"When Will I Feel The Effects Of Acupuncture?"

© 2020 by Dr. David B. Meredith, D.Ac.

Our series of detailed answers to common questions continues!

Of course "how long does it take for acupuncture to start working" would be a big one, but it requires some parsing. 

"Working" implies a noticeable affect on the concerning symptoms. As we've covered before, every patient is different and brings a different set of circumstances to the table. Further, there are many styles of acupuncture, each with its own set of theories about efficacy. Some involve treating the "root" first (the underlying or constitutional conditions) and some treat the "branch" right away (the symptoms). Somewhere in the mix, a number of other issues that seem separate from the main symptom may also start to improve, since this holistic treatment may also result in reduced stress, improved sleep, and more efficiently operating bodily symptoms. What if we're working on persistent elbow pain and your digestion improves first? Those are signs that acupuncture treatment is working but perhaps not the primary concern.

Speaking for myself only, using the most applicable styles of acupuncture, I try to work on all of these levels at once, with careful monitoring of the situation during the treatment and in the period between appointments. In some cases, we can achieve a fifty- to hundred-percent reduction in the symptom in short order (perhaps even on the first appointment), and the strategy turns to strengthening the system to maintain progress and stop it from returning. Sometimes the curve is flatter and we get significant relief with multiple appointments over a few weeks. However it happens, it is usually obvious from very early on in the therapy that we're on the right track and progress is being made.

So much of my personal process relies on the observation of symptoms coming and going – and the coaching and setting of expectations around that – that the benefits fo treatment are evident and the expectations of the patient are clear and realistic. This allows for a comfortable and productive relationship.