- Frequency of acupuncture for different treatment purposes
Acute diseases (such as sprains, acute pain, colds)
Frequency: once a day or every other day in the initial stage, for 3 to 5 times in a row.
Adjustment principle: gradually reduce to 1 to 2 times a week after symptoms are relieved until recovery.
Chronic diseases (such as chronic low back pain, insomnia, anxiety)
Frequency: 1 to 2 times a week, for 4 to 6 weeks as a course of treatment.
Adjustment principle: If symptoms improve, it can be extended to once every 2 weeks to consolidate the effect; if the effect is not good, the plan needs to be re-evaluated.
Sub-health conditioning/preventive health care
Frequency: once every 2 to 4 weeks, flexibly adjusted according to seasonal changes or physical condition.
Applicable scenarios: immunity enhancement, fatigue recovery, solar term health care (such as Sanfutie combined with acupuncture). - Key factors affecting frequency
Individual response
Those who are sensitive to acupuncture (such as obvious fatigue after acupuncture) can appropriately extend the interval, such as once a week.
Those with strong tolerance can try short-term intensive treatment (such as acupuncture for 5 consecutive days).
Severity of the disease
Severe or complex diseases (such as sequelae of stroke) may require long-term high-frequency treatment (2 to 3 times a week for several months).
Treatment stage
Initial stage: high frequency (2 to 3 times a week) to quickly dredge the meridians and relieve symptoms.
Consolidation stage: low frequency (once every 1 to 2 weeks) to maintain the efficacy and prevent recurrence.
- Precautions
Avoid overtreatment
It is recommended to have a 48-hour interval between continuous acupuncture treatments at the same site to prevent excessive stimulation of local tissues.
Long-term high-frequency acupuncture requires monitoring of liver and kidney function (especially for those taking Chinese medicine).
Adjustment for special populations