In ancient China, the pinnacle of best healthcare involved the physician overseeing the health of the patient from birth, for the whole of life, working to maximise the potential for good health and dealing quickly with disease and problems as they arose.

In the West, the approach tends to be rather different. Typically, a patient will come for treatment with one or more problems, which I will work to resolve or improve. I will also aim to enhance the general health of the patient.

A fairly standard pattern to treatment is that I initially see a new patient around once a week (possibly more often if their problem is acute). Regular treatment creates a momentum to encourage positive change. As the patients symptoms and health start to improve, then the frequency of treatment is reduced, but needs to be often enough to encourage progress to continue.

Ok, so you have had some treatment, made great progress and are quite happy, is that it then?

Some patients are very happy with their treatment and we part company amicably with the understanding that they are free to call me at any time in the future should they need help.

Other patients like the idea of having an occasional treatment to encourage the benefit of treatment to continue and are happy to use acupuncture as part of an overall strategy to maximise good health.

How often we need treatment will depend on each person. A patient who generally enjoys good health and looks after himself or herself may find that one treatment each season may be quite sufficient for them.

The basis of seasonal treatment is to encourage good health by taking a preventative approach. ‘Seasonal’ literally means that; to receive a treatment at the change of each season of the year- spring, summer, autumn and winter. On these visits, I will use traditional diagnosis to formulate an acupuncture treatment to balance and enhance your energy.

Conversely, another patient could be elderly and quite arthritic. A treatment every 4-6 weeks may be required to reduce pain and swelling, improve joint mobility and support energy and well being. When a person has long- term chronic problems, then it may be necessary to take a long term view to help.

Consider this: you have bought a new car. You would expect to look after it regularly for safe and reliable performance.

For us, we do get older and must reasonably expect to continue to look after ourselves too.

Here is sample feedback from some of my patients who decided that they would take a longer term approach treatment.