Considering adding acupuncture to your treatment plan? Great! For best results, it’s helpful to know what treatment course would work for you. Acupuncture once a week might be enough for you, but it’s not always. To give acupuncture the best chance to work, you’ll want to be sure the dose is correct.
Acupuncture Once a Week? Determining Dose
Dose? That’s right. Think of acupuncture as something that builds on itself over time, like a vitamin or even an antibiotic. You wouldn’t expect your sinus infection to go away after taking a single dose of your medication, and acupuncture doesn’t work that way either. Acupuncture works by making foundational changes to your health over time. So, think of acupuncture as a process. Usually, a couple of treatments won’t do much to change things. But a series of treatments can change your life.
So how does it work? For acute issues, like a recent knee injury or neck spasm, it’s best to get more treatments in a shorter time. Having acupuncture 2-3 times per week for 4-6 weeks can fully resolve acute pain, and get you back to enjoying your life.
But for more chronic conditions, like persistent low back pain, migraines, or fertility issues, you’ll want to take the long view. In these cases, acupuncture once a week is recommended, and you’ll want to commit to 3-6 months of weekly treatments to allow acupuncture time to reset your body from the ground up.
It takes time but is well worth it. This doesn’t mean you won’t see results for 6 months! You will, but we want them to last. So, approach each treatment as part of a larger whole, and be sure to stick with weekly sessions over time. You will likely see steady positive changes, and eventually, notice that you are feeling much better. At that point, you can reduce the frequency to biweekly or monthly for maintenance.
Another timing nuance: If you’re going through a focused course of treatment, like fertility treatments, allergy treatments, or intensive PT for that old shoulder injury, have acupuncture 2-3 times per week. Getting more acupuncture during time-sensitive, focused treatment cycles will give you the best chance of long-term treatment success, and will work best for your treatment plan with your other providers.
Of course, your acupuncturist can help you decide what timing is best for you. At your intake appointment, they will tell you what to expect and how long it will take. The truth is, many people find acupuncture to be invaluable to their overall health and well-being, and make it a lifelong priority to continue with treatments in some form. Get started and see how you feel – it might just change your life!
Learn What is Right for You
At Portland Acupuncture Studio, we have three highly skilled acupuncturists ready to help you on your journey. Contact us today to see how we can support you both on the path to building your family. We are here to help you succeed.
Established patients can schedule online, patients who haven’t seen us at Kwan Yin Healing Center call (503) 701-8766, or email us to schedule your appointment.
