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Frequently asked questions
Your first session will include a review of your general health and questions about your condition. We will likely look at your tongue (yes tongue, you read correctly!) and feel your pulse to gather information from a Traditional Chinese Medical Context.
If you come in for a musculoskeletal injury, we will carry out relevant muscle tests.
After your assessment Pauline will discuss your treatment options with you. These may include cupping therapy, electro-acupuncture and/or guasha. Once you are happy with the process your treatment will begin.
Does it hurt?
Acupuncture needles are very fine, almost hairlike. Most clients are surprised at how little they feel. The range of sensations often described are, a flick, tap, movement, to a warm spreading sensation, and sometimes deep muscle contraction (twitch response). Not all points need strong activation to get results.
Everyone experiences Acupuncture differently. Always make sure you let you're acupuncturist know if something does not feel right, often a simple repositioning is all that is required to get you feeling good.
Pauline is an ACC Treatment Provider and is a registered member of Acupuncture NZ. (https://www.acupuncture.org.nz/find-a-practitioner/?Keyword=&CityID=56&SuburbID=1129&fbclid=IwAR2FFU10pKxw6CZZIugjbEfSb_WX0xfpCSOHriiEeHbjEgA_KhEs1RwnqUw)
All Acupuncture NZ practioners have completed a minimum of four years full-time training in Acupuncture/Traditional Chinese Medicine either in NZ or overseas. Acupuncture NZ members have been accepted by ACC as Treatment providers and are bound by high professional standards and Acupuncture NZ's code of Ethics.(https://www.acupuncture.org.nz/assets/Uploads/AcNZ-Code-of-Professional-Ethics-Feb17.pdf)
Pauline completed her Pregnancy Acupuncture Internship at the Lower Hutt Hospital under Debra Betts - Author of The Essential Guide to Acupuncture in Pregnancy. For more information about Pregnancy Acupuncture head to this link.(https://acupuncture.rhizome.net.nz/acupuncture/pregnancy-childbirth/acupuncture-use-pregnancy/)
In 2019 Pauline initiated a Koha Clinic in partnership with Maraeroa Marae Health Centre. There she provided Acupuncture for ACC, Wellbeing and Acupuncture support as part of their Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) programme.
Prior to Acupuncture Pauline trained at Otago University as a Dental Therapist (Paediatric Dental Care). From 2007 she held various positions in both NZ and Australia. Her experience in Oral Health brings many transferrable skills to the Acupuncture setting.
ACC
Pauline is a registered member of Acupuncture NZ and is recognised by ACC as a Treatment Provider. Once a claim is accepted by ACC you can visit us for treamtent as part of your recovery plan.
WINZ
Those who are registered with WINZ (https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/health-and-disability/prescriptions-and-gp-costs.html)may be eligble for assistance for some of the cost of your Acupuncture treatment. You will need a referral from your GP.
Southern Cross Health Insurance
The cost of Acupuncture may be covered depending on your health plan. Please contact Southern Cross (https://www.southerncross.co.nz/society/buying-health-insurance/our-plans/wellbeing-one)to inquire about your eligibility under your policy.
Health Service Welfare Society (HSWS)
PSIS Health Care
Only for those who had policies beginning prior to 2004.
EBS Health Care (Education Benevolent Society)
This insurance covers those in the Education Sector who are a member of their Union.
The following organisations also cover all or some of the cost of acupuncture treatment for their employees: NZ Police, Air New Zealand, Kiwi Rail, and Veteran's Affairs.
Acupuncture is a safe and non-pharmalogical therapy to mangage the symptoms related to Pregnancy.
The conditions women mainly seek treatment for are:
• Nausea
• Low back and pelvic pain
• Headaches and migraine
• Heart burn, constipation, Haemmorrhoids, and varicosities
• Sleep issues
• Stress management/Anxiety after traumatic birth
• Labour preparation from 36 weeks to optimise levels of pregnancy hormones to promote cervical ripening, and beneficial fetal positioning
Pregnant mothers generally have a very positive response to Acupuncture. Cupping therapy is often provided to help with low back and hip pains experienced in the later weeks of pregnancy.
Pauline completed her Pregnancy Acupuncture Internship at the Lower Hutt Hospital (http://www.huttmaternity.org.nz/resources/hutt-hospital-services/)under world renowned Obstetric Acupuncturist Debra Betts.(https://www.facebook.com/DebraBettsObsAcu/)
If you would like to speak more to Pauline about how Acupuncture can help you and baby please click the text to get in touch.(javascript:void(0))
Acupuncture can be beneficial for a wide variety of ailments. Pauline however mainly deals with ACC injuries, Pregnancy Acupucture and Acupuncture for Wellness.
Have a condition you wish to ask us about? Leave a message via our contact form a(javascript:void(0))nd we will get back to you.
For more information about other conditions have a look at Acupuncture NZ website.(https://www.acupuncture.org.nz/what-is-acupuncture/what-conditions-can-be-treated-with-acupuncture/)
Acupuncture and Dry needling are very similar. They both use very fine needles to help trigger a healing response. Dry needling however, is limited to muscular complaints only.
Acupuncture is used for muscular complaints, and much, much more. Acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medical Theory. This theory allows us to pick points that are not always in the area that you are having pain. We can do really neat things like needle Acupoints in your hands to help your back pain.
For more information about Acupuncture please go to Acupuncture NZ website. (https://www.acupuncture.org.nz/what-is-acupuncture/)
For a list of conditions that benefit acupuncture please go to: Evidence Based Acupuncture. (https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-scientific-evidence/)
Our treatments are a blend of Traditional Eastern Philosophy and Western Medical evidence. We've mixed the Yin with the Yang. Our focus is to help you reset, recover and get you more in tune with your own body.
Zing provides a 1-1 client focus. You have your own private room, none of that behind the curtain stuff! If your complaint is of a physical nature we will do muscle tests in between acupoints to assess your response. Points are adjusted to suits your needs and level of comfort. Once all the acupoints are placed you are then able to fully relax on the table and reset. This reset time is one of the most important aspects for healing, and why our appointments are at least 45 minutes long.
Cupping, electro-acupuncture, gua sha, etc are included in your Acupuncture sessions at no extra cost if relevant to your condtion.
During cupping therapy a cup is placed on the skin and then suctioned onto the skin. At Zing we provide both traditional fire cupping and the modenr pump style cupping.
Is it safe?
Cupping is safe when performed by an appropriately trained clinician. Not everyone has the skills to provide cupping safely.
Pauline has completed a 4 year BHSc in Acupuncture and uses cupping effectively on
pregnant clients, seniors, and those with muscle aches and pains.
In our clinic cupping is most often used for issues affecting the lower back, upper back, neck and shoulders.
Pregnant mothers during their later stage of pregnancy benefit almost instantly from cupping therapy. Cupping is safe for pregnant mothers with the correct knowledge and training. Pauline has provided safe and effective Acupuncture and cupping therapy on Pregnant mums at the Lower Hutt Hospital. (http://www.huttmaternity.org.nz/resources/hutt-hospital-services/#:~:text=Acupuncture%20is%20available%20to%20treat,Acupuncture%20and%20Traditional%20Chinese%20Medicine.)
What about the marks?
The marks are common with cupping therapy, the colours range from pale pink, to red, dark purple and sometimes even brown. Cup marks tend to fade in 3-5 days, can be from 7-12+ if its your first time and you train heavily. They dont hurt, they just look intense! If you are concerned with cupping and the marks cupping therapy probably isn't for you!
Personal Clinical experience
Because I love cupping I use it often in my treatments. In my clinical experience clients find they are lot freer/mobile and report less pain after a cupping session. Pregnant mums will often remark at how quickly cupping helps their low back pain.
Evidence for effectiveness?
There is evidence from a 2015 revew (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25710765/)that cupping may provide relief for chronic neck or back pain when used alongside acupuncture. It is hard to find good quality data for cupping due to the difficulties creating a convincing placebo for it!
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