Top Town Good Health Centre
Tradition and technology complement each other in the services offered by John Yuan and Yulei Zhang at Top Town Good Health Centre in New Plymouth.
The two acupuncturists have combined their previously separate practices and both now are based in the premises at 70 Gill St, at the bottom of the back stairs into the Top Town shopping centre. Between them they diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions and injuries, including soft-tissue injuries, pain, smoking cessation, insomnia, weight loss, body balance disorders and other diseases, pediatric massage, treatment of pediatric diseases, and treatment of gynecological problems such as infertility, menopause and menstrual disorders.
John Yuan trained in and later taught acupuncture in mainland China from 1985 and also studied Chinese herbology and Chinese massage. He has been providing traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture treatments in New Zealand for 34 years and opened his New Plymouth clinic in an office in his home in 1999.
Yulei Zhang is also originally from mainland China, but studied acupuncture and Chinese massage for three years at the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine in Auckland. His growing skills were in demand from an early stage and he had helped 200 different patients before he completed graduation. Yulei also offers massages and has developed a special interest in stress resolution that can be particularly helpful for people wanting to quit smoking or couples struggling with infertility. He regards study as an ongoing process. “I like to learn every day. I will be doing study till I am old… never stop.”
John also welcomes improvements to traditional techniques, such as Accurate Acupuncture methodology, which can involve elements of Western medicine, including a deeper understanding of anatomy. Lower back, joint and carpal tunnel issues are all much easier to treat now. Technology is another welcome aid and John points to the use of a new low-frequency massage machine, replacing older high-frequency technology.
“It is the best machine available. It uses pain-free vibration that is more effective for deep-tissue massage,” he explains.
High-frequency massagers can create a sharp painful sensation, so patients appreciate the pain-free application of the low frequency vibrations, he says. People are increasingly aware of the help available to them through acupuncture treatments, Yulei says, from conditions such as a frozen shoulder to sports injuries such as tennis elbow. People of all ages are treated at Top Town Good Health Centre, he says, although children under six do not get the acupuncture needles, just a massage treatment.
A comprehensive range of traditional Chinese herbs is also held at the Top Town clinic, John advises – now in a more finely powdered form that is easier to dissolve in water and can be used more effectively in much smaller quantities.
The clinic location at 70 Gill St is convenient for patients and customers as parking is available close-by. The clinic is open Monday to Friday, with Saturday treatments available by appointment. Acupuncture treatments for injuries are also ACC-approved.
John and Yulei appreciate the support over the years from both the Taranaki community and medical practitioners and they look forward to that continuing.