How Long do the Benefits of Acupuncture Last?

So, you’ve been wondering if you should book your first series of acupuncture treatments, and you still have some questions lingering in your mind- that's completely normal. Acupuncture is a totally different type of medical treatment than what you are used to.  But you’ve heard some great things about it and want to move forward and give it a go. But before jumping on the bandwagon, you’re still curious- how long will the benefits of acupuncture last for me?

That is a very common question that people ask, and unfortunately, due to several variables- such as the severity of the injury or issue you’re going in for, how long you’ve had this issue, and what issue is being treated makes a big difference in the answer. On top of this, every person is different, so some respond more quickly to acupuncture, while it takes others several sessions to feel the benefits.

For instance, if someone has had symptoms for a longer period, it will take longer for acupuncture to really start to work and help alleviate the symptoms you have. Why, you may ask? This is because your body has been used to operating on the same nerve pathways that elicit your pain and symptoms, therefore taking longer to break this pattern and get used to the alternative new nerve pathway being established during your acupuncture treatments. Since acupuncture helps to develop new habits of healing, chronic symptoms and issues are known to take a longer time to reap the full benefits of acupuncture.

However, once your body is used to the new nerve pathway that has been built, the benefits of acupuncture are shown to last for months longer. Once these pathways have been established, a study has shown that the benefits and effects of acupuncture treatments did not deteriorate considerably for patients even after twelve months.

How You Can Tell If Your Acupuncture Sessions Are Effective?

If you’re combining acupuncture treatments with conventional medicine, it can help to make the conventional treatment work faster. On its own however, due to its more gentle and holistic approach to healing the human body, it can be a bit more difficult to tell if your sessions are in fact effective. Although some people report feeling the changes right after his or her first session or under 24 hours after, some people may not notice the changes and benefits immediately (especially if you’re going for a more severe or chronic issue).

There are, however, some changes you may notices after an acupuncture session. These signs include a positive change in your sleep pattern, a positive change in both your digestion pattern, bathroom habits and your appetite, your emotional ups and downs, as well as the fluctuation in the intensity of your symptoms and pain throughout the day.

If you do note at least some of the changes after you’ve begun your treatment, that is a good indicator that the acupuncture treatment is beginning to work and that your body is starting to respond to this new treatment.

Studies show that a series of acupuncture treatments, at a regularly scheduled intervals creates the best results for a positive outcome. In general, more intense and chronic conditions and issues require a longer treatment plan than an acute or new issue. Though the frequency of treatment and the number of sessions each person requires varies by person, most heal or begin to feel the benefits before their treatment plan is complete. The number of treatments required gradually becomes fewer as your symptoms continue to improve, allowing you to feel the benefits long after your last session.