Traditional Chinese Medicine · Tenby Point
Trusted Acupuncture for Pain in Bass Coast, VIC
Acupuncture for back, neck and shoulder, knee, arthritis and sciatica pain, drawing on 25+ years of Traditional Chinese Medicine expertise.
You’ve already tried the obvious things: heat packs, a course of physio, painkillers that take the edge off and then wear away. If your back, neck, knee or hip is still sore after all that, acupuncture for pain is worth a look. It’s one of the treatments Brigitte offers at her Tenby Point clinic.
Brigitte Linder has spent more than 25 years easing exactly this kind of pain. She won’t rush you onto the table. She takes the time to understand how the pain started, how it moves, and what’s happening with your sleep and stress alongside it, because in Chinese Medicine the pain is treated as part of the whole picture, not a spot to be poked.
And if needles make you uneasy, the style Brigitte uses places most of them below the elbows and knees rather than in the sore spot itself, which is part of why even first-timers and needle-shy patients tend to settle quickly.
What Kind of Pain Are You Dealing With?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest and best-studied approaches for musculoskeletal and nerve pain. It’s often used for:
Back pain that flares after work in the garden, on the farm or at a desk, and won't settle with rest.
Neck and shoulder tightness that keeps creeping back.
Knee or hip pain from age-related wear that's changing how you move.
Sciatica or nerve pain that runs down your leg.
Arthritis that leaves you stiff and sore, worst first thing in the morning.
When conventional medicine hasn’t helped, that’s the point to try something different.
Focused treatments for the pain you came in with
Acupuncture Treatment
This is the general starting point when your pain doesn’t fit a neat label, or when more than one thing is going on at once. Brigitte reads the whole pattern, then places fine needles to ease tension, calm irritated nerves, and get blood moving through the sore area. Many people notice they leave more relaxed than when they walked in.
Acupuncture for Back Pain
Lower back pain is the single most common reason people come for treatment. Rest and heat help for a day, then it tightens up again the moment you bend, lift or sit too long. Acupuncture helps release the muscles guarding the spine and calm the nerves feeding the area, so the back can move more freely.
Acupuncture for Neck & Shoulder Pain
Desk work, driving and phones all pull the head forward, and the neck and shoulders pay for it. Brigitte works the tight bands through the upper back and neck, often using points on the hands and forearms rather than the sore area itself, to ease stiffness and the headaches that start at the base of the skull.
Acupuncture for Knee Pain
When a knee starts to ache on the stairs or after a walk, it’s easy to just do less, but it’s a vicious cycle: doing less is how the rest of you stiffens up too. Acupuncture can calm pain and swelling around a worn or overworked knee, so you can keep moving while it settles.
Acupuncture for Arthritis
Arthritis affects many on the Bass Coast, and stiff, achy mornings feel better when you keep your joints moving. Alongside your GP’s care, acupuncture may manage joint pain and stiffness as part of an ongoing plan, easing flare-ups and helping you stay active between them.
Acupuncture for Sciatica
Sharp pain from the lower back down through the buttock and leg is sciatica, and it can make sitting, driving and sleeping miserable. Acupuncture is a common approach for easing that referred leg pain and releasing the muscles pressing on the nerve.
The Bass Coast population is older than most regions, with a median age around 50, and towns like Cowes report arthritis at close to double the state average. Brigitte’s clinic sits at Tenby Point, an easy drive from Phillip Island, Wonthaggi, Grantville, Corinella and the Waterline towns, and many patients happily make the 30-minute trip from Cowes to get experienced care in the idyllic natural surrounds.
A lot of what makes the difference here isn't the needles
It’s who’s holding them.
25+ years in practice
Brigitte is an AHPRA-registered Chinese medicine practitioner with a Master of Research and a PhD in progress at Western Sydney University.
Gentle by design
Most needles go in below the elbows and knees, not the sore spot, which suits nervous and first-time patients.
A plan you can actually keep
We work out how often you come in with you and adjust as you go, not fixed in advance.
Happy to work alongside your GP, physio or chiropractor
Acupuncture fits comfortably alongside the care you’re already getting.
AHPRA-registered, so you can claim on your private health extras
Brigitte is also a TAC and WorkSafe provider.
The things people usually ask
Does acupuncture actually work for pain?
It's one of the better-studied areas of acupuncture. Independent reviews of chronic back, neck, joint and headache pain have found effects that researchers say can't be explained by placebo alone. No honest practitioner promises a fixed result, though. Brigitte will tell you early on if she thinks acupuncture can help your particular pain, and if she doesn't think it's the right fit, she'll say so.
Does it hurt?
For most people, not much. Acupuncture needles are hair-fine, nothing like a needle for an injection or a blood test. You might feel a small prick as one goes in, then a dull, heavy or warm feeling around the point, which is normal and usually fades. If you're needle-shy, tell Brigitte, and she'll use fewer needles and keep you covered and comfortable.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the problem and how long you've had it. Something acute can settle in a few sessions a week or so apart, while pain you've carried for years usually takes longer and then spaces out. Brigitte works to a plan you can manage rather than a set package, and she'll be upfront about what she expects as you go.
Can I claim it on private health, and do you take TAC or WorkCover?
Yes, in most cases. Because Brigitte is AHPRA-registered, private health funds that include acupuncture let you claim part of the fee back. Check your extras level for the exact amount. She's also a registered TAC and WorkSafe provider, so ask when you book if your pain relates to a transport or workplace injury.
Can I keep seeing my physio or chiropractor at the same time?
Yes. Acupuncture sits well alongside physio, chiropractic, osteopathy or remedial massage and your GP's care, and Brigitte often treats people who are doing all of the above. One tip: leave a day or two between hands-on treatments so you're not doubling up on the same area. She won't ask you to stop anything that's helping.
Ready to Book?
You’ve waited long enough to feel more like yourself. Booking takes a couple of minutes online, or you can call for a quick chat first to see if acupuncture’s a good fit for your pain. Brigitte treats from her quiet Tenby Point clinic, an easy drive from across the Bass Coast and Phillip Island.