Sarah Folwell Massage Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine

19/05/2025

🌿 HAPPY NATURAL MEDICINE WEEK 💚

This is a time to spotlight the incredible work natural medicine practitioners do across Australia.

This is also a time to congratulate yourself for making the time to support your health and wellbeing every time you come in for a treatment.

Let’s unite to raise awareness and celebrate the holistic health outcomes natural therapies deliver every day.

29/11/2024

Amazing weekend with David Hartman doing a deep dive into Acupuncture Point Protocols for Mental Emotional disorders. Big thanks to David for his open thoughtful discussions, and to China Books Sydney for organising 🙏

07/03/2024

Looking for some helpful reminders of how to improve your health and wellbeing ?

ATMS have produced an eBook compiled from articles of their members. It is available to you free at

Want to boost your health and wellbeing naturally? Check out our FREE e-book for 10 ways to improve your health and wellbeing A detailed lifestyle guide to how natural medicine can support you . Download e-book now The Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS), who represent thousands of accred...

16/01/2022

30/06/2021

Enjoyed learning about just how amazing our Autonomic Nervous System is at the lovely Conny Pulvermacher’s ”The TMJ and the Autonomic Nervous System” last week.
Do you have TMJ issues? Jaw clenching? Did you know that only 10% of these issues are structural, the rest are related to “stress”.
Contact me for a chat about how this protocol comprised of Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release techniques may gently relieve your Jaw symptoms and increase relaxation.

11/05/2020

What an adjustment these last months have been for all of us! Although there have been many changes to the way we live our daily lives, hopefully you are all safe and well and enjoying some quality time with your immediate families.

Although Remedial Massage services were initially paused across the country, the NSW Government has recently announced that Remedial/Therapeutic Massage services are now OPEN! Traditional Chinese Medicine is an AHPRA registered profession and has been considered an essential service throughout the pandemic.

This being said, unfortunately I am unable to return to the lovely clinic space at Lane Cove Chiropractic Centre until Social Distancing regulations are eased. Like many of you, I am also home schooling my son. As they begin to reintroduce face to face teaching in schools, I will become more available to consider my options regarding my return to work.

Bearing all of this is in mind in this constantly changing climate, it is very hard for me to set a date for this return. Hopefully in June I will be offering treatments again on Tuesdays and possibly every second Saturday. If in June, I am unable to operate out of the existing clinic space at Lane Cove Chiropractic Centre, then I will endeavour to find a temporary room until such time as it is appropriate for business to resume at the centre. As May ends I will update you all, hopefully with times and a location where we can meet again to continue your treatments.

When I do open my doors again, be assured I will ensure that I am doing everything I can to keep you safe during your visit. Routine cleaning of surfaces, infection control procedures, screening for unwell clients and social distancing guidelines will all be strictly adhered to.

I am looking forward to catching up with you all and continuing to support you on your journey to wellbeing. Please feel free to contact me anytime, with any questions or just for a chat :-)

17/04/2020

I hope that you and your family are well, and are coping with the many changes during this challenging time.

In this post, I would like to touch base with you about how this current situation will impact our treatments at Lane Cove Chiropractic Centre.

REMEDIAL MASSAGE AND ACUPUNCTURE SERVICES HAVE BEEN PAUSED SINCE THE END OF MARCH.

Unfortunately all appointments for the month of April will be cancelled, and no treatments will be available until further notice.

At the end of April, I will be reassessing and updating you on the plan moving forwards. In the meantime I am available for phone calls regarding any aches and pains.

I still wish to be available to support your well-being, and so will now be offering Telehealth via phone and online consults.

Though I cannot offer Remedial Massage and Acupuncture in a Telehealth context, I can support you with Chinese Herbal Medicine Consults, including insights into Chinese Medicine Dietary guidelines- so important in a time where staying healthy and supporting our immune system is paramount!

How Telehealth will work: you can make an appointment by texting me, and at your appointment time follow a link that will be emailed to you. Alternatively, I can contact you over the phone. All herbal products (granules, capsules, etc) will be mailed directly to you. I only use companies who comply with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). At this stage there are no rebates from private health funds for your online/phone consult. This may change in the near future.

Don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss this option further, or with any other questions.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones in these crazy times!

Warm regards,

Sarah

23/03/2020

An amazing 3 days spent learning how to better support pregnant women through their pregnancy and beyond. A beautiful shared learning experience with Acupuncturists, Midwives, Doulas and Obstetricians.

Claudia Citkovic’s course “The Master Toolbox: Acupuncture, Bodywork, Auriculotherapy and Lifestyle Homework for Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum Care” was inspiring.

Did you know that Acupuncture is used in hospitals all over the world to support women through their pregnancy and labour? Whilst that care is not available in hospitals here in Australia, your local Acupuncturist is! Sarah has many years experience in treating pregnant women, to have a chat about how Traditional Chinese Medicine may help you feel free to contact Sarah here at Lane Cove Chiropractic Centre.

19/08/2019

Prebirth Acupuncture with Sarah Folwell

Prebirth Acupuncture refers to a series of Acupuncture treatments (generally 4 treatments performed once p/week commencing at 35 weeks). These treatments focus on preparing women physically and psychologically for childbirth, and also aim to address discomforts they may be experiencing.
Acupuncture in pregnancy generally involves a minimal number of Acupoints, applied either sidelying or seated.

It is known that women seek out Acupuncture treatment for a wide range of pregnancy related complaints such as: Back or Pelvic pain, Depression, Insominia, Breech Presentation and more.
In fact, in other countries, women are able to receive acupuncture treatment from midwives within hospital clinics.

One study performed by prominent New Zealand Midwife and Acupuncturist Debra Betts concluded that women that received Pre Birth Acupuncture observed
- 35% reduction in medical inductions
- 31% reduction in the rate of epidurals used
- 32% reduction in emergency Caesarian delivery
- 9% increase in normal vaginal birth

This observational study mirrors the feedback given by midwives that Prebirth Acupuncture provides promising therapeutic benefits in assisting women to have normal vaginal births.

There is also research demonstrating that there is no increased incidence of adverse events when receiving Acupuncture in pregnancy.

Pregnant? Find out if Acupuncture can help you!

Sarah is also a Remedial Massage Therapist, with many years experience in Pregnancy Massage.

References:

- Park J et al. The Sasfety of Acupuncture during Pregnancy: a systematic review. Acupunct Med2014;32(3):257-66 https://www.ncbi.nih.gov/pubmed/2554789
- Clarkson C et al. Adverse Event reporting in studies of penetrating Acupuncture during pregnancy: a systematic review 2015 https://www.ncbi.nih.gov/punned/25603694
- Betts. D, Mcmullan. J, &Walker. L (2016). The use of Maternity Acupuncture within New Zealand public Hospital: Integration within an Outpatient Clinic. New Zealand College of Midwives Journal, 52, 45-49.
- Mortenson. L, Kvist LJ, Hermansson E. A National Study of how Acupuncture is currently used in Midwifery Care at Swedish Maternity units. Midwifery 2011;27(1):87e92.
- Betts. D, Lennox. S (2006) Acupuncture for Prebirth treatment: An Observational Study of its use in Midwifery Practice. Medical Acupuncture Vol. 17 #3. May 2006

31/03/2019

Depression in Pregnancy.

Research shows that pregnant women suffering from depression in pregnancy are willing to try acupuncture and reported cumulative and ongoing relief from their symptoms.

See the below Western Sydney University study by Simone Ormsby...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29153273

Did you know Depression is just one symptom in Pregnancy that Acupuncture may help. I have experience treating Pregnant women with Insomnia, Reflux, Anxiety, Nausea and Vomiting, and more!

Women Birth. 2018 Dec;31(6):469-478. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2017.10.009. Epub 2017 Nov 15. Randomized Controlled Trial

25/03/2019

Acupressure for Childbirth and Labour.

Did you know that Acupressure can be used in labour and may increase the efficiency of your labour, and may help with pain relief?

If your interested, i'm happy to share tips and a handy guide.

See the below blog by Childbirth Educator Debby Amis to read how acupressure (and specific complementary medicine strategies) reduced epidurals and Cesarians in Kate Levetts research through University of Western Sydney...

https://thefamilyway.com/general/reduce-epidurals-65-cesareans-44/

How to Reduce Epidurals by 65% and Cesareans by 44% by Debby Amis | Jul 26, 2017 | General | 0 comments It has been about a year since a study out of Australia about childbirth education generated news reports around the world. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), researchers at Western Sydney Un...

25/03/2019

Acupuncture for Period Pain.

If this affects you, you may be interested in having a look at this menstrual pain study by Mike Armour, now a post doctoral researcher at Western Sydney University's National Institute of Complementary Medicine...

https://www.noted.co.nz/health/health/acupuncture-treatment-for-period-endometriosis-pain/?fbclid=IwAR1lEw4mEYm7l7BPRLkJeg7iBb10jdJk_Nqz8xZ26n5LXV1CMSCOff4OOK0

Chinese gynaecologists were using acupuncture to treat period pain 400 years ago. Now researchers are looking into whether it should go mainstream.