How Many Treatments Will I Need?

Whether acupuncture can treat a patient effectively is dependent upon the following factors:

• If acupuncture is an appropriate treatment for the condition
• The severity and duration of the condition
• The overall health of the patient

The number of treatments necessary will vary between individuals. 10-15% of patients respond very rapidly to acupuncture and need very few treatments. The other 85-90% respond more slowly and will notice continued, gradual improvement over time. More severe, chronic and long-standing problems tend to require more treatments while minor problems of short duration may require only a few treatments. An initial course of six treatments determines the effectiveness of treatment. Chronic conditions are scheduled one time per week. Acute conditions are scheduled 1-2 times per week.

How soon will I notice improvement?
The positive effects from the acupuncture may begin during the treatment, several hours afterwards, or the day after. The amount of noticeable change may range from dramatic to subtle. Patients will typically notice some positive change within four treatments. Initially, the positive changes may fade and the symptoms may recur. As additional treatments are received, positive changes will become more noticeable and will last for increasingly longer periods of time.