Merri-bek Family Doctors is proud to offer Medical Laser Acupuncture. Conditions suitable for treatment include:
- anxiety
- depression
- PMS
- painful periods
- mild PCOS
- hot flushes
- overactive bladder
- musculo-skeletal pain (back pain, neck pain, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, etc)
- hay fever
- sinusitis
- bed-wetting
- nausea
- fatigue
- dry mouth
- scar pain
- tension headaches
- migraine
- irritable bowel syndrome
- insomnia.
The treatment involves using a laser for acupuncture therapy instead of needles. The laser light stimulates the acupuncture point or trigger point. The blunt tip of the laser is used to localise these tender points. Both needles and laser have an action at the tender area of the body, in the nerves to the brain, in the brain itself, and the nerves from the brain back to the tender area. Inflammation (which causes pain) is decreased, nerve pathways amplifying pain are turned down, and nerve pathways decreasing pain are turned up. Endorphin (the body’s own morphine) production is increased in the brain. These changes result in decreased pain. In addition acupuncture causes a decrease in stress, a common contributor to pain.
Acupuncture does not work immediately as changing the ways nerves communicate with each other via neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) takes several treatments.
Making an Appointment
Laser Medical Acupuncture at Merri-bek Family Doctors is performed by Dr Ann Watt and Dr Arete Kouteris. It is a specialised service. The initial consultation for new patients to the clinic is a double appointment. This consultation process involves a full history and assessment of the condition. Please bring relevant X-ray reports or specialist reports to this consultation. Each subsequent visit is a single appointment. Initially ten sessions are booked. The therapy can be stopped at any time. Results typically take 5-6 sessions to become evident but in some cases the effects can be felt immediately.