Your questions, answered

Brunswick Health is at 1/68 Melville Road, Brunswick West VIC 3055, about six kilometres north of Melbourne's CBD. The route 58 tram runs along Melville Road — get off at stop 35 at Victoria Street — and from the city the 58 West Coburg tram leaves from William Street. Brunswick and Anstey stations on the Upfield line are a short ride away. There is street parking directly out front, and the opposite side of Melville Road is unrestricted at any hour. On the clinic's side you cannot park between 7:00am and 9:00am Monday to Friday, and that one is enforced — so for an appointment before 9:00am on a weekday, park across the road.

No. Chiropractic, physiotherapy, podiatry, massage, colonic irrigation, naturopathy and acupuncture can all be booked directly. A referral only becomes relevant if you are claiming a Medicare rebate under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, or if you are being treated under a WorkSafe, TAC or DVA claim.

Yes, and it is worth asking rather than guessing. Call (03) 9380 8099 and we will help you book the right service — reception books for all seven disciplines and knows which one usually sees your kind of problem. If you would rather write than call, the ask-a-practitioner form on this site sends your question to the relevant practitioner and you will hear back within one business day, with no obligation to book.

You are told at the assessment, and moved to whoever should be seeing you. Because chiropractors, physiotherapists, podiatrists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, colonic therapists and naturopaths all work in the same building, moving you across is a conversation between two practitioners rather than a new referral, a new waiting list and a repeat of your history.

No. Osteopathy is no longer offered at Brunswick Health. Most people who came for it see one of the chiropractors or physiotherapists instead — hands-on assessment and treatment of joint, muscle and spinal problems overlaps closely across the three — and reception can tell you which of them suits your situation. Call (03) 9380 8099 and describe the problem rather than trying to pick a discipline yourself.

Monday to Friday 8:45am to 7:00pm, and Saturday 8:45am to 4:00pm. The clinic is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Individual practitioners work their own subset of those hours, so the availability you see when booking online is that practitioner's schedule rather than the building's.

Often, particularly outside the after-work peak between 5pm and 7pm. Same-day availability depends on the discipline and the practitioner — the clinic is open six days a week with multiple practitioners in most disciplines, which is what makes short-notice appointments possible more often than not. Booking online shows real availability; calling (03) 9380 8099 is faster if you need something today.

It depends on the discipline. A first chiropractic, physiotherapy or podiatry appointment allows time for history, physical assessment, an explanation of the findings and, in most cases, treatment on the same visit. Naturopathy initial consultations run 60 minutes, or 90 for a first couples fertility consultation; colonic irrigation sessions take around an hour including preparation; and massage is booked in 30, 40 or 60-minute blocks. Arrive five minutes early on a first visit so paperwork does not eat into your appointment.

Your private health fund card if you have extras cover, so the rebate can be claimed on the spot. Bring any relevant scans, imaging reports or specialist letters, a list of medications and supplements you take, and — for podiatry or a running-related problem — the shoes you actually wear. Comfortable clothing you can move in is more useful than anything else you could bring.

Yes. Podiatry, naturopathy, colonic irrigation, myotherapy and massage all have female practitioners at the clinic, and colonic irrigation is provided by female therapists. If practitioner gender matters to you, say so when booking and reception will match you rather than leaving it to chance.

Yes to both. Children can be assessed and treated with techniques adapted to their age and size, and a parent stays in the room throughout. Adult patients are welcome to bring a partner, family member, friend or carer into the consultation room at any appointment.

Yes. Practitioners at Brunswick Health see patients under WorkSafe Victoria and TAC claims, and DVA referrals are accepted. WorkSafe and TAC are not bulk billed: you pay for the appointment on the day and we submit the invoice to your insurer for you, so the reimbursement comes back to you. Bring your claim number, the date and area of injury, and your case manager's contact details, and have the approval in place before the first visit. DVA is the exception — consultations are billed directly to DVA, so there is nothing to pay on the day. Bring your GP's DVA referral form and your card.

Call (03) 9380 8099 before booking and say what you need. Reception can tell you what access is like for the specific room your practitioner works from, arrange parking close to the door, and book you into a treatment room on the accessible side of the building. Asking beforehand takes a minute and is far better than finding out on the day.

Yes. Booking online sends you a confirmation by text message straight away, and Brunswick Health sends a reminder before your appointment as well. Keep the confirmation — it has the details reception will ask for if you need to change anything later. If you would rather not receive reminders, or the number on the booking is wrong, call (03) 9380 8099 and reception will update it.

Call (03) 9380 8099 during opening hours and reception will move or cancel it for you while you are on the phone, or send the change through the contact page if you would rather put it in writing. Reception handles the change either way — your confirmation text carries the booking details rather than a self-service link, so there is nothing to hunt for. You will also get a reminder before the appointment, which is the practical prompt to cancel in time if something has come up. Practitioners here are independent and their time is booked out in advance, so give as much notice as you can — at least 24 hours where possible. Short-notice cancellations may attract a fee at the practitioner's discretion.

Since 1990. The clinic has been at 1/68 Melville Road, Brunswick West for more than three decades, and more than 65,000 people have been seen here in that time — most of them from Brunswick and the neighbouring suburbs.

A first chiropractic consultation and examination is $125, physiotherapy $125, podiatry $125, acupuncture $115, and a naturopathy initial consultation $160. A colonic irrigation session is $150 and massage starts at $85 for 30 minutes. These are the full fees before any private health fund rebate, which is deducted on the spot if you have extras cover.

Current fees for every service

Yes. Brunswick Health claims through HICAPS with all major private health funds, including Medibank, Bupa, HCF, HBF, HIF, nib and the smaller funds. Bring your fund card, tap it at the counter after the appointment, and you pay only the gap. Chiropractic, physiotherapy, podiatry, acupuncture, remedial massage and myotherapy all claim on any extras policy that includes them — what decides it is whether the service is on your cover, not which fund you are with.

Colonic irrigation cannot be claimed on private health insurance, because there are no health fund item codes for it. Plan-based funding is a separate question — some NDIS and aged care plans may cover it, so if you are funded that way, check with your plan manager or aged care provider. Naturopathy is different again: some extras policies include it and others have reduced or removed it, so it comes down to the policy you hold. Your fund can confirm it in about a minute on the number on the back of your card — and because funds only discuss a policy with the member named on it, checking cover is always a call you make rather than one the clinic can make for you.

Only under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, formerly called an EPC plan. Your GP decides whether you qualify and writes the referral. The plan covers up to five allied health sessions per calendar year in total — not five per discipline — and the Medicare rebate is $63.40 per session as at July 2026. Bulk billing is not available, so you pay the fee and the rebate is paid into your bank account within one to two business days.

Scans are taken and billed by a radiology centre rather than by this clinic, so the cost is theirs to set and to confirm with you. What we can tell you is that where bulk billing applies, we always request it on the referral your practitioner writes. MRI is the one to ask about early: it is generally not bulk billed, costs vary between centres, and a Medicare rebate usually requires a specialist referral. Imaging is only recommended when the result would actually change your treatment.

Yes. Fees are set per service rather than per practitioner, so what you pay for a standard consultation does not depend on which chiropractor, physiotherapist or podiatrist you see — the schedule published on this site is the rate for everyone practising in that discipline. Anything outside it, such as a longer appointment, a procedure or orthotics, is quoted before it goes ahead.

Payment is taken at the end of the appointment by EFTPOS, credit or debit card, or cash. Health fund rebates are claimed on the spot through HICAPS so you pay only the gap. Naturopathy telehealth and Zoom consultations are paid in advance to confirm the booking. Gift cards can be bought online and used against any service.

Chiropractic is a regulated health profession focused on assessing, diagnosing and managing conditions affecting the spine, joints, muscles and nervous system. Chiropractors use hands-on techniques, exercise advice and evidence-informed care to support movement and manage pain. In Australia, chiropractors are university-trained and registered with AHPRA.

Chiropractors commonly manage musculoskeletal conditions, including:

• Back and neck pain
• Headaches related to the neck or posture
• Sciatica and nerve-related symptoms
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Sports and activity-related injuries
• Postural and movement-related discomfort

Both professions manage musculoskeletal conditions, but the emphasis differs. Chiropractors tend to focus on spinal and joint function using hands-on techniques; physiotherapists tend to emphasise exercise-based rehabilitation. The two are often complementary, and some people see both. Brunswick Health has chiropractors and physiotherapists in the same clinic, so care can be coordinated without a new referral.

Both are AHPRA-registered professions that work hands-on with joints, muscles and movement, and there is more overlap between them than most descriptions suggest. The broad difference is emphasis: chiropractic training centres on the spine and on specific joint adjustment, while osteopathy takes a whole-body view and leans more on soft-tissue work and stretching. Plenty of problems respond to either, and which one suits you often comes down to the individual practitioner rather than the label on the door. Osteopathy is not part of the current line-up at Brunswick Health — what you will find here is chiropractic and physiotherapy, working in the same practice, so you can start with one and move to the other without a new referral or a new waiting list.

Chiropractic care is considered a low-risk, conservative treatment when provided by a qualified, AHPRA-registered chiropractor following appropriate assessment. Most people experience little to no side effects. Some notice mild soreness or stiffness afterwards, similar to starting a new form of exercise, which usually settles quickly. Your chiropractor will discuss any risks relevant to your circumstances before treatment begins.

Chiropractic treatment is generally well tolerated. Some people experience mild soreness or stiffness after a session, similar to the feeling of starting a new exercise, and it usually settles within a day or so.

No referral is needed to see a chiropractor in Australia — you can book directly. If it would help your care, your chiropractor can liaise with your GP or another practitioner. A referral is only relevant if you are claiming under a Medicare care plan.

The first appointment starts with a discussion of your symptoms, health history and what you want to get back to doing. That is followed by a physical assessment, which may include posture, movement and joint function testing. Your chiropractor explains what they found in plain language and outlines the options. Whether hands-on treatment begins at that first visit depends on the findings and on the chiropractor — some start straight away, others prefer to see X-ray or scan results first. If you are in acute pain while results are pending, you will still be given relief that is safe to provide at that stage.

Comfortable clothing you can move in — activewear or loose-fitting clothes work well. There is no need to change into a gown or bring anything special.

Follow-up visits review how you have responded, continue treatment where it is helping, and adjust the approach where it is not. Care is guided by your progress rather than a fixed schedule, and may include advice on posture, movement habits, exercise or activity changes.

It depends on the condition, how long the symptoms have been present and what you are aiming for. Some people come for short-term relief of a specific problem; others choose ongoing care to maintain movement and function. Your chiropractor will give you an expected range after assessing you, and will reassess as you go rather than committing you to a long plan up front.

Yes. Treatment is based on your assessment findings, your goals and how you respond, rather than a fixed protocol. Your chiropractor will explain what they found and discuss the options with you before starting.

In most cases yes, sometimes with modifications while symptoms settle. Your chiropractor will give you specific guidance based on your condition, your activity level and where you are in recovery, with the aim of keeping you active rather than resting completely.

Chiropractic care is used to reduce injury risk by improving joint mobility, movement patterns and muscle function, and by addressing restrictions early. Individual results vary, and any recommendation is based on clinical assessment rather than a general programme.

Scans are not routinely required. Imaging is only recommended when it will change what happens next clinically, based on your examination findings.

Sometimes. If imaging has been requested, some chiropractors prefer to see the results before starting hands-on treatment, because the findings can change which techniques are appropriate. Others begin straight away where the examination is clear. If you are in acute pain while results are pending, you are still treated that day with what is safe before the findings are known — soft tissue work, gentle mobilisation, taping or support where it helps, and specific advice on positioning, sleeping and pain control. You do not wait for the radiologist to get relief.

The X-ray is taken and billed by a radiology centre, not by this clinic, so what it costs is set by them. Where bulk billing applies, we always request it on your referral. Your chiropractor writes that referral and can point you to a centre, and the centre will confirm any cost when you book with them.

MRIs are generally not bulk billed and costs vary. Medicare rebates for MRI usually require a specialist referral. If an MRI is worth doing, your chiropractor will explain why and outline the options and likely cost before you commit to it.

A first chiropractic consultation and examination at Brunswick Health is $125. Standard follow-up consultations are $78 and extended consultations are $95. A shockwave therapy session is $78 and compression-boot lymphatic drainage is $40. Those are the full fees — chiropractic claims on any extras policy that includes it, and Brunswick Health claims on the spot through HICAPS, so what you actually pay on the day is the gap.

Current fees and health fund item codes

Only under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, which your GP decides you qualify for. Under one, Medicare rebates $63.40 per session as at July 2026 for up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year across chiropractic, physiotherapy and podiatry combined — it is a fixed dollar amount rather than a percentage, so a gap payment applies. Bulk billing is not available at Brunswick Health. Without a care plan, chiropractic is claimed through private health extras rather than Medicare.

Many private health funds pay a rebate for chiropractic care under extras cover, depending on your level of cover and your remaining limits. Brunswick Health claims on the spot with all major funds, so you pay only the gap on the day rather than claiming back yourself.

Some headaches have a musculoskeletal component involving the neck joints, surrounding muscles or posture, and where assessment suggests that is the case, chiropractic care is used to manage them. Headaches have many causes, so part of the assessment is establishing whether yours is the kind that responds to this sort of care — and referring you on if it is not.

Yes. Chiropractic care during pregnancy is generally focused on managing back, pelvic and joint discomfort as the body changes, using techniques and positioning adapted for pregnancy. Dr Kenneth Taylor is certified in the Webster Technique, which is used in the care of pregnant patients.

Children can be assessed by a chiropractor, and techniques are adapted for a child's age and size. Care is limited to musculoskeletal complaints, and your chiropractor will refer to a GP or paediatrician where that is more appropriate.

Yes. At Brunswick Health the chiropractors work alongside physiotherapists, podiatrists, massage therapists and acupuncturists in the same practice, so care can be coordinated directly. Your chiropractor will also liaise with your GP or a specialist where that is useful.

Some symptoms need an emergency department or 000 now, rather than an appointment and rather than a call to the clinic first. Get emergency medical care if:

• Back pain came with loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin
• One side of the face droops or is numb
• Words are slurred, or there is sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech
• There is loss of sight in one or both eyes
• There is chest pain or tightness with breathlessness, sweating, or pain spreading into the jaw or arm
• The pain followed a significant fall, crash or direct blow
• There is fever, unexplained weight loss, or night pain that wakes you and will not settle in any position
• There is progressive weakness in a leg or arm rather than pain alone
• You have a history of cancer, osteoporosis or long-term steroid use and this is a new pain

Anything else is worth booking for. If you are unsure which side of the line you are on, call (03) 9380 8099 and describe it. Practitioners at Brunswick Health screen for every one of these before treating, and if you describe one you will be told the same thing and helped to get seen rather than booked in.

Physiotherapy is the assessment and treatment of problems with movement — muscles, joints, tendons and the way they work together. A physiotherapist diagnoses what is causing the problem, treats it with hands-on techniques and prescribed exercise, and gives you a plan to stop it recurring. Physiotherapists in Australia are university-trained and registered with AHPRA.

Physiotherapy at Brunswick Health focuses on musculoskeletal and sports problems, including:

• Sports injuries — hamstring, calf, ankle, knee and shoulder
• Back and neck pain, including disc-related and postural pain
• Tendon problems such as Achilles, rotator cuff and tennis elbow
• Post-operative rehabilitation, including knee and shoulder surgery
• Workplace and repetitive strain injuries
• Joint stiffness and loss of range after injury or immobilisation

Both manage musculoskeletal problems, but the emphasis differs. Physiotherapy leans towards exercise-based rehabilitation — restoring strength, control and load tolerance — while chiropractic leans towards hands-on joint and spinal techniques. Neither is better in general; they suit different problems and different people. Plenty of problems respond to either. Brunswick Health has both in the same practice, so if you start with one and the other is a better fit, you can be moved across without a new referral, a new waiting list, or repeating your history from the beginning.

Read about chiropractic care

No. You can book a physiotherapist directly in Australia. A GP referral is only needed if you are claiming under a Medicare Chronic Disease Management plan, or if your visit is being funded through WorkCover or the TAC.

Most treatment is comfortable. Some hands-on techniques and some rehabilitation exercises produce short-lived discomfort, particularly when working on a stiff or irritable area, and you may feel sore for a day afterwards in the way you would after unfamiliar exercise. Treatment should not be something you have to endure — tell your physiotherapist if it is, and the approach will be changed.

It depends on what is wrong and how long it has been there. A recent, uncomplicated strain may need two or three visits; a post-operative knee or a long-standing tendon problem is usually a programme over several months. Your physiotherapist will give you an expected range after the first assessment, and will tell you if you are not responding as expected rather than continuing indefinitely.

Yes. The plan comes out of your assessment and your goals — returning to a sport, lifting at work, sleeping through the night — and is adjusted as you progress. You should leave the first appointment knowing what the diagnosis is, what the plan is, and roughly how long it should take.

Clothing you can move in, and that allows the affected area to be seen. Shorts are useful for knee, hip or ankle problems; a singlet or loose t-shirt for shoulder and neck problems. If you are coming straight from work, there are facilities to change.

Physiotherapy claims on any extras policy that includes it, with the rebate depending on your level of cover and your remaining annual limit. Brunswick Health claims on the spot with all major funds, so you pay only the gap on the day.

Usually yes, often with modifications. Complete rest weakens tissue and delays return to sport, so the aim is normally to keep you loading what you safely can while the injured area recovers. Your physiotherapist will tell you what to keep doing, what to change, and what to leave alone for now.

It can help. A physiotherapist can identify the strength deficits, movement patterns and training-load errors that make certain injuries more likely, and give you targeted work to address them. That is most useful for people returning from an injury, since a previous injury is the strongest predictor of the next one.

Yes. Physiotherapy during pregnancy commonly addresses pelvic girdle and low back pain, and positioning and techniques are adapted accordingly. Tell the clinic you are pregnant when booking so enough time is allowed and the appointment is set up appropriately.

It can, though the approach differs from treating a fresh injury. Long-standing musculoskeletal pain is usually managed with graded activity, strength work and education about load and pacing, rather than passive treatment alone. Progress is measured in what you can do rather than in how the area feels on the day.

Yes. Telehealth appointments run as a one-on-one video consultation and suit follow-up sessions, exercise progression and advice where hands-on treatment is not the main thing needed. A first appointment for a new injury is better in person, since assessment usually requires hands-on testing.

Follow-up visits re-test what was assessed the first time, progress your exercises, and change the treatment where something is not responding. Visits usually move further apart as you improve. If you are not responding the way the first assessment suggested you would, your physiotherapist will tell you and adjust the plan rather than repeating it.

A first physiotherapy consultation and examination at Brunswick Health is $125, and a standard follow-up is $115. Sixty-minute extended appointments are $215 for a first visit and $200 after that. A shockwave therapy session is $78 and compression-boot lymphatic drainage is $40. Those are the full fees — physiotherapy claims on any extras policy that includes it, and Brunswick Health claims on the spot through HICAPS, so what you pay on the day is the gap.

Current fees and health fund item codes

An extended appointment runs a full 60 minutes and exists so that complex or multiple problems can be assessed properly in one visit rather than split across several. It is $215 for a first visit and $200 after that. Book one if you have more than one thing to deal with, or a long-standing problem with a complicated history. If you are not sure, book a standard appointment and say what is going on when you arrive.

Book an update consultation if it has been three months or more since your last visit, or if this is a new problem — it is $125 and allows time to reassess rather than picking up mid-plan. If you are continuing with something already being treated and the gap has been shorter than that, a standard consultation is the right one.

Only under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, which your GP decides you qualify for. Under one, Medicare rebates $63.40 per session as at July 2026 for up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year across physiotherapy, chiropractic and podiatry combined — a fixed dollar amount rather than a percentage, so a gap payment applies. Bulk billing is not available at Brunswick Health. Without a care plan, physiotherapy is claimed through private health extras rather than Medicare.

How Medicare care plan claiming works

Usually not. Most musculoskeletal problems are diagnosed from your history and a physical examination, and imaging is recommended only where the result would change what happens next. If a scan is needed, your physiotherapist writes the referral and bulk billing is requested wherever it applies. The imaging itself is taken and billed by a radiology centre, so any cost is theirs to confirm with you.

Yes — post-operative rehabilitation is one of the main things physiotherapy is used for, including after knee and shoulder surgery. Treatment works within the protocol and restrictions your surgeon has set, restoring range of movement first and then strength and function. Bring any written post-operative instructions to the first appointment, and say who operated and when.

Yes. Children can be assessed and treated for musculoskeletal and sporting problems, with techniques and loading adapted to their age and stage of growth. Growth-related heel and knee pain in active children is a common reason to come in. Where a problem sits outside musculoskeletal care, your physiotherapist will refer you to the right person rather than treating around it.

Physiotherapy diagnoses what is causing the problem and treats it with hands-on techniques plus prescribed exercise; remedial massage works on soft tissue to reduce tightness and soreness. They are often used together — massage for the muscular symptoms, physiotherapy for what is driving them. Brunswick Health has both in the same practice, so if you start with one and the other turns out to be the better fit, you can be moved across without repeating your history from the beginning.

Read about massage therapy

Some symptoms need an emergency department or 000 now, rather than an appointment and rather than a call to the clinic first. Get emergency medical care if:

• Back pain came with loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin
• One side of the face droops or is numb
• Words are slurred, or there is sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech
• There is loss of sight in one or both eyes
• There is chest pain or tightness with breathlessness, sweating, or pain spreading into the jaw or arm
• The pain followed a significant fall, crash or direct blow
• There is fever, unexplained weight loss, or night pain that wakes you and will not settle in any position
• There is progressive weakness in a leg or arm rather than pain alone
• You have a history of cancer, osteoporosis or long-term steroid use and this is a new pain

Anything else is worth booking for. If you are unsure which side of the line you are on, call (03) 9380 8099 and describe it. Practitioners at Brunswick Health screen for every one of these before treating, and if you describe one you will be told the same thing and helped to get seen rather than booked in.

Yes, two of them. If you have diabetes, a break in the skin on your foot needs looking at within days rather than weeks — even a small one, and especially if it does not hurt, because reduced sensation means damage announces itself late. And go to a hospital rather than booking an appointment if you have any of the following:

• A foot that is hot, red and swelling quickly
• Redness spreading up the leg
• A fever alongside a wound on the foot
• A toe that has changed colour and gone cold

Those are infections and circulation problems, and they are measured in hours rather than days. Everything else is a normal podiatry appointment. If you cannot tell which one you have, call Brunswick Health on (03) 9380 8099 and describe it — reception will get you an answer rather than a booking.

Podiatrists diagnose and treat problems of the foot, ankle and lower limb, including:

• Heel pain and plantar fasciitis
• Ingrown toenails, including nail surgery and ONYFIX correction
• Diabetic foot assessment, ulcers and circulation checks
• Bunions, hammer toes and other structural changes
• Fungal nail infections, corns and calluses
• Flat feet, high arches and gait-related problems
• Sports injuries of the foot and ankle
• Morton's neuroma and forefoot pain
• Arthritis affecting the foot and ankle

In everyday use, yes — a podiatrist is the practitioner people mean by 'foot doctor', and the one to see for heel pain, ingrown toenails, corns and calluses, diabetic foot checks and foot or ankle injuries. The precise answer is that podiatrists are AHPRA-registered health practitioners who complete a four-year degree, not medical doctors: they diagnose and treat the foot, ankle and lower limb, prescribe orthotics, administer local anaesthetic and perform minor nail surgery, but do not prescribe general medicines or carry out reconstructive foot surgery, which is a podiatric or orthopaedic surgeon's work. You do not need a referral to see one.

Yes — booked as a standard podiatry appointment. 'Medical pedicure' is a marketing term rather than a defined treatment, and what it describes is podiatric nail and skin care: nails cut back and thinned, corns and calluses removed rather than filed around, hard skin reduced, and anything that looks wrong picked up while you are there. It is done in a treatment room with sterilised instruments by a registered podiatrist, so unlike a salon pedicure it can be claimed on private health extras cover. There is no polish and no foot spa.

No. You can book a podiatrist directly. A GP referral is only needed if you are claiming under a Medicare Chronic Disease Management plan, which covers a limited number of allied health visits per calendar year for people with an eligible chronic condition.

Only through a Chronic Disease Management plan arranged by your GP, which covers up to five allied health appointments per calendar year across all providers combined. That rebate does not cover the full fee, so there is still a gap. Everyone else claims through private health extras cover, which Brunswick Health processes on the spot.

Most podiatry treatment is comfortable, and much of it — nail care, callus removal, orthotic fitting — is painless. Nail surgery is performed under local anaesthetic, so the procedure itself is not painful, though the toe is usually tender for a day or two afterwards.

It varies with the problem. Routine nail and skin care is often a single appointment repeated every six to twelve weeks. Heel pain or a gait-related injury is usually an initial assessment plus two or three reviews over a couple of months. Nail surgery is one procedure appointment plus a short review.

The podiatrist takes a history, examines the foot and ankle, and — where the problem is movement-related — watches how you walk and how your foot loads. You are told what is causing the problem and what the options are, and treatment usually begins in the same appointment.

Podiatrists perform minor nail and skin surgery in the clinic under local anaesthetic — most commonly partial nail avulsion for a recurring ingrown toenail. Bone and joint surgery, such as bunion correction, is done by a podiatric or orthopaedic surgeon, and your podiatrist can refer you if that is what is needed.

ONYFIX is a non-surgical way of correcting an ingrown or over-curved toenail. A composite band is bonded to the nail and gently guides it into a flatter shape as it grows out. There is no anaesthetic, no cutting and no recovery time, and it is painless to apply. It suits nails that are curving inwards but not badly infected; where there is significant infection or the problem keeps recurring, nail surgery is usually the more reliable fix.

Yes. Diabetes affects circulation and sensation in the feet, which means small injuries can go unnoticed and heal slowly. A diabetic foot assessment checks blood supply, nerve sensation and skin integrity, and establishes how often you should be reviewed. People with diabetes are generally advised to have their feet checked at least annually, and more often if circulation or sensation is already reduced.

As a rule of thumb: if the problem is in the foot itself — the nails, skin, arch, heel or forefoot — start with the podiatrist. If it is higher up the chain, or the foot pain came with a knee, hip or back problem, start with the physiotherapist. Both work at Brunswick Health, so if the first choice turns out to be the wrong one you can be moved across without a new referral.

Yes. Podiatrists are registered with AHPRA through the Podiatry Board of Australia and must hold an approved qualification and meet annual registration standards. You can look up any practitioner's registration on the AHPRA public register.

In Australia they refer to the same profession — chiropody is simply the older term, and the title changed to podiatry decades ago. Anyone practising foot care here today is a registered podiatrist.

Yes, and it is a common time to need one. Weight changes and fluid retention often bring on arch and heel pain, and reaching your own feet becomes difficult, so routine nail and skin care is frequently a reason to book. Positioning is adapted for comfort later in pregnancy.

Podiatry claims on any extras policy that includes it, with the rebate depending on your level of cover and remaining annual limit. Brunswick Health claims on the spot with all major funds, so you pay only the gap on the day. Orthotics are often covered under a separate limit — worth checking with your fund before ordering.

Colonic irrigation — also called colonic hydrotherapy or a colon cleanse — introduces warm, filtered water into the large bowel through a small disposable tube, softening and flushing out its contents. The treatment runs thirty to forty minutes inside an hour-long appointment, with the water flowing in and out gradually rather than all at once, and a therapist present throughout to control temperature and pressure and to massage the abdomen. The water is generally kept warm, with temperature and pressure controlled case by case. Alternating between warmer and cooler water is a treatment technique in its own right — it stimulates peristalsis, the muscular wave that moves everything through the bowel — and it is a clinical decision rather than part of every session.

Colon cleanse, colon hydrotherapy, colon irrigation, colon wash-out and colonic irrigation are all names for the same water-based session — nothing about it changes with the name. The one thing worth separating is that 'colon cleanse' is also used for powders, teas, capsules and ten-day kits taken at home. Those work by moving the bowel with laxative ingredients and are a different thing entirely. A colonic at Brunswick Health uses warm filtered water and nothing else: nothing to swallow, no preparation kit, and nothing to buy afterwards.

It empties the large bowel more completely and more gently than a laxative, which most people experience as relief from bloating, heaviness and sluggishness. That is what the procedure does and what people book it for. It is a comfort and wellbeing treatment rather than a medical one — it does not detoxify the blood, treat disease, or replace medical investigation of a bowel problem. If you have symptoms that need diagnosing, tell us. Digestive complaints are everyday naturopathic work and the naturopaths here can arrange the pathology to look into them properly; if specialist care is the next step, we'll provide a detailed letter outlining our findings and recommendations, including the specialist we believe is best suited to your needs, helping ensure a smooth transition to the next stage of your care.

In a closed system a qualified therapist is with you for the whole session, and waste passes through sealed tubing directly into the sewer — so there is no odour, no mess and nothing to manage yourself. In an open system you are left alone to self-administer. Brunswick Health uses a closed system: the therapist adjusts water temperature and pressure as they go, performs abdominal massage, and can stop or change anything at any point.

It should not. Most people describe the sensation as fullness that comes and goes in waves, similar to the feeling before a bowel movement, sometimes with brief cramping as water moves through. The therapist adjusts pressure and temperature continuously, and the session can be paused or stopped whenever you ask. Tell your therapist if anything is uncomfortable — that is what they are there for.

Most healthy adults, and there is a short list of things worth raising first. Tell the front desk before booking if any of these apply to you. We screen for all of them, and will refer you rather than book you in where a colonic is not the right step:

• Pregnancy
• Recent bowel, abdominal or rectal surgery
• Active inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, during a flare
• Diverticulitis during an active episode
• Severe haemorrhoids, anal fissures or rectal bleeding
• Bowel cancer, or any undiagnosed change in bowel habit
• Chemotherapy — during active treatment, and afterwards until your oncologist confirms you are clear to go ahead
• Severe uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney disease
• Recent heart attack or stroke

If you are not sure, call and ask — it is a short conversation, and the front desk has it every day.

Eat lightly on the day and avoid a heavy meal in the two to three hours beforehand. Drink water through the day. It helps to avoid alcohol and fizzy drinks for 24 hours before, and to wear comfortable clothing. You do not need to fast, and you do not need to take a laxative first.

Most people feel lighter and less bloated, and some feel tired for a few hours. Your bowel habit will usually take a day or two to settle back into its normal rhythm, since the bowel has been emptied more completely than usual — that is expected and not a cause for concern. Drink plenty of water and eat something simple for your next meal.

Many people book a single session and are satisfied with it. Others prefer a short series, or an occasional session every few months. There is no clinical schedule you need to follow, and no course you need to commit to — your therapist will tell you if there is no reason to come back.

Colonic irrigation works with the whole large bowel, so the ascending colon and the hepatic flexure — the bend at the top right, where the colon turns to cross the body — are both within reach. That is what separates it from an enema, which only reaches the rectum and sigmoid at the very end. Reaching an area and clearing it are two different things, though: where faecal loading is long-standing it usually takes a number of sessions to work around to the ascending colon, because what sits closer to the exit clears first, and how heavily loaded the bowel is overall decides how long that takes. Your therapist will advise on the next steps after your first session, working with your health history, diet and daily routine alongside what they see on the day.

Mention the pain you are describing when you book. Abdominal pain that has not been looked into is one of the things screened for before a colonic, and it may change what your therapist recommends.

Yes. It is perfectly safe and reasonably common, and some people find it eases period-related bloating. Mention it when you arrive so your therapist can make you comfortable.

No. Colonic irrigation is not performed during pregnancy at this clinic. If you are pregnant and constipation is the problem, tell us — we will refer you to your GP or midwife for options that are safe in pregnancy.

No. Colonic irrigation is not provided to children at this clinic. Bowel problems in children should be assessed by a GP or paediatrician.

An infusion adds a substance to the water during part of the session — the options here are coffee, probiotic, turmeric and alkalising greens. For safety they are not offered on a first visit: your therapist sees how you respond to a standard colonic first, and raises an infusion at a later appointment if they judge one appropriate for you. Evidence that infusions produce specific health benefits beyond the colonic itself is limited, so they are offered as an optional addition rather than as a treatment, and no session depends on one.

There is no good evidence that a colonic clears a parasitic infection, and it is not used as a treatment for one. It is also not a way of finding one: most intestinal parasites are microscopic and are identified from a stool sample in a laboratory, so nothing passing a viewing tube during a session is offered here as a diagnosis. What a colonic does is empty the large bowel, which people book for bloating, heaviness and sluggishness. If a parasite is your actual concern, tell us — the naturopaths here can arrange that pathology through a private laboratory, paid directly to the lab without a Medicare rebate, and we'll refer you for the prescription where a result calls for one.

Colonic irrigation and parasites, in full

No. Colonoscopy preparation is a prescribed oral regimen designed to empty the bowel completely for a medical procedure, and colonic irrigation is not a substitute for it. If you are booked for a colonoscopy, follow the preparation instructions your specialist gave you.

No referral is needed. You can book directly, and your first appointment includes a consultation about your health history before anything begins.

Generally not. There are no health fund item codes for colonic irrigation, so funds do not pay a rebate on it. Where one of the colonic therapists here is also a qualified naturopath, a naturopathy consultation may attract a rebate depending on your fund and level of cover — but the colonic itself normally will not. Check with your fund rather than assuming.

There is no government registration scheme for colonic irrigation in Australia, which means the standard of training varies considerably between clinics — worth knowing when comparing providers. The therapists here are qualified in colonic hydrotherapy, two are also qualified naturopaths, and two hold diplomas in remedial massage. You are welcome to ask about any therapist's specific training before booking.

Each session is in a private room with its own ensuite, and you are never in a shared space during treatment. Disposable tubing is used once and discarded, and equipment is sterilised between clients. Waste passes through sealed tubing straight to the sewer, so there is no odour at any point.

Yes, and it is worth taking seriously. Regular use of stimulant laxatives can reduce the bowel's own responsiveness over time, and long-term dependence is a recognised problem rather than a rare one. If you are relying on laxatives to have a bowel movement, raise it with a health practitioner — your prescriber, if a laxative was prescribed — and tell us before you book. Coming off them is naturopathic work: fibre, fluid, magnesium and the motility picture underneath, which is exactly what the naturopaths here take on. Where a laxative has been prescribed, that plan is worked around rather than overridden.

Relaxation massage uses flowing, even pressure over the whole body and is about winding down. Remedial massage targets a specific problem — a tight, painful or restricted area — with assessment first and firmer, more localised work. Sports massage is remedial work oriented around training and competition, whether preparing for it, recovering from it or managing an injury. Most appointments here are remedial; say what you are after when you book and the session is built around it.

A remedial massage therapist holds a Diploma of Remedial Massage and works with muscle and soft tissue. A myotherapist has completed a further year — an Advanced Diploma or Bachelor's degree — with additional assessment training and techniques such as dry needling and cupping. In practice many remedial therapists also complete bridging courses in those techniques, so the useful question is not which title someone holds but what they are trained in. Both claim on any extras policy that includes remedial massage. For most tight necks, sore backs and heavy training weeks, remedial massage is the one to start with; myotherapy earns its place where something has not responded to hands-on work alone, where the pattern keeps returning, or where you already know a trigger point needs needling. If you are not sure, book remedial and say so — your therapist will tell you if the other is the better fit, and moving between them costs you a sentence at the front desk.

Yes, from therapists trained in it — mention it when you book. Manual lymphatic drainage is light, slow and rhythmic rather than deep, working with the vessels just under the skin, and people expecting a firm massage are often surprised at how gentle it is. It is usually booked for puffiness and fluid retention, heavy or swollen legs, and recovery after surgery once your surgeon has cleared hands-on work. Brunswick Health also offers a machine version using compression boots, booked through chiropractic or physiotherapy rather than massage; it is a different treatment and costs less. If you have had lymph nodes removed, or you have a heart, kidney or clotting condition, tell us before booking so the right call can be made.

In Australia, yes — massage therapy is not government-regulated and the title is not protected, so training ranges from a weekend course to a three-year degree with nobody checking. Two things separate a qualified therapist from an unqualified one: membership of a recognised professional association, which requires a recognised qualification and a code of conduct, and registration with private health funds, which has its own qualification standard. Every massage therapist at Brunswick Health holds both. It is a fair question to ask any clinic, and you should expect a straight answer.

Remedial massage is most commonly booked for:

• Neck, shoulder and upper back tension, particularly desk-related
• Lower back tightness and stiffness
• Headaches with a muscular or neck component
• Sports and training-related muscle soreness
• Recovery between heavy training blocks
• General stress and muscular tension

Book a massage if any of these sound like you:

• Muscles feel tight, achy or knotted rather than sharply painful
• Desk work, driving or training has loaded your neck, shoulders or lower back
• You are training hard and want to recover better or prepare for an event
• You are pregnant past the first trimester and your hips or low back are complaining
• You already have a diagnosis and want the muscular side of it worked on

A few things are better raised before you book than on the table, because they change who should see you first:

• There is numbness, pins and needles or weakness — that is a nerve, and it needs assessing first
• The pain followed a real injury, a fall or a crash
• You have a fever, an infection, or unexplained weight loss
• The same problem keeps coming back no matter how much massage you have
• You are on blood thinners or have a clotting disorder — tell us before booking, not on the table

None of these means you cannot have a massage — most of them mean something should be looked at alongside it. Call (03) 9380 8099 and describe it, and reception will book you with whichever of the seven disciplines here should see it first. That is faster than booking the wrong thing.

Ask a practitioner in writing — answered within one business day

Firm work on a tight area often sits somewhere between discomfort and relief — noticeable, but something you can breathe through and relax into. It should not be something you have to brace against or endure. Pain does not make a massage more effective, and tensing against pressure works against what the therapist is trying to do. Say something the moment it is too much; a good therapist would far rather adjust than have you lie there enduring it.

No. Undress to whatever level you are comfortable with — many people keep underwear on, and some stay fully clothed for certain work. You are covered by a towel or sheet throughout, and only the area being worked on is uncovered at any time. If a bra strap is in the way, your therapist will ask before moving it. You undress and dress in private, and nothing about this needs discussing beyond a sentence.

Not at all, and it happens often. It usually means you have relaxed properly, which is a good sign rather than an awkward one. Your therapist will simply carry on, and wake you gently at the end.

Say it plainly at the start — where it hurts, how much pressure you like, anywhere you would rather they avoided. During the session, "a bit lighter there" or "more of that" is all that is needed. Therapists genuinely prefer direction to guesswork, and cannot feel what you are feeling. You are not being difficult; you are making the session work.

Mild soreness for a day or so after deeper remedial work is common and normal, much like the ache after unfamiliar exercise. Drinking water, moving gently and a warm shower all help. Soreness that is severe, or lasting beyond a couple of days, is not expected — mention it, and the pressure will be adjusted next time.

It can happen after work on the neck and upper shoulders, and usually settles within a few hours. Being dehydrated beforehand makes it more likely, so drink water before and after. If headaches follow every massage, tell your therapist — it usually means the approach around the neck needs changing.

Occasional light bruising can occur after deep work, particularly if you bruise easily generally, take blood-thinning medication, or are low in certain nutrients. It should be minor and short-lived. Extensive or painful bruising is not a normal outcome and means the pressure was too heavy — tell the clinic if that happens.

Yes. Pregnancy massage is common and often very welcome, particularly for low back and hip discomfort. Tell the clinic you are pregnant when booking so the right therapist and setup are arranged. Positioning is adapted — after the first trimester you would normally be side-lying with supportive cushioning rather than face down.

Generally not beyond the first trimester, even with a cut-out table or cushion. Side-lying with pillows supporting the top leg and bump is more comfortable and just as effective, and it is the standard approach here.

Yes. Massage fits around training rather than replacing it. It is worth avoiding a heavy or maximal session in the 24 hours after deep remedial work, since you may be a little sore — but light training, mobility and easy aerobic work are fine.

It can contribute, mostly by keeping tightness and restriction from building up unnoticed and by giving you regular feedback on what is tight and why. It is not a substitute for the things that reliably reduce injury risk — strength work and sensible training load — and any clinic telling you otherwise is overselling it.

Massage and myotherapy claim on any extras policy that includes remedial massage, with the rebate depending on your level of cover and remaining annual limit. Every session here is booked under that item code, so the style of massage you choose does not change what you can claim. Brunswick Health claims on the spot with all major funds, so you pay only the gap on the day.

The appointment is clinical from start to finish, held to the code of conduct that membership of Massage & Myotherapy Australia or the Myotherapy Association of Australia requires. In the room that looks like this: your therapist explains what they plan to work on and why before starting, you undress and dress in private, you stay covered by a towel with only the area being worked on uncovered, and you are asked before a strap is moved or a new area is included. Pressure is checked as the session goes, and "lighter", "skip that" or "stop" is acted on straight away and needs no reason. Everything done in that hour is massage work with a clinical purpose, and nothing else.

A therapist is in a position of trust, and that carries clear boundaries: no sexual comments or advances, no treatment that is not clinically justified, no personal or romantic involvement with clients, and no inappropriate self-disclosure. Whether conduct was intended a certain way does not matter — what matters is whether it was unwelcome. If something concerns you, you can raise it with the clinic, with the therapist's professional association, with the police, or with Victoria's Health Complaints Commissioner on 1300 582 113 or at hcc.vic.gov.au. You do not need to be certain before you raise it.

A very light, slow, rhythmic technique that works on the lymphatic vessels sitting just beneath the skin rather than on muscle. The pressure is closer to a stretch of the skin than a squeeze of the tissue underneath, and the direction and sequence of the strokes are the point of it. At Brunswick Health it is booked as a massage appointment in 30, 40 or 60 minutes, from a therapist trained in the technique.

Almost entirely in pressure. A remedial massage works into muscle and connective tissue firmly enough that you feel it working, and often leaves you a little sore the next day. Lymphatic drainage is light enough that people booking it for the first time frequently ask whether the therapist has started yet. If you want knots worked out of your shoulders, book a remedial massage instead — this is not a gentler version of that, it is a different treatment with a different purpose.

Most often for puffiness and fluid retention, for legs that feel heavy or swell through the day, for the swelling that follows an injury once the acute stage has passed, and for recovery after surgery once the surgeon has cleared hands-on work. Some people book it simply because they find it deeply relaxing, which is a perfectly good reason and does not need dressing up as something medical.

No. Your liver and kidneys handle detoxification and they do it without assistance, and no massage technique removes fat or causes weight loss. Any reduction in girth after a session is fluid, not tissue, and it returns. Brunswick Health will not sell you a course of lymphatic drainage on either of those claims. What it does do is move fluid that is sitting in the tissue, which is why people book it for puffiness and swelling — and that is a real, immediate and honest effect.

Not as a specialist service, and this is worth being direct about. Diagnosed lymphoedema — the persistent swelling that can follow lymph node removal or radiotherapy, most commonly for breast cancer — is managed by a certified lymphoedema therapist using a defined protocol that includes compression bandaging, garment fitting and measurement over time. Brunswick Health does not have a certified lymphoedema therapist. If that is what you have, tell us when you enquire and we will refer you to a certified practitioner rather than book you into the wrong appointment. The lymphatic drainage massage offered here is for general puffiness, fluid retention and post-surgical or post-injury swelling in people without a lymphoedema diagnosis.

Once your surgeon has cleared hands-on work. That timing depends on the procedure and on how you are healing, so it is genuinely their call rather than ours — ask them at your next check and book once they say yes. Bring any instructions they have given you about pressure, positioning or areas to avoid, and your therapist will work within them. If you are unsure whether what you have been told covers this, ring the clinic and describe it; the front desk would rather have that conversation than have you guess.

Tell us before booking if any of these apply, because several are reasons not to move fluid around the body. One of them is urgent rather than a booking question: sudden swelling in one leg, especially with calf pain, warmth or redness, can be a clot — do not book a massage and do not wait for us, go to a hospital or call 000, because massage over a clot is dangerous. For the rest, say so when you enquire and we will either adapt the session or refer you to whoever should be seeing it first.

• An active infection, fever, or hot red skin such as cellulitis
• A current blood clot, or a history of deep vein thrombosis
• Heart failure or a heart condition affecting fluid balance
• Kidney failure or dialysis
• Active cancer or cancer treatment, unless your oncology team has approved it
• Diagnosed lymphoedema, which needs a certified lymphoedema therapist instead
• Unexplained swelling that has not been looked at by a doctor

It is priced as a standard massage appointment at Brunswick Health: $85 for 30 minutes, $105 for 40 and $120 for 60. Because it is delivered by a remedial massage therapist who is registered with the major health funds, it is claimed under remedial massage and we process it through HICAPS at the counter, so you pay the gap on the day. Rebates vary by fund and policy, and how much comes back is between you and your fund.

Current massage fees

No — they are a different, machine-delivered treatment. Sleeves fit over your legs and inflate in a sequence to squeeze from the foot upwards, and people use them for heavy legs and for recovery after training. They cost $40 for a 30-minute session and are booked through chiropractic or physiotherapy rather than massage. They are not a substitute for hands-on lymphatic drainage and they are not a treatment for lymphoedema, but they are considerably cheaper and many people find them useful for exactly the heavy-legged feeling they book a massage for.

For post-surgical or post-injury swelling, a short course over a few weeks is usual, tapering as the swelling settles. For general puffiness and fluid retention, most people book as they feel they need it rather than on a schedule. Nobody here will sell you a package of ten up front. The honest test is the same as for any massage: if you are three sessions in and each one resets you to exactly where you started, something else is causing the swelling and it is worth finding out what.

A naturopathic consultation is a long one — usually an hour for a first appointment — covering your health history, diet, sleep, stress, digestion and energy in more detail than a standard GP visit allows. From that, your naturopath suggests changes to diet and lifestyle and, where appropriate, nutritional or herbal supplements. The emphasis is on the things that are within your control day to day.

The most common reasons are:

• Digestive complaints — bloating, irregularity, discomfort after eating
• Fatigue and low energy
• Women's health, including cycle-related symptoms and perimenopause
• Sleep problems
• Stress and feeling run down
• General diet and nutrition review

In part, and it is worth being straight about which part. Some of what naturopaths use has solid evidence behind it — dietary change, fibre, sleep and stress management, and a number of specific nutrients for specific deficiencies. Other traditional treatments have limited or poor-quality evidence. The honest position is that naturopathy is a mixed field, and the practitioner worth seeing is the one who can tell you which category a given recommendation falls into, and who says "the evidence for that is weak" when it is.

Naturopathy is not government-registered in Australia, so the title is not protected and training varies. The recognised standard is a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) — a four-year degree covering anatomy, physiology, pathology, nutrition and herbal medicine — together with membership of a professional association, which requires that qualification and carries a code of conduct. Ask any naturopath about both before booking.

It works alongside medical treatment rather than instead of it. For someone being treated for cancer, heart disease or diabetes, naturopathy has a real contribution to make — diet, energy, digestion, and managing the side effects of the treatment itself. What it does not do is replace that treatment, and no naturopath here will suggest declining or delaying it. One anywhere who does is one to walk away from.

Yes to both, and it is why the medication list matters. "Natural" does not mean inert — herbal medicines are pharmacologically active, which is why they work and also why they interact. St John's wort reduces the effectiveness of a number of medications, including the contraceptive pill and some antidepressants, and high-dose fish oil and certain herbs affect bleeding risk alongside blood thinners. Bring a complete list of everything you take, prescription and over-the-counter, so your naturopath can prescribe around it — and whoever manages your medications is kept in the loop about what you are given here.

You can, and for some things that is perfectly reasonable. The risks of doing it alone are taking something you do not need, taking too little of something to have any effect, or taking something that interacts with your medication. The other issue is spend — it is easy to accumulate an expensive shelf of supplements that duplicate each other. A consultation should reduce what you are taking as often as it adds to it.

It depends what is being addressed. Digestive changes often show within two to four weeks. Energy, sleep and cycle-related symptoms usually take two to three months, since they follow slower physiological rhythms. Your naturopath should tell you at the outset roughly when to expect a change and what would count as one — and if nothing has shifted by then, that is a reason to reassess rather than to continue.

Bring any recent blood tests or investigations, a full list of medications and supplements with doses, and a rough sense of what you eat in a normal week. If you have specific symptoms, noting when they occur and what makes them better or worse is more useful than trying to recall it on the spot.

A first consultation is typically around an hour. Follow-up appointments are usually 30 minutes and are spaced to match how quickly change is expected — often a few weeks apart at first.

Yes, most commonly for diet, digestion and fussy eating. Dosages and recommendations are adjusted for age and weight. Where something involves a child's growth, development or a symptom that has persisted, that needs medical review alongside the naturopathic work — your naturopath will say so and refer you to a paediatrician rather than treat around it.

Yes, and it is a common time to seek nutritional advice. Some herbs and higher-dose supplements are not safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, so it matters that your practitioner knows — tell the clinic when you book, and keep your midwife or GP informed of anything you are taking.

Some extras policies include naturopathy and others have reduced or removed it in recent years, so it comes down to the policy you hold rather than to which fund you are with. Your fund can confirm it in about a minute — the number is on the back of your card. Funds only discuss a policy with the member named on it, so checking cover is always a call you make rather than one the clinic can make for you. Supplements and herbal medicines are not covered.

Acupuncture involves inserting very fine single-use needles into specific points on the body. It originates in Chinese medicine and is now used alongside conventional care for a range of mainly pain-related complaints. In Australia acupuncturists are registered with AHPRA through the Chinese Medicine Board, which sets qualification and practice standards.

Acupuncture needles are far finer than the needles used for injections or blood tests — closer to a hair than to a syringe — and most people feel little on insertion. What you may notice afterwards is a dull heaviness, warmth or mild ache around the point, which is expected. Sharp or lasting pain is not, and you should say so straight away.

At this clinic acupuncture is used mainly for musculoskeletal and pain-related complaints, including:

• Back and neck pain
• Tension-type and neck-related headaches
• Joint and muscular pain
• Sports and overuse injuries
• Pain-related sleep disturbance
• Muscular tension associated with stress

The mechanism is not fully settled. Research suggests needling influences local blood flow, muscle tension and the way pain signals are processed in the nervous system, and there is reasonable evidence for benefit in some pain conditions. Traditional Chinese medicine explains it differently, in terms of channels and qi. You do not have to accept either framework to get something out of a session, and any practitioner claiming the mechanism is fully understood is overstating it.

Most people are advised to try a short course — commonly four to six sessions — and then reassess. Acupuncture does not suit everyone, and if there has been no meaningful change after a fair trial, continuing is unlikely to help. Your practitioner should tell you that rather than book you in indefinitely.

No, and it would be wrong to suggest otherwise. There is no good evidence that acupuncture prevents infections or disease, and it is not a substitute for vaccination, screening or medical care. Where it has reasonable supporting evidence is in managing certain pain conditions — that is what it is offered for here.

Yes, and it is commonly used for pregnancy-related back, pelvic and hip pain. Tell the clinic you are pregnant when you book so appropriate points and positioning are used. Acupuncture during pregnancy sits alongside your midwife or obstetric care, not in place of it — keep your maternity team informed.

Some people use acupuncture alongside fertility treatment, often to help manage the stress of the process. The evidence that acupuncture improves pregnancy or live birth rates, including alongside IVF, is mixed and not strong — some trials show a benefit and others show none. We will not tell you it improves your chances of conceiving, because that is not what the evidence supports. If you would like it as supportive care during treatment, that is a reasonable choice, and it should never delay or replace assessment by a fertility specialist.

Acupuncture is sometimes used near or past term with the intention of encouraging labour, but the evidence that it reliably brings labour on is weak. It is not a substitute for obstetric induction, and decisions about a post-dates pregnancy belong with your midwife or obstetrician. If you are considering it, discuss it with your maternity team first and let us know what they have advised.

The needles are similar; the reasoning differs. Dry needling targets tight or painful points within a muscle and is usually performed by a physiotherapist, myotherapist or chiropractor as part of a musculoskeletal treatment. Acupuncture is practised within a Chinese medicine framework by a practitioner registered specifically for it, using a broader system of points. Both are available at Brunswick Health, and which suits you depends more on the problem than on the technique.

More on dry needling

Loose, comfortable clothing that can be moved to reach the areas being treated — many points are on the lower legs, forearms and back. A gown is available if it makes access easier, and you are covered other than the area being worked on.

Yes. It is worth avoiding a maximal training session immediately after treatment, as some people feel relaxed or a little tired for a few hours, but normal training is fine.

No referral is needed. Many private health extras policies include acupuncture when it is provided by an AHPRA-registered acupuncturist, depending on your level of cover. Brunswick Health claims on the spot with all major funds.

No. All needles are sterile, single-use, and disposed of into a sharps container immediately after treatment. This is a standard requirement, and you are welcome to see the packet opened.

Saliva hormone testing measures hormone levels in a saliva sample you collect at home. Six profiles are available, covering the oestrogens — oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol — along with progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, cortisol and melatonin. Because saliva can be collected at several points across a day without a needle, it suits questions about how a hormone changes through the day — the cortisol pattern from waking to bedtime being the common one — rather than a single reading at a single moment.

A blood test measures total hormone, most of which is bound to carrier proteins and not immediately available to tissues. Saliva reflects the unbound, bioavailable fraction. Neither is simply better: blood is the standard your GP and specialists work from and is the right test for most clinical questions, while saliva is easier to collect repeatedly and is used when the pattern across a day matters more than a single number. They are not interchangeable, and a saliva result does not replace a blood test your doctor has asked for.

No. The kit is ordered online, posted to you, collected at home and sent to the laboratory — you do not need to come to the clinic at any point. If you would like help interpreting the results, a consultation with one of the naturopaths at Brunswick Health can be booked separately, in person or by telehealth.

The kit contains the collection tube or tubes, the instruction sheet for that kit, a specimen bag and a return envelope. In outline: fast overnight from 10pm with water only before a morning sample, avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes on the day, and do not brush, floss, use mouthwash or wear lipstick or lip balm for two hours beforehand. Wash your hands, rinse your mouth with water twice, wait fifteen minutes, then let saliva pool and fill the tube completely without coughing or clearing your throat into it. Cap it, wipe it, and write your name, date of birth and the date and time of collection on the tube. Follow the timing on your own sheet exactly — the timing is what makes the result readable.

Yes, and it takes no more collecting than the stress profile on its own. The two combined profiles run the four-point cortisol day and the full female or male panel from the same set of tubes, with the sex hormones read from the 6am to 8am sample. They cost less than ordering the two profiles separately. If you are still cycling, the collection day for the combined female profile is day 21, so both timing rules land on the same morning.

It follows the question you are asking. Cycle, fertility or menopausal symptoms point to the female hormone profile; testosterone and energy questions in men point to the male one. A pattern that follows the clock rather than the calendar — wired at night, flat at 3pm, waking unrefreshed — points to the stress profile, which measures cortisol four times across a day. Sleep onset itself is the sleep profile, melatonin and cortisol from one midnight sample. If it is both hormones and stress, the combined profiles cover the two in one collection. If you are not sure, call the clinic on (03) 9380 8099 before ordering rather than after.

For the female hormone profile, day 21 of your cycle if you are still menstruating, collected first thing in the morning between 6am and 8am. If you are menopausal or postmenopausal, any day works, still as a first-morning sample. Progesterone and the oestrogens move through the cycle, so a sample taken on the wrong day measures something real but answers a different question. The cortisol kit is not cycle-timed at all — it is collected at set times across a single day.

Four samples on the same day: between 6am and 8am and within half an hour of getting up, then 12pm to 1pm, 4pm to 5pm, and 8pm to 10pm. That spread is the whole point of the test — it is what shows the shape of your cortisol curve rather than one point on it. DHEA comes from the first tube, so it costs you no extra collection. All four have to be from the same day; a set collected across two days cannot be analysed. Label each tube with the time you collected it, and keep the tubes in the fridge until the last one is done.

Melatonin, which is an optional extra on the stress profile and costs more than the four-tube version. Use it only if you ordered melatonin: collect at midnight, in a dark room and away from screens, and write “melatonin” on the tube along with your name, date of birth and the time. Light suppresses melatonin, so a tube filled with the lamp on measures the light in the room as much as the hormone.

Collect the next day at the right time rather than later the same day. Waiting a day costs you nothing; shifting the time changes what the number means, particularly for cortisol, which falls steadily from waking through the evening. On the stress profile that means starting the whole set again the next day, since all four tubes have to come from one day.

Give it a few minutes rather than rushing — tilt your head forward, let saliva pool at the front of your mouth, tap the tube as you go so the bubbles settle, and think about lemons or a favourite food, which works better than it sounds. Do not top the tube up with mucus or anything cleared from your throat, because that cannot be analysed. A tube filled short cannot be processed: a replacement kit is posted out and charged at 30% of the kit price, so the extra few minutes on the day are worth it.

Keep the sealed tube in the fridge overnight after collecting, never the freezer. On the day you post it, wrap the tube in foil, seal it into the specimen bag and post it that day in the return envelope, with your completed questionnaire kept separate from the sample rather than tucked in beside it. Collect on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday so the sample reaches the clinic before Friday instead of sitting in a mail centre over the weekend, and wait out a heat wave — the sample has to hold at room temperature in transit.

NutriPATH, an Australian laboratory specialising in hormone, metabolite and allergen analysis. It is accredited to ISO 15189 by NATA — the National Association of Testing Authorities — which is the standard for quality and competence in medical laboratories, and holds CLIA accreditation as well. Accreditation is what separates a laboratory result from a reading: it means the methods and the equipment are independently assessed against a published standard rather than taken on trust.

Yes. Reports and client details are handled under the Australian Privacy Act, and Brunswick Health has been operating under those obligations as a health clinic since 1990. Your report is emailed to you, and nobody else receives it unless you ask us to send it on.

Results are emailed within 10 to 14 business days of the laboratory receiving your sample. Add postal transit time on top of that — allow around three weeks from the day you post the sample to the day the report arrives.

You can, but tell whoever is interpreting the result, because it changes what the numbers mean. Hormonal contraception, hormone replacement therapy and topical hormone creams all affect saliva readings, and topical creams in particular can produce very high saliva values that do not reflect what tissues are receiving. The kit asks for a gap between your last dose and your sample — 24 hours for creams, gels and capsules, and three days for patches, sublingual drops and troches. Where those hormones are prescribed, talk to whoever prescribes them before skipping a dose rather than deciding it for a test. Either way, list everything you take, because a result read without your medications can be badly misleading.

No. Saliva hormone testing is a measurement, not a diagnosis. It does not diagnose, exclude or treat any medical condition, and it is not meant to stand on its own. If you have symptoms that concern you, book a naturopathy consultation and bring them — some of what people order this test hoping to explain needs blood pathology that saliva testing cannot provide, and the naturopaths here can arrange it through a private laboratory — paid directly to the lab, without a Medicare rebate.

Medicare does not cover saliva hormone testing. Most private health funds do not cover it either, though some pay a benefit when a naturopathy consultation is involved and naturopathy is included in your extras cover. Check with your fund before ordering rather than after.

Hair mineral analysis measures the concentration of minerals and metals deposited in a hair sample using mass spectrometry. A sample cut close to the scalp reflects roughly the last one to three months of growth, so unlike blood or urine — which show what is circulating now — it gives a record spread across that window. The report covers nutritional minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium, a set of additional trace elements, and heavy metals including lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and aluminium.

No, and this is the most important thing to understand before ordering it. Hair mineral analysis is a screening measurement, not a stand-alone diagnostic test — many factors have to be read alongside the numbers, so it belongs inside a broader health assessment. It is not accepted in mainstream medicine as a way of diagnosing nutrient deficiency or heavy metal poisoning, and published studies have found identical samples sent to different laboratories returning different values and different recommendations. Treat the report as one piece of information a practitioner considers alongside your history, symptoms and any conventional testing — not as an answer on its own.

Say so when you order, because a hair test is the wrong tool to rely on for that on its own — occupational exposure, an old paint renovation, a contaminated water supply. The same goes for any symptom that is worrying you: bring it to a naturopathy consultation rather than waiting on a hair result. Clinically significant heavy metal exposure is confirmed on blood or urine testing, which is what treatment decisions are made from, and the naturopaths here can arrange that pathology — and will refer you on to a GP or specialist where a result calls for it. Pathology ordered by a naturopath goes through a private laboratory and is paid directly to it, without a Medicare rebate, separately from anything you pay here. Do not use a hair result to rule out a poisoning, and do not delay assessment while a report is on its way.

Wash your hair with a plain shampoo first, rinse it well and let it dry, with no gel, oil or cream left in it. Then take small snips from several places across the back of the scalp, starting at the nape of the neck, cutting as close to the scalp as you can with clean stainless steel scissors — thinning scissors work well on short hair. Keep the 4cm closest to the scalp and discard the rest, and if your hair is shorter than 4cm keep all of it. Aim for about a tablespoon — the laboratory can work with as little as a teaspoon, enough to cover a 20-cent coin, but there is nothing to gain from sending the minimum and a short sample has to be collected again. Place it in a clean paper envelope or sachet, clearly labelled with your name, age, sex and sample type — no staples, clips, sticky tape or foil — and seal that inside a second mailing envelope.

Yes, considerably, which is why untreated hair is required. Permanent colour, bleach, perms and straightening treatments alter the mineral content of the strand itself, and mineral-based or anti-dandruff shampoos — selenium sulfide and zinc pyrithione formulations especially — deposit the very elements being measured. The laboratory asks for hair freshly washed with a plain shampoo, rinsed well and free of gels, oils and creams. If your hair is coloured or chemically treated, the laboratory asks you to wait six to eight weeks and sample the fresh growth.

Underarm or pubic hair can be used, but the laboratory treats it as a last resort rather than an alternative: body hair grows at a different rate, so the time window it represents is less certain, and its nutrient readings are less reliable than scalp hair. Scalp hair gives the clearest picture, and a thin sample taken from four or five places across the back of the head still beats body hair. If you do have to use it, note that on the envelope so the laboratory reads the result accordingly — and send one type only, because scalp and body hair cannot be analysed together.

Your report is emailed 3 to 4 weeks from the day we receive your sample, so allow a few days for the post on top of that. Analysis starts once your sample, your completed health questionnaire and your payment are all in — those are steps one to four, in that order, and there is no kit to wait for before you begin, so the clock starts as soon as you decide to.

Complete the health questionnaire

No. Nothing is posted out to you and there is no kit to wait for — you cut the sample at home, post it in, fill in the health questionnaire and pay, all without coming to the clinic. Clinic staff cannot cut the sample for you as part of a normal visit. If you would like help collecting it, or want the report interpreted, book a consultation — Carmen Farrugia is the naturopath at Brunswick Health who works with mineral analysis, in person or by telehealth. Consultation fees apply and are separate from the cost of the test.

It is a short online health history — your medications and supplements, what your hair has had done to it, where on the body the sample came from, and what prompted you to test. It takes about ten minutes and it is required, because the laboratory reads your result against your history rather than against an average. It is step three of the four: prepare your sample, send it in, complete the questionnaire, then pay. The form takes you to payment when you submit it, and the one thing to get right is the name — use the same one on the questionnaire and at the checkout, because that is how your form, your sample and your payment are matched to each other. If the card belongs to someone else, put your own name in at both ends.

Complete the health questionnaire

There is no medical schedule for this, because it is not a monitoring test in the way a blood test is. If you are retesting to see whether something has changed, leave at least three months between samples — anything shorter and you are largely re-measuring the same period of growth, since the sample only represents the last one to three months anyway.

Medicare does not cover hair mineral testing. Private health fund coverage varies and most funds do not pay a benefit for the test itself, although a naturopathy consultation to discuss the results may be claimable if naturopathy is on your extras cover. Check with your fund before ordering.

Yes — dogs and horses have their own version of this test, with their own collection instructions, their own health questionnaire and a slightly different element profile. The report goes to your vet, who is the person qualified to say what it means for your animal; Brunswick Health cannot give veterinary advice or interpret an animal's results.

Hair mineral testing for dogs and horses

Yes, before laboratory analysis begins — a 20% cancellation fee applies at that stage. Once the laboratory has started the analysis the test cannot be refunded, because the work and the laboratory's cost have already been incurred. If you are unsure whether the test is right for you, ask before you order rather than after.

Yes. The same laboratory that runs the human analysis runs an animal profile for dogs and horses, from a sample you cut at home and post in. It measures 31 elements — nutritional minerals, additional elements and toxic ones including lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. There is no kit to wait for, and the collection instructions are on this page.

Your vet. Brunswick Health cannot give veterinary advice or interpret an animal's results — diagnosing and treating animals is restricted to registered veterinary practitioners. The report is emailed to you and it is yours to take to whichever vet you choose. Tell them beforehand that you are ordering it, so it arrives as something they were expecting rather than something they have to make sense of cold.

No. It is a screening measurement, the same as the human version — it measures what is in the sample, and what that means for your animal is a question for your vet. If your animal is unwell, or you think they have got into something, that is a call to the vet today rather than a hair result next month. Brunswick Health cannot diagnose, treat or advise on an animal, because under Victoria's Veterinary Practice Act that is work for a registered veterinary practitioner.

Cut several small sections from above and below the collar line with clean stainless steel scissors, as close to the skin as you can get, avoiding any patch that has had a spot-on flea or tick treatment applied to it. Keep the root end and discard anything longer than 5 to 6cm. You need about half a gram — roughly a tablespoon. The coat must be clean, untreated, thoroughly rinsed and completely dry before you cut, because damp hair grows mould in transit.

Cut multiple sections from the lower part of the mane with clean stainless steel scissors, as close to the skin as you can get. Keep the root end and discard anything past 5 to 6cm, and collect about half a gram, or roughly a tablespoon. The mane needs to be clean, untreated, thoroughly rinsed and completely dry — a damp sample can grow mould before it reaches the laboratory.

31 elements. Fourteen nutritional — calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, selenium, sulphur, cobalt and molybdenum. Ten additional elements. And seven toxic ones: mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium, beryllium and uranium. Two more sit outside that standard profile — boron and antimony — and either can be added at a fee the laboratory charges separately, requested before the sample is analysed. The animal profile is slightly narrower than the human one, which covers 36.

The report is emailed 3 to 4 weeks from the day we receive the sample, so allow a few days for the post on top of that. Analysis starts once the sample, the pet health questionnaire and the payment are all in — those are steps one to four, in that order, and nothing is posted out to you first.

Complete the pet health questionnaire

You are welcome to drop a sample at reception, and the envelope is all that needs to come in — animals cannot enter the clinic, which is a health regulation for a premises where people are treated. Posting it works exactly as well: Brunswick Health Hair Mineral Testing, 1/68 Melville Road, Brunswick West VIC 3055.

The laboratory's animal profile covers dogs and horses. If you have another animal, call the clinic on (03) 9380 8099 before ordering and we will tell you where it stands rather than have you pay for something that cannot be run.

Yes, before laboratory analysis begins — a 20% administration fee applies at that stage. Once the laboratory has started, the test cannot be refunded, because the work and the laboratory's cost have already been incurred. If you are not sure this is the right test for your question, ask before you order rather than after.