Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will a list of our most Frequently Asked Questions, explore to find out more about our services. Can’t find your answer? Then please don’t hesitate to contact us to ask a question.

What is the clinic address?
Shop 3 153 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights, Vic, 3218
What is the clinic phone number?
What is the clinic email address?
What are the opening hours?

The clinic is open 5 days a week

Monday                          2pm-8pm

Tuesday                         9am-8pm

Wednesday                    2pm-8pm

Thursday                       9am-8pm

Friday                            9am-2pm

Saturday                        Closed

Sunday                           Closed

How long does a consultation take?
Initial acupuncture treatment takes 60-90 minutes

Please arrive 10-15 mins before your appointment to complete our paperwork

Follow up acupuncture treatment takes 45-60 minutes

Please note: punctuality is greatly appreciated as the Australian Acupuncture Centre is a very busy clinic.

What payment options are there?
We except cash or card -with EFTPOS and creditcard payments available.

Do you have HICAPS

Yes- we will process your health fund rebate on-the-spot for you. Be sure to bring your private health fund card with you to clinic.

What is the cancellation policy?
It is recommended that you attend your appointments as scheduled. This is because missed appointments interfere with treatment outcomes and slow results.

There may be times when you need to change or cancel a scheduled appointment. Should this occur, please try to provide at least 24 hours notice as missed appointments deny others the opportunity of treatment.

Please note: a late cancellation/rescheduling fee will apply if a cancellation/rescheduling occurs on the day of a scheduled appointment and the cancelled/rescheduled time slot is not able to be filled by someone on the clinic waiting list.

Does acupuncture hurt?
This is a very popular FAQ. And the truth is that you may experience many different sensations during your acupuncture consultation including, tingling, tickling, pressure, warmth, cold, as well as dull aching, itching, pricking, burning sensations and pain.

If you feel uncomfortable at any time during treatment please let your practitioner know and they will make the appropriate adjustments. Your comfort is our primary concern.

What should I wear to my appointment?
Clean, loose-fitting cotton clothing is best
How can I make an appointment?

Appointments can be made several ways, including;

  1. Going to the “book an appointment’ tab on the website or our facebook page and follow the links
  2. By calling the clinic directly on 03 52981213  or by
  3. Dropping into the clinic and speaking to the receptionist
Will I need to take my clothes off?
Generally speaking, patients will remain clothed during their consultation.

On occasion, and only if patients are comfortable, tops may be removed or pants hitched down to allow access to the torso, waist and hips.

Patient modesty is always a high priority at the Australian Acupuncture Centre.

How many consultations will I need?
This is a great question and the answer is different from person to person. Of course, there are no guarantees but if we use a gym analogy and think about how long it takes to get fit and build muscle, we will begin to see just what is involved in getting better using acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Nobody would go to a gym thinking that they are going to get fit and grow big muscles in a single session. Everyone knows that it doesn’t matter how hard you work your biceps in your first session, they are not going to be big by the end of the day. Likewise, you are not going to be fit after that single session either. Getting results from your acupuncture consultation is much the same as going to the gym to get fit and grow big muscles: it usually takes multiple visits of over a period of time before significant and lasting results occur.

Though, one consultation fixes do occur, they are the exception not the rule and they shouldn’t be banked on. Generally speaking, you can expect to have to visit the clinic a number of times to achieve your health goals. Basically, the longer you have had your problem, or the more serious the problem is, the longer you can expect the consultation process to take. Typically, in the beginning, more frequent consultations are required. As results emerge and resolution of the underlying cause of the presenting problem approaches, consultation frequency is reduced. 

Please speak to your practitioner during your consultation to hear their thoughts on how long it will take for you to get better using acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

What can I do to get the most our of my treatment?
Stick to the prescribed schedule

Implement recommended lifestyle and dietary changes

Avoid exacerbating activities

Get quality sleep

What conditions can acupuncture help with?
The evidence for the effect of acupuncture is growing. A synopsis of a recent systematic review of all the evidence for acupuncture can be found here. The full article can be found here. Check out a brief video describing some of this evidence here.
Are all your practitioners registered?

Yes, all our Chinese medicine practitioners are registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Our senior practitioner is Paul McLeod and he is a registered acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner with AHPRA. This is a government agency responsible for overseeing registration of health professions such as nursing, dentistry, podiatry and acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Chee Yeoh is a registered acupuncturist, Chinese medicine herbalist and Chinese medicine herbal dispenser.

Please note that interns are not registered with AHPRA as they are yet to graduate. Any tasks that interns perform for you during your time with us are done under the guidance and supervision of Paul McLeod. Intern skill sets are closely monitored and constantly upgraded with weekly face-to-face teaching and regular in-house workshops run by Paul, as well as online learning activities specially designed for intern learning and development. You can be assured that interns at AAC are well prepared to perform any and all tasks they are asked to do for you.

Do you sell Chinese Herbal medicine?
Yes we do. We have several registered Chinese medicine herbalists working at the Australian Acupuncture Centre. In fact, we have a fully stocked herbal dispensary that allows us to make any formula we need. This means that no matter what your individual Chinese medicine diagnosis is, we will have the herbs needed to fill your prescription.

Please note: your prescription is not mass produced at AAC, instead each formula is tailor made for the specific requirements of each patient. That way you can be assured of getting exactly what you need.

How long has Paul been in practice?
Paul is considered a senior clinician in the Chinese medicine world, as he has been practicing since 1995 and has been involved in a process of continued education and practice ever since. Initially, Paul was a Tuina (Chinese massage) practitioner and went on to graduate as an acupuncturist in 1998.
What is the policy on children at the clinic?
AAC is a family friendly clinic, catering for the needs of the whole family. Children are welcome to attend clinic while their parents/guardians receive treatment.

However, due to health and safety concerns, as well as for the comfort of other patients, children must sit quietly and are not permitted to move about the clinic space unattended.

Children are also welcome patients at AAC. Children of existing patients are especially welcome to attend clinic as patients. Please note: It is clinic policy that a parent or guardian be present during the treatment of minors.

Personal conduct
As AAC is a multi-bed clinic, patients are asked to communicate quietly when in the waiting room and when discussing particulars of their situation with their practitioner. Patients are also asked to turn their mobile phones off or to put them on silent before entering the clinic so as not to disturb other patients.

Patients with communicable diseases, such as colds and flues, are asked to wear a protective mask and to observe regular hand washing and cough etiquette when presenting in clinic. Masks are available at the clinic and will be provided when required. Tissues are also available in the waiting room as well as in each treatment room.

About Our Services

Acupuncture
While there are many different styles of acupuncture practiced throughout the world today, the two main styles practiced at AAC are classical Japanese acupuncture & traditional Chinese acupuncture. Extensive training, industry experience and a focus on professionalism allows Paul to act as lead clinician in the treatment of a wide variety of conditions or to integrate his traditional systems of care into the heath care plans of other professionals.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a specialised branch of Traditional East Asian medicine involving the strategic application of heat to the body. It is believed to be older than the practice of acupuncture and is used around the world in public hospitals and private clinics to treat a staggering variety of common health conditions. In many cases moxibustion works very well as a stand-alone treatment but can also easily be incorporated into conventional and complimentary health care programs.
Herbal Medicine
The AAC offers a fully stocked Chinese herbal medicine dispensary. Using only the highest quality products available, our Kaiser Pharmaceutical herbal granules are simply the best.

Easy to take, these are prescription only medications and require a Chinese herbal medicine consultation (which is a comprehensive analysis of your specific and particular health profile). Once this is complete, an personalised herbal formula will be developed specially for you. Based on classical Chinese herbal medicine principles, your formula will be designed to account for your specific health care needs.

Our formulae are not mass produced. They are highly individualised and made specifically for you on site, in our dispensary, on the day of your visit.

Visit AAC for your Chinese medicine consultation and personalised herbal formula.

Here to support you and your health

Open 6 days a week with hours to suit you

Call us on 03 5298 1213

Shop 3 / 153 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights, VIC 3218

Shop 3 / 153 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights, VIC 3218

Open 5 days a week with hours to suit you

 03 5298 1213