Acupuncture how long to see results

Here is what we recommend for frequency of treatments: If your pain is a 10 out of 10, or you are at the end of your rope, come in daily until we see some changes. If your pain is a 5 out of 10 or over, preferably two to three times a week. If your pain is a 4 or less, come in once or twice a week. Chronic issues that are not severe, once a week for weeks and then we will re-evaluate. Really long term chronic issues, once a week for ten weeks or twice a week for 5 weeks.

PMS, endometriosis, menstrual cycle related issues: weekly until you have a cycle that is OK, then every other week until 2 OK cycles, then once a month in the week before the problem week.

People often ask how long it takes to see results with acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Many times changes will be slow and subtle to give your body and mind time to rebalance and recover from the condition. For many people de-stressing can play a crucial role in the treatment outcome. Some people may find that their condition moves slowly towards being cleared and they can sense progression.

Other times the condition may seem to remain the same until it reaches a tipping point, after which progression is often rapid. You may not always notice the improvements yourself, as these changes are often subtle, or you may be too busy to notice the differences. Western medical acupuncture is the use of acupuncture following a medical diagnosis. It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles.

This results in the body producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins. It's likely that these naturally released substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture. A course of acupuncture usually creates longer lasting pain relief than when a single treatment is used. Traditional acupuncture is based on the belief that an energy, or "life force", flows through the body in channels called meridians.

This life force is known as Qi pronounced "chee". Practitioners who use acupuncture in the traditional way believe that when Qi does not flow freely through the body, this can cause illness. They also believe acupuncture can restore the flow of Qi, and so restore health. Acupuncture practitioners — sometimes called acupuncturists — use acupuncture to treat a wide range of health conditions.

However, the use of acupuncture is not always based on rigorous scientific evidence. Currently, NICE only recommends considering acupuncture as a treatment option for:. Acupuncture is also often used to treat other musculoskeletal conditions of the bones and muscles and pain conditions, including:. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture compared with other treatments is unclear.

Acupuncture is sometimes available on the NHS, most often from GP surgeries or physiotherapists, although access is limited. Most acupuncture patients pay for private treatment.