what you may expect (and when)

For most people, getting benefit from acupuncture requires a commitment. And you can’t really make that commitment in an educated way unless you know what to expect.

There are several ways in which people benefit from acupuncture.

1. One may be called THE BIG BANG. For some people, between 2 and 20 acupuncture treatments, spaced closely together, can have a MAJOR impact on a health problem. Often in Big Bang cases, you'll see some of your symptoms go away within the first few treatments, and you can graduate from treatment, or just come in for an occasional tune-up, once the problem is resolved. If you have a problem that began recently (say, pain or fatigue or digestive upset for the past few months) it is fairly likely you will be in this category. Some more chronic problems can also fall into this category, although it’s difficult to predict which.
   
   
2. Another way acupuncture works may be called DROPS OF WATER ON A STONE. For some people, regular, once or twice weekly acupuncture treatments are able very gradually to move the body back towards health. When acupuncture works in this way, people can see profound benefits from treatment, even for chronic problems. But these individuals require consistent acupuncture over much longer periods of time than Big Bang responders. People in this category may particularly benefit from treatment in group settings, and the lower cost of community acupuncture makes it possible for them to continue treatment.
   
   
3. There are situations that fall somewhere in the middle. Some people will see a marked improvement in the first 4 to 12 treatments, followed by a leveling off. If you are one of these people, it is likely that continuing regular acupuncture will offer more benefit. But, as for individuals in the Drops of Water category, further improvement can be very gradual, and may require lots of patience.

Even after an extensive evaluation, it is difficult to predict at the start exactly which symptoms can be resolved with acupuncture, and/or to know if you're going to fall into the Big Bang or Drops of Water on a Stone category- or somewhere in the middle.

Experience shows that people in all these categories may benefit from acupuncture. After your initial evaluation and treatment, we decide together whether the community or individual acupuncture is best for you at the start and determine a treatment plan. Together we periodically assess whether you are benefiting from acupuncture and whether you need to check out another approach.

The best news is, while you are waiting to see exactly what health benefits acupuncture can offer you, regular treatments may reduce your stress level and relax your body, thus reducing your risk for many chronic diseases and problems and improving your overall well-being.
Thanks to Diana DiGioia LAc (Dennis MA) for these descriptions!

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