ARTHRITIS – HOW MANY TREATMENTS

In my previous email (found HERE) we talked about how helpful acupuncture can be in the management of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

One really common question I get about acupuncture for arthritis (and acupuncture in general!) is:

“How many treatments do I need?”

A typical course of treatment for acupuncture is once a week for 6-8 weeks. Acupuncture is cumulative, meaning its effects increase over time. So the goal is for you to feel a little better for a little longer after each treatment.

After a series of weekly treatments, we would evaluate how you’re feeling and try to space out the treatments. For example, trying to go two weeks between treatments and seeing how you feel.

After this, most of my arthritis patients come in for maintenance treatments about once a month. 

If you know that your OA pain is worse with cold weather, for example, you may want to come more often before the change of seasons to try to prevent a severe flare-up once the cold weather hits.

Acupuncture is often used by people AFTER they have significant pain, but the truth is that it is also very good at PREVENTING pain when you get regular acupuncture treatments.

Each person responds differently, of course, and this estimate (once per week for 6-8 weeks at first) can vary based on your age, how long you’ve been living with arthritis, as well as the severity of your condition. Generally, the longer and more severe, the more treatments are required to manage the pain.

It's all about reducing your pain as much as possible, and helping you get back to the activities you really love – like gardening, running around after your grandkids, or whatever you enjoy!

If you have questions about acupuncture for arthritis, you’re more than welcome to reply to this email. I’m always happy to chat with you!