When to Start Acupuncture 

 October 13, 2020

By  Steve Hoffman

Yesterday, maybe last week, ten years ago! Obviously, these answers and not an option but tomorrow should not be an option either. This is because tomorrow often equates to never. At Princeton Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, we see both ends of the treatment spectrum and everything in between. We see patients who are proactive and come in on a regular basis to maintain or optimize their health. We also see patients who are at the end of their rope. They have tried everything, they have had failed surgeries, no medications are working, and they feel like they have no other options. While we love our proactive patients, we specialize in patients who have severe and chronic issues, and this is where acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine really shine.

Why Timing Matters

Generally, it takes about a week of treatment for every year a problem has existed. So, if we see you when a problem first crops up, a week or two’s worth of treatment and your problem is taken care of. A maintenance plan to keep it from coming back and you are good to go. A problem that has been around for ten years can take a few months of treatment before you start feeling better. Twenty year, thirty years...you get the picture. And what does this mean to you? $$$$$ Essentially, the sooner you seek treatment, the less you will spend on treatment.

Suck it Up

Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to just “suck it up”. Deal with the pain, it is just part of getting older, take some pain relievers and push through it and this is often coming from our health care providers. The problem is that an occasional twinge in the back becomes a daily bother, becomes a hinderance, becomes a debilitating problem.

Where Can I Get Help

For most people, their first option is their doctor and as I said above, they mostly don’t have much to offer for aches and pains much less a chronic, severe problem. Unfortunately, most people do not consider availing themselves to acupuncture for “minor” issues and often find their way to us only after they have exhausted all other options. While this makes the problem harder to treat requiring longer and more intensive treatment plans, the good news is that acupuncture will help 80-90% of people. Acupuncture not only provides much needed pain relief but also decreases inflammation and increase blood flow so that your body can heal the problem.

Today

So, the answer to the question, when should you start, is today. You can’t go back and change the past, but you can intervene now, stop the progression of the problem and start getting better.


Princeton Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Our patients know just how effective treatments are for these and a host of other problems. Steven Hoffman, a New Jersey Licensed Acupuncturist and Diplomate in Oriental Medicine, will provide you with a thorough intake and evaluation and a clear, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plan that will insure that your goals are met or exceeded. Do you want to move past these or other problems? We will help you thrive not just survive!

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