Maximising results - how many acupuncture treatments do I need?
/I’m asked this question so often.
Are you wondering how many acupuncture treatments you’ll need?
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In a healthcare world led by pharmaceutical treatments , we’re used to a set number of tablets for a set number of days - a course of treatment lasting for a definite period of time.
The National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) provide guidance for the NHS. It often comes with recommendations for ‘how much?’ - how many treatments, how long they should last and who should get them.
Yet we are individuals, each shaped by a combination of factors such as the genes we inherited, the way we’ve lived our lives, and what’s happening right now.
Let’s look at a few examples
Joe is young, he plays sports regularly and has good muscular strength. But an over enthusiastic tackle led to a back injury. He commits to his acupuncture treatment, rests appropriately, and follows the aftercare advice he is given. Before too long he’s back on the football pitch.
Elizabeth hurt her neck four years ago. She’s tried physiotherapy, visited the chiropractor, been for some massage. Her posture is clearly an issue and we need to work around releasing some muscles and strengthening others. Her recovery will take time . It will also take commitment, both to treatment and to homework to rectify the poor posture that led to pain.
Sandra suffers from heartburn and reflux. Her poo is, shall we say, unpredictable. She responds well to treatment and the day or too after things are always better. But by the next acupuncture session things have slipped back again. Why? She doesn’t want to change her dietary habits. Acupuncture can help her but her progress would be so much quicker if she made lifestyle changes.
How to help yourself
Commit. This is where it is like that course of treatment- you need to come along for treatment regularly just as you need to take a course of antibiotics regularly.
Do your homework. Support your treatment by following any lifestyle advice given by your practitioner.
Be realistic - a ten year old injury or lifelong menstrual problems are unlikely to be fixed in one session.
Those NICE guidelines are based on two main factors; the evidence available and the cost of treatment. The reality is that the NHS has limited funds, which can lead to recommendations for limited treatment. Their guidance for chronic pain recommends acupuncture as it is strongly supported by evidence. But it also limits treatment to now more than five hours, in a group setting, with treatment delivered by someone paid no more than band 7. This is likely to be a healthcare professional who has done a short course in delivering a set acupuncture protocol for pain management. It may help some, but it’s a world away from a treatment that’s tailored to you and your unique circumstances.
So when someone asks me “how long is a course of treatment “ I often don’t know. It depends on how you got where you are now, how you respond to acupuncture, and your own commitment to recovery. What I can promise you is that I will see you as an individual, you will get the best treatment I can offer and, if I need to refer you to someone else, I will.