Many people use acupuncture after more traditional methods have failed. Both Dr. Fein and Marnae Ergil suggest that an early visit to the acupuncturist can positively influence the length of treatment. For example, with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, if a patient has the condition for three to five years, it's harder to treat because it's a chronic condition. If you come after two months, it's not as severe and thus easier to treat. This isn't saying we can't help people with chronic conditions, but it does take longer.
Doctors are a good resource for referrals to acupuncturists.
In addition, more medical doctors themselves are becoming trained in acupuncture. The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture is a physician-only professional acupuncture society in North America. They have a searchable directory where you can search for an acupuncturist using different criteria from your area code to city or state.