Moxibustion or ‘Moxa’ is the application of heat to acupuncture points or other areas of the body that may treat and prevent health conditions and disharmonies. The purpose being to strengthen the Blood, stimulate Qi flow, and maintain general health.

The herb Artemisia Vulgaris (Ai Ye, or mugwort, Chinese wormwood) comes in small cones or Moxa sticks these are what is lit and placed on or near the body. The sensation is warming and nourishing. Moxa is commonly used for conditions such as chronic dysentery, chronic diarrhoea, phlegm, water retention, oedema, asthma-cold type, impotence, enuresis, pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles, tendons and joints, abdominal pain, stomach pain, metrorrhagia.

Cupping is the application of a glass cup to the skin. The pressure in the cup is removed by the application of heat, so the skin and superficial muscle layer are drawn into the cup. Commonly used on the neck, back, shoulders, hips, sacrum and abdomen. Cupping warms and promotes the flow of energy, blood and lymph. This unblocks channels and treats local congestion and pain. Cupping will commonly leave stagnation or bruising ranging from red to purple - this will fade over several days depending on your bodies circulaiton.

Gua - meaning scrape and Sha - meaning petechiae, aka tiny flat red and purple spots- is a full body treatment but is most commonly used on the upper back, neck and face. The main purpose of Gua Sha is to scrape the skin to invigorate the blood flow, release heat-toxins from the superficial muscle payer and stimulate lymphatic drainage. The treatment activates points on the body stimulating an immune response which floods the area with helpful immune cells. Gua Sha commonly causes discolouration of the skin, but this is a good sign and the petechiae fades each day after the treatment.

Chinese herbal medicine can be traced back 5000 years and focuses as much on the prevention of illness as the treatment of it. Most diseases or illnesses present with a core set of recognisable signs and symptoms, but the actual presentation of a particular disease or illness may vary from person to person. For this reason, people with similar health conditions may be provided with quite different Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions. A formula you receive will be specifically formulated for your own condition. The formula is also adjusted and modified during the recovery period until the desired health outcome is achieved.

There are more than 450 substances commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine – most are of plant origin though some animal and mineral substances may also be used. Some substances that were used traditionally are no longer part of modern professional Chinese herbal medicine practice. For example, traditional remedies with extracts of endangered species have been replaced by other substances with similar actions. The Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA) supports and adheres to the CITES list of endangered species.

Diet and Lifestyle practices greatly influence health and wellbeing. Chinese Medicine dietary therapy follows not only the type of food but the energetic quality of foods. When necessary dietary guidelines will be given.

Lifestyle suggestions will be suggested or worked out according to the individual, Chinese Medicine supports balance. Movement is important but this shouldn't be too much or too little and should be enjoyed. This presents differently in all of us and it's ok for it to constantly change depending on season, cycles and mood.