The number of treatments depends on the severity of the condition. Someone might need acupuncture treatments twice a week for several months for long-standing conditions, and fewer treatments for acute problems and maybe only four sessions a year for health maintenance. There are two ways to become certified in acupuncture. Those people usually do not have a formal background in Western medicine. There are two types of referrals for treatment via acupuncture.
Acupuncture is one treatment among many.
It can be used separately or in conjunction with other treatments, such as, but not limited to, conventional Western medicine, osteopathic or chiropractic adjustments. Dolores Chappel, a retired military family member, chose acupuncture as a treatment to relieve lower back pain she suffered from working as a cashier and stocker for 16 years in a supermarket. Being on her feet all day and stocking supermarket freezers led to two fusion operations on her back. Chappel said she chose acupuncture over other treatments offered because she didn't want to go those routes. Her options were either different medications or epidural steroid treatments in which steroids are injected into the spine, she said.