How often should I get acupuncture?

Sometimes people try acupuncture and are disappointed because it didn’t work for them. In many of these cases, they were only able to come in for acupuncture a few times, because of finances, scheduling, or life just got too busy. We understand, but also aren’t surprised when folks don’t get the results they’re looking for after occasional treatments. Sometimes folks feel all better after just one treatment, but it’s much more common to see results after several treatments close together. Most often the right dose of acupuncture is required in order for it to work. We have a saying in community acupuncture world that “frequency trumps cleverness”. This basically means that no matter how skilled the practitioner, if you can’t get enough treatments, acupuncture likely won’t give the desired results.

Very intense symptoms, such as severe pain, usually need the most frequent treatment. Milder conditions don’t require such frequent visits. We base our treatment plan recommendations on our experience with treating a huge number of patients for a wide range of issues. Everyone responds to acupuncture differently, but we’re good at making educated guesses about what a patient is likely to need in order to see improvements. This is why we are so specific about treatment plans when you come to see us. It’s not about up-selling; it’s about letting you know what to expect.