Acupuncture treatment – have you heard of it before? If yes, then you have background information about it. But then, how often should you go for it? Well, let me not assume you have some information about this treatment.
Acupuncture is an ancient treatment that involves stimulating the body by means of needle insertions at various points. With its origin from China, the therapy has been in existence for centuries now. With the advancement in technology, you would expect modern treatments to dominate the world. In contrast, acupuncture and cupping therapies are still dominant in different parts of the world. In fact, recent studies show an upsurge in the popularity of these two ancient treatments.
Obviously, there must be a reason behind this trend. In our discussion here this time we want to determine how often you should get acupuncture treatment. However, this is a very deep aspect that requires an in-depth analysis. For this reason, this blog will address four things: How acupuncture works, the benefits of the treatment, the side effects, and finally, it will answer the question on the frequency of the treatment. So, follow along and enrich your understanding of this subject.
How Acupuncture Works
As mentioned at the outset, this is an ancient treatment with Chinese origin. It is based on the belief that diseases result in an imbalance in energy flow within the body. There are up to 350 acupuncture points in the human body which when stimulated, an equilibrium in the flow of energy is regained. But is this attained? Well, the treatment uses needles! A number of needles are inserted at different acupuncture points. These points are also called meridians and are believed to be the paths followed by the energy. Like many, maybe the thought of using needles leave you frightened. However, let us mention that the treatment does not involve pain or any discomfort. So, fear not!
Customarily, the acupuncturist will assess you based on a number of factors. The most common things examined during the diagnosis include your health history, the pulse rate within the wrist at the hand, your lifestyle, and the reason behind the choice of the treatment. Afterward, the therapist will determine the areas for needle insertions. Do not expect the insertions to be made right at the injured parts. Sometimes the acupuncture points may be far away from the affected part of the body. Once the insertion points have been determined, you will know whether to unclothe. You will be required to lie on a large table during the therapy. The treatment will involve three main steps as follows:
- The insertions. This involves placing the needles at the acupuncture points deemed suitable by the therapist. The number of insertions will depend on the condition, though it often ranges from five to twenty.
- Manipulations. Depending on the condition, the therapist may deem it necessary to mildly move the needles. This does not cause any pain or discomfort.
- Removal. After some time, often 20 to 30 minutes, the needles are supposed to be removed. Again, this is a pain-free procedure and do not cause discomforts.
In most cases, the first session takes time because it involves a lot of things. In fact, most acupuncturists charge a lot of fees because it is quite involving. Since the subsequent treatment builds on the first one, they are always less expensive and simple. Besides, the therapist may make adjustments to the treatment to suit your health status in the subsequent sessions. How beneficial is the treatment? Let us answer that in the following section.
The Benefits of Acupuncture
The recent increase in popularity of this treatment is attributed to two things: its effectiveness and the benefits individuals get from it. Can just imagine having a break from back pain through an ancient treatment with no medication? I mean, pain-free childbirth? Sounds incredible, right? If this surprise you, the following are some more benefits individuals get from acupuncture:
- It is very safe. Very few treatments are harmless. Acupuncture is one of them. Nevertheless, your safety may depend on the practitioner and the tools used. Some acupuncture centers, such as My Home Therapy, are very reputable and are known to provide services even at the comfort of clients’ homes.
- Very few side effects. Acupuncture has very few side effects and none of them devastates patients.
- It can blend with other treatments. For instance, a combination of acupuncture and cupping are known to significantly lessen stress levels as well as physical pain.
- It is the best alternative for patients who are aggressive to pain medications.
From the foregoing, acupuncture is a good treatment and worth your trial. Nevertheless, it must be having some side effects.
Side Effects of Acupuncture
While the treatment is quite beneficial, it has some unpleasant side effects worth your attention. Though they are not quite devastating, you must know about them. The following are the common ones:
- Bruising. This often happens at the insertion points. However, it is nothing of a big deal.
- Fatigue. This is a common thing, though it is a mere indication that you need rest.
- Worsen symptoms. Right after the treatment, a healing crisis often occurs. Nonetheless, improvements always follow.
- Muscle twitching. It is common to have muscle twitching during or after the therapy.
- Lightheadedness. This is a rare condition, though it may occur. Sometimes it can even lead to fainting.
This is all there is as far as the side effects are concerned. Are they devastating? What are your thoughts? As you still contemplate on that, we shift to the final aspect of the blog, the frequency…
How Often Should You Get Acupuncture?
To this end, everything about the treatment is quite clear. What do you think about the frequency? Well, how often you should get the treatment depends on the duration of the symptoms. If the symptoms have been evident for longer, you may need a lot of treatments and this may mean quite often.
In addition, the guiding principle requires one per week treatment until the condition stabilizes. However, id the symptoms are acute, you may need the therapies twice in every week. The therapist will always examine your condition and the progress made in order to adjust the frequency of the treatment. Once there is a significant decrease in the symptoms, the number of treatments will be lessened. If the condition is not that serious, one treatment every two weeks or a single treatment per month will be enough.
By way of review, how often should you get acupuncture treatment? We have seen that the frequency depends on your condition, though conventionally it should be one treatment for average problems. The chronicity of the symptoms plays a significant role in this regard. We hope this blog has been helpful. Thank you.
