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Five Element acupuncture uses five traditional categories to organise a view of health. Here is how to understand it and what to ask about your own plan.

Some patients come to the Freshwater clinic having read about Five Element acupuncture and wonder whether it applies to them. It is an interesting part of acupuncture tradition, and understanding what kind of idea it is will help you ask sensible questions.

What the five elements are

Five Element acupuncture organises a view of health using five traditional categories:

• wood
• fire
• earth
• metal
• water

Each category is linked within the tradition to seasons, emotions and body systems. These links belong to a traditional explanatory system. They sit in a different category from blood tests, scans or a diagnosis made by your GP.

Asking how it shapes your care

If the framework appeals to you, ask Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, how it would influence her assessment and the choices she makes in treatment. Other questions worth raising:

• How would you explain my situation in everyday language?
• What would we track to see whether the plan suits me?
• Would you combine this framework with other approaches?

Keeping the plan practical

Whatever framework is used, the conversation still needs to cover your symptoms, your goals and how you respond over time. A holistic description is most helpful when it leads to a clear plan you understand, rather than a belief that each problem traces back to a single element.

Setting a review point

Distinguish the symptom from what you would like to change, whether that is less discomfort with a task, a better understanding of the issue or knowing when to see someone else. Ask when progress will be checked and what might alter the plan.

Enjoying the history

Traditional ideas can be fascinating in their own right, and it is fine to be curious about them without treating them as scientific facts.

Curious Northern Beaches readers can ask how the five elements might feature in their sessions at Freshwater, and Christine will explain it without jargon.