For people suffering from pain, both acute and chronic, it’s understandable that finding relief as quickly as possible is the number one priority. Acupuncture is an ancient, millennia-old practice that has helped people find relief for both emotional and physical pain, but how long does acupuncture take to be effective? When can someone expect to begin feeling the benefits of acupuncture treatment?
As you can imagine, there are many factors and circumstances that contribute to the timeliness of acupuncture treatment’s efficacy. This article will outline some of the basic acupuncture effectiveness concepts while suggesting the expected timeline of results.
Acupuncture Treatment Trains the Body to Heal Itself
With all of the wealth of information, tactics, and strategies involved in acupuncture treatment, at the end of the day, acupuncture treatment is really about re-balancing energy “Qi” and teaching the body to heal itself in different ways it may not do on its own.
For both insertive and non-insertive acupuncture, the treatment works to recondition sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. In this context, reconditioning means that acupuncture helps the brain and nervous systems work together to open pathways for nutrients and energy to move around the body, promoting healing and pain relief.
Acupuncturists could almost be considered to be ancient trail guides, helping the body discover new paths to guide energy to provide healing/relief to the site(s) of pain.
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The Variables of Patients and Pains
Acupuncture treatments will work, but many variables come into play when determining any treatment timeline’s effectiveness. For example, some acute pain that started overnight may be instantly relieved with one session of acupuncture. Alternatively, chronic knee pain that a professional bike rider has been experiencing for years will likely take longer to treat and promote new healing.
Some of the factors that will impact the speed of acupuncture healing and pain relief include:
Age – It’s generally the case that the younger people are quicker to heal and feel relief. Now, this is not always the case. In some circumstances, a healthier older person will have a faster bodily response to acupuncture than someone younger with a less-healthy lifestyle.
Lifestyle – In all aspects of life, a healthy, active lifestyle keeps the body well-conditioned to heal/defend itself. The speed of response to acupuncture treatment is also dependent on the condition of the patient’s body.
A patient who takes good care of themselves, eats a nutrient-rich diet, exercises regularly, and follows other recommended health and lifestyle precautions will typically respond quickly to treatment – rather than someone with an unhealthy lifestyle.
How Quickly the Pain Is Addressed – How long does acupuncture take to heal body pain? Much of that depends on how quickly the pain is tended to by a licensed acupuncturist.
Pain that has been around for a long time is more challenging and slower to treat than pains that are treated shortly after they are felt/discovered. It’s better to visit your acupuncturist after you first notice that knee pain or have multiple migraines, rather than letting the pain gestate.
The process of releasing energy and retraining the body to heal is quicker when the body hasn’t settled into long-term cycles of daily/chronic pains.
What Can You Expect for Acupuncture Effectiveness?
It’s not right to give patients an unrealistic timeline of their pain recovery process. The reality is, some will heal faster than others, and treatments will vary greatly on the severity of the pain, injury, and condition. However, your acupuncturist will train you to recognize progress and test your body as you receive treatment. The treatment will work, and progress can be recognized each day.
To provide loose timelines, If you have unbearable pain, an acupuncturist will work with you daily to get it manageable and find relief. If you have mild-nagging pain, you should expect to get treatment 2-3 times per week to get it under control. If you have mild chronic pain, expect to see an acupuncturist at least once per week until the symptoms have noticeably improved.
If you’re looking for Weymouth, MA, acupuncture treatment, please contact us today!