ACC provides cover for acupuncture for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors who sustain a personal injury in New Zealand from general injuries from accidents
Hi, I’m Dean — an ACC-registered acupuncturist and yoga therapist based in Albany, North Shore, Auckland. One of my main specialties is helping people recover from injuries and pain using acupuncture and traditional Eastern therapies.
Whether you’ve had a recent accident, a sports injury, or ongoing strain from work, acupuncture can be a powerful and natural way to reduce pain, support healing, and get you moving again.
If your injury happened in New Zealand, you may be eligible for ACC-covered acupuncture treatments — even if you’re a temporary visitor. Below, I’ll explain how it works and how we can get started.
To access acupuncture through ACC:
Visit a doctor, GP, physiotherapist, or hospital after your injury.
They’ll assess your injury and submit an ACC45 injury claim form.
Once your claim is accepted, you can begin treatment with any ACC-registered acupuncturist.
You’re usually approved for up to 12 acupuncture treatments over a 12-week period from the date of your first session. You can also see other providers like physios or chiropractors – this won’t affect your allocated acupuncture sessions.
ACC covers personal physical injuries and may cover work-related gradual onset injuries and mental injuries.
ACC funds two categories of therapies within acupuncture:
Conventional acupuncture therapies include:
Traditional Chinese acupuncture
Western (medical) acupuncture
Electroacupuncture
Auricular (ear) acupuncture
Adjunct therapies are also fully covered when used alongside acupuncture:
Cupping
Gua Sha (scraping therapy)
Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage)
Moxibustion
These therapies are often integrated into your treatment plan at no extra cost and tailored to your specific needs and injury type.
ACC covers most of the cost for an acupuncture treatment you will need to pay a small surcharge of 30$
Neck pain and knots – from whiplash, poor posture, or tension
Lower back pain – including strains, disc injuries, and chronic tightness
Shoulder injuries – frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tears, overuse injuries
Elbow pain – tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, or repetitive strain
Wrist and hand injuries – carpal tunnel syndrome, sprains, or overuse
Hip pain – muscle strains, joint issues, or bursitis
Knee injuries – ligament sprains, meniscus tears, or tracking issues
Ankle sprains – acute or recurrent ankle instability
Foot pain – plantar fasciitis, arch pain, toe joint inflammation
Muscle strains and tears – including hamstring, quad, and calf injuries
Sports injuries – common in surfing, boxing, MMA, running, or gym work
Work-related overuse injuries – especially in tradies, nurses, and office workers
Post-surgical recovery – support for healing, pain management, and scar tissue
Fractures and dislocations – once stable, to aid recovery and reduce stiffness
Headaches and jaw pain (TMJ) – often linked to tension or whiplash
Nerve pain – such as sciatica, tingling, or numbness from injury
Stress-related tension – from injury trauma.
If you’ve experienced any of these injuries in New Zealand and your ACC claim is approved, you can access acupuncture to help relieve pain, improve function, and support a faster recovery.
