More and more people in Western societies, including Australia, are learning of and appreciating the many benefits of TCM, particularly acupuncture, in the treatment of various ailments. Sadly, because of the ever-increasing importance of acupuncture in modern medicine, there is an increasing number of unscrupulous organizations setting up clinics like mushrooms without the necessary permits, licenses, and certifications as to their qualifications for providing authentic TCM. I, for one, am quite hesitant about going to these clinics as it can definitely impact both my general health and my perception of TCM. So, how can we make the most out of our acupuncture session if we cannot even trust the reputation of the clinic?

One particularly effective way of mitigating this concern is by seeking a Chinese acupuncture clinic in Melbourne with good reviews only. My belief is that if there are too few people saying good things about a particular clinic, then there must really be something wrong with the clinic. Either it is not duly certified and recognised by accrediting organisations or it does a shabby job of providing acupuncture.

You see, making the most out of your acupuncture session really has to start with the establishment of the trustworthiness of the clinic. For instance, if you are actively looking for Chinese acupuncture for relaxation, it is imperative that the clinic you are considering is duly licensed and certified in the art of acupuncture for relaxation purposes. While certifications can provide us with the peace of mind regarding the validity and credibility of a TCM clinic, positive reviews also help us get a feel for what’s it like to receive treatment in such a facility.

For many individuals, only the first-hand experiences of others who have tried the service will suffice to extinguish any doubts they may have about the clinic. These experiences are often written in the feedbacks, reviews, or even comments made about the clinic. That’s why my girlfriends and I typically spend hours browsing through online community forums in search of the most rewarding experiences of acupuncture patients. We believe that by ensuring the credibility of a healthcare organisation, we can also ensure the quality of treatment that we will receive. That’s the first key step to how we can make the most out of our acupuncture session.

Secondly, it is important to learn something about acupuncture by reading. There are many books and online resources to help us gain a little more understanding about this ancient medical art. I found out that by learning something about acupuncture, the more engaging the sessions became. It’s more like reading your lessons before going to school so you’ll be better prepared to add on to the knowledge. Additionally, if there are some concepts or principles that we don’t understand during our readings, we can raise these during the actual acupuncture session itself. For example, we all know that acupuncture involves the insertion of surgical-grade needles through the skin. What many of us don’t know is why these needles have to be inserted in certain parts of the body only and not anywhere else. If we read through the texts on acupuncture, we’d discover that it has something to do with TCM practitioners call as meridians. Now, during our acupuncture session, we can then ask our acupuncturist to explain in greater detail what meridians really are. He will even show us. I know because mine did.

Third, it is equally crucial that we follow the recommendations of our acupuncturist. While it’s true that Chinese acupuncture involves piercing the body with long sharp needles, it is just a single aspect of the holistic nature of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s like this. Acupuncture unblocks any obstruction to the flow of chi – or life energy – in our body. You don’t expect to have the needle stuck in your skin forever, do you? So, there must be a way in which the recently relieved blockage or obstruction is kept that way so we will feel a lot better. To help us in this aspect, our acupuncturist will recommend a variety of medicinal plants and herbs as well as other therapeutic modalities we can perform to help augment the therapeutic benefits we obtain from acupuncture. It is through this seamless integration of acupuncture, medicinal plants and herbs, the consumption and avoidance of certain foods, and other therapeutic modalities that we are able to optimize the many benefits we reap from a single session of acupuncture.

Perhaps the most important thing we can do to make the most out of our acupuncture session is to have an open mind. I know this is quite difficult for most of us. Believe me when I say that it is like climbing a mountain without our gear. The point is that, with an open mind, we are basically helping ourselves become more receptive to the idea that acupuncture can really help. While western medicine calls this the placebo effect, I fondly call it the power of will. Let’s just say I wasn’t always a believer of TCM, especially acupuncture. But after freeing myself from the constant thought of acupuncture not working for me, things started improving. It would seem that acupuncture had been working all along. But since my mind was more preoccupied with thought of acupuncture’s ineffectiveness, there was no way I could see the positive benefits.

So, if you really want to make the most out of your acupuncture session, you’d have to have an open mind. You’d have to seek only reputable clinics, follow your acupuncturist’s instructions, and learn before you attend your sessions. These worked for me and my friends. I’m sure it will, too, for you.