythm—when jacarandas are blooming, warming breezes, and native wildflowers like kangaroo paw awakening—spring is a time of vibrant renewal after winter's chill and hibernation. It's perfect for shedding stagnation and embracing growth, especially with Australia's outdoor-loving culture. But watch for seasonal winds and pollen, which can stir your Liver Qi!

Key Characteristics of the Wood Element:

• Season & Direction: Spring; East Direction– symbolising new beginnings, upward expansion, and the flexibility of sapling trees bending in the wind.
• Colour & Climate: Green; Windy – think lush green Aussie landscapes coming alive!
• Emotional Aspect: Anger or frustration (imbalanced); benevolence, kindness, and decisiveness (harmonised). Imbalances may show as irritability, indecision, or emotional outbursts.
• Organs & Body Associations: Liver (Yin, governs smooth Qi and blood flow) and Gallbladder (Yang, supports courage and planning). Also linked to sinews/tendons (for flexibility), nails (strength), and eyes (vision/clarity).

Symptoms of imbalance: Tension headaches, eye strain, brittle nails, muscle stiffness, or digestive woes like IBS.

In the Australian spring season, Wood energy fuels creativity and action—ideal for hiking in national parks or beach yoga. But modern stressors (urban life) can block this flow, leading to "stuck" or stagnation of Qi energy.

Your local acupuncturist can help unblock that stuck Qi to get you feeling your best this Spring. Click to find your local acupuncturist.

09/10/2025

Today is World Mental Health Day.

Holistic ways to support your mental health can include getting regular exercise, meditating or taking time out to relax each day, getting a full night’s sleep, and acupuncture.

Acupuncture is known to regulate the nervous system, promote relaxation, and reduce stress hormones. How does it do this? When an acupuncture point is placed on your limbs, it sends a signal from your peripheral nerves to your brain. Medical research has shown this can down-regulate the sympathetic nervous system (reducing stress), and activate the parasympathetic nervous system (inducing relaxation and repair mode).

In terms of stress reduction, acupuncture has been shown to reduce elevated cortisol levels, leaving you better able to cope with the day to day stressors of life.

AACMA has thousands of qualified acupuncturists ready to look after your mental health and wellbeing. Find one now.

28/09/2025

So, you thought you might go shopping dressed for a cooler day and then they came, those waves of hot flashes and sweat. Next time you might remember to wear layers so you can furiously take a few off and mop your face while trying not to be obvious. And that brain fog! Did you leave your list at home, of course you did, so now you're cross!

Welcome to perimenopause and menopause.

Perimenopause is a normal and important phase in a woman’s life, with symptoms that overlap menopause and post menopause. While some women breeze through, many experience symptoms that affect work, home, leisure and relationships. The most common are hot flashes and night sweats, with insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, weight gain, vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence also possible. A world of fun.

These changes are driven by the loss of reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone as the ovaries age or are removed. Some women find relief with HRT, though research highlights risks for some, and not all find it suitable. Others prefer natural options.
Now for the good news. Chinese Medicine Practitioners may offer help.

Research has shown a course of acupuncture is associated with significant reduction in vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) as well as improvements in sleep and anxiety, with benefits lasting at least six months after treatment ended. https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/toc/2016/06000

Another study found acupuncture produced a fast and clinically relevant reduction in moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms during a six-week program, with no adverse effects. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023637

So, the next time you’ve had enough of ‘the change of life’, consider seeing an acupuncturist to help you get through to the other side.

22/09/2025

Migraines are not just a headache. They’re a debilitating condition involving severe head pain, nausea, light sensitivity, and disruption of day-to-day activities.

Migraines can have numerous causes, such as structural imbalances due to tight muscles, stress, hormonal fluctuations, and intolerances to foods high in amines.

Standard treatment for migraines involves medication, however, research shows that acupuncture is an excellent form of prophylactic treatment for migraine, meaning it helps to prevent migraines.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of acupuncture and pharmacotherapy for migraine prophylaxis showed that acupuncture outperformed medication in the areas of migraine frequency, number of migraine days, and a higher proportion of acupuncture patients had a reduction of more than 50% in migraine days, compared to medication patients.

Excitingly, acupuncture also reduced the duration of migraines more effectively than medication, and the effects of treatment were better sustained six months later in the acupuncture treatment groups.

Your local AACMA acupuncturist is available to support you with your migraine management.

Source: DOI: https://www.dovepress.com/efficacy-of-acupuncture-and-pharmacotherapy-for-migraine-prophylaxis-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPR

14/09/2025

Are you experiencing back pain? So are over 80% of people around the world!

Perhaps you’ve been ‘on the tools’ too long, had to crawl into awkward spaces to work, spent too long weeding the garden, or carrying the growing baby? Back pain can present in many ways and be caused by many things, making sleep hard to find or work and play less enjoyable.

Alongside exercise and good diet, you may find that your nearest Chinese Medicine practitioner or Acupuncturist can help you with your pain. Evidence suggests that Acupuncture can help to relieve both acute and chronic back pain by stimulating the nervous system to release pain-relieving chemicals like endorphins and serotonin, improving blood flow, and potentially altering the body's pain perception mechanisms. In other words, give you pain relief.

Acupuncturists have many tools they can use to assist you to get back to health and maintain it. Not only can acupuncture be helpful for back pain, but Tui Na massage, cupping (you might have seen those marks on the shoulders of swimmers or footballers) and the application of penetrating heat can also help.

However, you should remember that while one acupuncture treatment may give you some immediate relief, it’s likely you’ll need a series of treatments to ensure longer term freedom from pain and help to maintain your back’s health.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.brs.0000435025.65564.b7
DOI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23269281

10/09/2025

Sometimes “I’m fine” means “I’m exhausted”.

On R U OK? Day, it’s not just an opportunity to reach out to our friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances, it’s a chance to reflect on what it looks like when someone is not doing so well.

Depression and anxiety can manifest in many ways, including but not limited to: exhaustion, disturbed sleep, fidgeting, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite or cravings for sugary foods, and irritability.

When caring for others and ourselves, we can think about whether those symptoms are something we are noticing, and if apparent, we can then take action.

Reach out to your GP, services like Lifeline (call 13 11 14) if you need someone to talk to confidentially, or give your local AACMA acupuncturist a call to make an appointment to support your wellbeing.

A 2019 meta-analysis and systematic review found acupuncture a suitable adjunct to usual care and standard antidepressant medication for depression.

Source: DOI: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/8/8/1140

24/08/2025

Becoming a registered Chinese medicine practitioner in Australia takes dedication, including four years of study and up to 1000 hours of clinical training. AACMA represents more than 2000 qualified practitioners across the country. When you see our logo, you can trust you are receiving safe, professional care.

17/08/2025

Finding life after a stroke challenging? Many people continue to face fatigue, mobility issues or poor sleep long after the initial event. Recovery can take time, and support looks different for everyone.

There are two types of strokes. An ischaemic stroke occurs when parts of the brain are deprived of blood due to a blood clot. A haemorrhagic stroke is caused by a breakdown of a blood vessel, leading to bleeding in the brain.

Family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and diabetes are contributing factors, with men more affected than women and children.

According to the Stroke Foundation, more than 80% of strokes can be prevented by making good lifestyle choices, eating healthily, avoiding alcohol, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and getting regular health checks and blood pressure readings.

A 2022 review published in the journal Global Advances in Health and Medicine found positive recommendations on the use of acupuncture for 15 symptom areas across 11 countries, including stroke rehabilitation, dysphagia, shoulder pain, motor recovery, walking, balance, spasticity, upper limb extremity impairment, post-stroke pain, central post stroke pain, cognitive disorder, depression and sleep problems.

While prevention is always the best approach, acupuncture has been shown in some studies to assist with managing symptoms that can follow a stroke.

If you or someone you know has experienced a stroke, an AACMA acupuncturist may help support your recovery with treatment that can be integrated into your post-stroke care plan. Acupuncture may work alongside other therapies to help manage symptoms and support overall wellbeing.

10/08/2025

Dealing with joint pain that flares up when you move, then lingers long after you stop? It could be bursitis. This painful condition can make everyday activities uncomfortable, especially when caused by overuse or repetitive motion.

Bursitis is the inflammation or irritation of a bursa, often caused by injury or repetitive overuse of a joint. A bursa is a fluid-filled cushion that protects tendons as they move over bones and joints.

Depending on the location, bursitis can affect the hip (trochanteric bursitis), knee (pre-patellar bursitis), shoulder (subacromial bursitis), heel (retrocalcaneal bursitis), elbow (olecranon bursitis), or buttock (ischial bursitis).

Common symptoms include localised pain and swelling, warmth or redness over the affected area, pain that worsens with movement or at night, and stiffness or reduced joint function.

Rest is the first step in managing bursitis. Acupuncture has been shown in some studies to assist with pain and inflammation, and may help manage symptoms while supporting overall mobility. An AACMA acupuncturist can work with you on a tailored, medication-free rehabilitation approach.

03/08/2025

Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be tough. Fatigue, nerve pain, and mobility issues can turn everyday tasks into daily challenges. For many people, symptoms come and go without warning, and no two experiences are ever the same.

MS is the most common acquired chronic neurological disease in young adults, usually diagnosed between ages 20 to 40. It affects three times more women than men and occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the myelin sheath that protects the nerves, disrupting smooth and effective nerve communication.

While there’s no single cause, genetic and environmental factors are involved. In 90–95% of cases, spinal fluid shows proteins indicating an inflammatory response in the central nervous system.

Symptoms are unpredictable, vary widely, and may come and go. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, reducing relapses, and slowing progression. Pharmaceutical options are available but often come with side effects.

A 2022 literature review published in the Journal of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders found that traditional Chinese acupuncture and scalp acupuncture may help reduce relapses and improve symptoms such as fatigue, pain, gait issues, neural function and bladder dysfunction.

Acupuncture may support your existing care by helping ease certain symptoms. An AACMA acupuncturist can also support you holistically with guidance on diet, relaxation and stress management.

27/07/2025

Why should you choose an AACMA-Registered Practitioner?

When it comes to acupuncture and Chinese medicine, your health deserves the highest standard of care. To become a registered practitioner in Australia, it takes 4 years of university study and over 1,000 hours of supervised clinical training.

AACMA represents more than 2,000 highly trained practitioners across the country — all registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia. This means they’ve met rigorous national standards and must adhere to strict codes of conduct, ethics and ongoing professional development.

Booking with an AACMA member ensures you’re in safe, qualified hands. Always look for the AACMA logo - it’s your sign of professional, evidence-informed care you can trust.

20/07/2025

National Pain Week (21–27 July 2025) shines a light on chronic pain, a condition that affects millions and often lingers well beyond the normal healing period.

Unlike acute pain, which is short-lived, chronic pain persists for more than three months and can take a serious toll on physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. While opioid-based medications are commonly prescribed, they come with serious risks — including addiction.

Thankfully, effective drug-free options exist. Acupuncture is recommended by Better Health Victoria for pain relief and is supported by ongoing research for its ability to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. When combined with mo tui na (a traditional Chinese massage technique that targets acupuncture points), the results can be even more powerful.

Chinese herbal medicine is also showing promise. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found Corydalis (yan hu suo) to have strong analgesic effects.

You only have pain to lose. Book with an AACMA-registered practitioner to explore natural, evidence-informed support for chronic pain.

Australian Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA)

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Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4pm