How Frequently Should You be Getting Acupuncture?

According to the scientific research, dosage matters when it comes to acupuncture.


According to the analyses of 17,922 patients, an international group of medical researchers reported in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine that when it comes to utilizing acupuncture for the treatment of pain conditions, dosage really matters. Based on several different studies of various acupuncture techniques, including moxibustion and e-stim, each technique was effective at alleviating pain. However, better relief was obtained when more needles were used and when acupuncture sessions were more frequent.

One question that Del Mar acupuncture patients often ask is how often they need to receive treatments. While it’s common for many patients to come in for acupuncture once a week or less due to a busy work/life schedule, patients seeking to avoid surgery and get lifelong relief from chronic pain may need to get acupuncture more frequently for a few months. If you find that once a week acupuncture is not alleviating your pain for the entire week, you should definitely think about seeing your acupuncturist more frequently.

The next question that many patients ask when they hear this news is whether they will have to do this for the rest of their lives. Acupuncture promotes equilibrium and homeostasis in the body, and if you have been neglecting your health for a very long time or if you have a severe health condition, it will take longer to get your body back on track. You may need six months of acupuncture and an entire year of herbal therapy. When you begin to feel healthy and pain-free again, you won’t need to continue with treatment. Many patients choose to get acupuncture near Encinitas once a month as a method of maintaining wellness and preventing any flare-ups if they have a chronic condition.

Keep in mind that this meta-analysis focused on the treatment of pain with acupuncture only. Conditions that are not chronic and conditions that don’t involve a pain element may not require more needles or more frequent treatment. If you are seeking acupuncture for wellness, hormone balancing, acute nausea, a sinus infection, seasonal illness, etc., you may only need a couple of treatments and you’re well. Children tend to suffer from acute illnesses only lasting a few days, so oftentimes a child can have one acupuncture treatment and have immediate and lasting relief.

One rule of thumb for how long you will need to receive acupuncture treatments and/or herbal therapy is to think about when your condition began. If you started having knee pain six months ago, don’t expect one acupuncture treatment to “cure” it. You may require six months of consistent treatment, but you may be able to avoid knee surgery and all the complications that go with that.

Myths Associated with Acupuncture

Acupuncture is today considered as one of the finest and most effective alternative therapies for treatment and relief from various ailments.

Acupuncture, the ancient Chinese art of healing has been curing millions of people around the globe. However, even after being known as one of the most effective alternative medicines, acupuncture is marred by several myths that cause people to shy away from this ancient art. Here are some of the most prominent myths associated with acupuncture –

Myth 1:  Since it is an old Chinese art, only people of Chinese decent can perform it effectively –

Most people are of the view that since acupuncture originated from China, only Chinese people can practice it and westerners practicing it do not know much about it. However, there are several trained and certified Del Mar acupuncturists who are not necessarily from Asia. It is a science that can be learned through proper and professional training.

Myth 2: Insertion of needles cause extreme pain –

A lot of individuals prefer to stay away from acupuncture owing to the prevalent fear that acupuncture needles causes pain. However, trained acupuncturists know exactly how and where to insert the needles that only cause a slight pressure.

Myth 3: Needles used in acupuncture are not hygienic or safe to use –

Another prevalent myth is that the needles used in acupuncture treatment are unsanitary and can lead to several diseases and infections such as AIDS or Hepatitis. However, needles used in acupuncture are sterilized and come properly wrapped. Moreover, just like the syringes and acupuncture needles are meant for individual sittings only and are not used after one sitting, ruling out the risk of any contamination.

Myth 4: You need acupuncture sessions daily –

As every patient is different, there is a difference in how the body will react to acupuncture. Normally Del Mar acupuncture sessions are required once a week or bi-weekly. Most of the patients do not need acupuncture therapy daily and you might require the acupuncture session as per your condition.

Myth 5: Acupuncture is not backed by any scientific study –

Being an alternative art form of healing, most people question the authenticity of acupuncture. However, there have been numerous studies that showcase that acupuncture has therapeutic effects on the patients. Backed with other medications, acupuncture helps in alleviating various health conditions. As the scientific data about the efficacy of acupuncture is increasing everyday, western physicians have started recognizing acupuncture as an effective alternative therapy.

Myth 6: Acupuncture only treats chronic pain –

Although it is true that acupuncture offers amazing results in treating chronic pain, it is completely false that it is used only for providing relief from pain. Acupuncture works on the principle of the allowing free flow of energy through the different meridians of the body. Therefore apart from treating muscular pains, joint pains and headaches, acupuncture can be an amazing treatment for certain health issues such as depression, allergies, infertility, fatigue, digestive problems, respiratory troubles, menstrual disorders and menopause, and as a supportive alternative therapy for various health conditions as well.

Acupuncture is today starting to be considered one of the finest and most effective alternative therapies for treatment and relief from various ailments. By allowing the free flow of energy (Qi) through the different meridians in the body, acupuncture finds the root cause for the disease and eradicates it completely. Do not let these myths create a barrier in reaping the benefits of acupuncture. Consult a professional acupuncturist and ensure sound health.