Booking Your Appointment

All bookings can be made by calling Tara or Tash

PH (03) 9420 9118

Though the Inner East Community Health Service (IECHS) mainly services people in from the inner eastern suburbs, everyone is welcome to access the acupuncture services. We are currently practising through two locations in the IECHS.

Boroondara Community Health Centre
378 Burwood Road
Hawthorn 3122

Yarra Health Services
283 Church Street
Richmond 3121

After Booking
Please make sure you arrive 10-15 minutes before your appointment to fill out some information and your consent form. Please make sure you arrive with a stomach that is not too full, and not too empty. Otherwise you may feel slightly dizzy or light headed after your treatment.

Full fees
1 hour initial consultation - $75
45 minute return consultation - $60

Concession fees
1 hour initial consultation - $25
45 minute return consultation - $20

Concession fees include: low income health care cards, pensioner cards, student cards and senior cards. If you have a question about your concession status, please feel free to call us and discuss it: PH (03) 9420 9118

Please note we accept CASH PAYMENTS ONLY. We do not currently have eftpos or credit facilties.

What to expect

Acupuncture is a therapy based on principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Needles are inserted into the body to stimulate the energy of the body, which is known as ‘Qi’ in Chinese Medicine.

Initial acupuncture consultations involve a conversation about your condition, how it started and your overall health. Acupuncture is a holistic therapy, which means that we try to understand your condition as one aspect of your whole body.

We may also do a physical examination, including checking parts of your body, feeling your wrist pulse and looking at your tongue.

A diagnosis will be made according to traditional Chinese Medicine principles. Your acupuncture treatment will be discussed with you before we start.

A regular treatment consists of inserting a set of fine needles into the skin all around the body including limbs, abdomen, back and (sometimes) head. Patients can feel a number of sensations usually described as tingling, numbness, heaviness, or warmth in the area being needled. Some patients feel no sensation at all.

Our practitioners work gently. If you feel any discomfort, we can make adjustments until you feel more comfortable.

How long it takes

Acupuncture is usually performed on patients when they are lying down. Patients tend to stay clothed while having treatment. The needles remain in the skin for approximately 20 minutes.

Depending on your condition, an acupuncture treatment may also include cupping, heat therapy and tuina (massage).

We may also talk to you about some changes to make to your lifestyle – exercise, diet, emotional or behavioural. In some cases, we may recommend herbal supplements.

The  initial consultation will last 60 minutes. A follow up appointment will be similar, but with more focus on treatment. It will last 45 minutes.

A course of treatments depends on the severity of the condition, and how long ago it started. We expect significant change in 4-6 weeks.