Physio Noosa

Traditional Therapies

Acupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating needles into various specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. There are several different types of acupuncture.

Traditional Acupuncture examines changes in the tissues through the prism of the meridians as well as the status of the qi, blood and fluids often referred to as fundamental substances. Acupuncture is then applied to the meridians either utilising specific acupuncture points or non specific areas where tissue changes are evident such as trigger points. The clinical reasoning process includes information derived from theoretical constructs that is the basis of Oriental Medicine.

Dry Needling involves needling to altered or dysfunctional tissues in order to improve or restore function. This may include needling of myofascial trigger points, periosteum and other soft tissues.

Western Acupuncture utilises meridian points but applies it to 'western' reasoning with particular consideration to relevant neurophysiology and anatomy. It does not utilise any traditional Chinese medicine assessment methods or paradigms. Points are stimulated to create local, spinal segmental or supraspinal pain modulating effects.

Physiotherapists may choose to practice using any one of the forms of acupuncture needling or may possess the skills to utilise the various forms in combination. Utilisation of any of the needling techniques by physiotherapists is employed within the scope of physiotherapy and as part of an overall management approach.

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Cupping

Cupping is an ancient oriental technique that is very sedative to the mind and therapeutic to the body. Cupping Therapy has been found to affect the body up to four inches into its underlying tissues. This occurs by using suction and negative pressure. Cupping therapy facilitates lymphatic drainage, draining excess fluids, toxins, loosening adhesions, lifting connective tissue, bringing blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles and stimulating the peripheral nervous system. Cupping intensifies the therapeutic aspects of current treatments and its effects are subtle, yet very powerful. Cupping therapy also provides an amazing deep tissue massage. Massage cupping can be used on broad areas of the back to breakup stagnated waste and stubborn adhesions. Cupping is not only beneficial for muscular pains, it can also be used to treat a number of conditions including general muscular tension, common colds and flu, sporting and other types of injuries, and menstrual pain. The action on the nervous system is sedating and clients will often descend into a profound state of relaxation. On a deeper therapeutic level, cupping is very beneficial for many other conditions such as high blood pressure, anxiety, fatigue, chronic headache, and neuralgia.

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Gua Sha (Spoon scraping)

Gua Sha is a healing technique used by practitioners of Traditional Medicine. It involves palpation of specific structures and cutaneous stimulation where the skin is pressured, in strokes, by a round-edged instrument such as a chinese soup spoon. Treatment results in the appearance of small red petechiae called 'sha', that will fade in several days following treatment.

In Oriental medicing, raising Sha removes blood stagnation considered pathogenic, promoting normal circulation and metabolic processes. The patient experiences relief from pain, stiffness, adhesions fever, chill, cough and nausea. Gua Sha is valuable in the prevention and treatment of acute infectious illness, upper respiratory and digestive problems, and many other acute or chronic disorders. This technique is often used in conjunction with other traditional and physiotherapy techniques.

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Traditional Therapies

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