How Often Do I Need Acupuncture?

Special thanks to Demetra Delia Markis of Yerba Buena Community Acupuncture in San Francisco for making this handy dandy chart. One of the first questions new patients ask is how often will I need to get acupuncture? This chart does a great job of explaining a general rule of thumb for treatments. Of course depending on what you are working on it may be different. Check with your acupuncturist to see what treatment plan makes the most sense for you. 

How often should I come in for treatment?

This will vary from person to person, and will likely vary

as the condition changes with treatment.

Here are some general guidelines, depending on what you are treating and what your goals are:

Being treated for:	Example of condition:	Treatment frequency:	For how long:
Very severe discomfort	Acute back sprain,  daily migraines	Daily until change in condition	For several days
Serious discomfort	Sprained ankle, acute digestive distress	Every other day until change in condition	A week or two
Moderate discomfort	Knee pain while running, poor sleep	Twice weekly until change in condition	Over several weeks
Working on a health milestone	Trying to get pregnant, overcoming allergies	Twice weekly until change in condition	Over several weeks
Ongoing episodic condition	Occasional insomnia; PMS	Weekly + as-needed for acute episodes	Over a few months
Support for chronic issues	Stress, work-related  issues, chronic illness	Weekly	Ongoing/as needed
General health	Life!	Weekly or bi-monthly	Ongoing/as needed

Sarah Zender LAc


Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St 
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com 

Community Acupuncture Meet Community Running

If you live in the Crystal Lake area and are looking for a great way to stay active and meet new people make sure to pop into the Running Depot in downtown Crystal Lake. Not only do they have a friendly, knowledgeable staff they offer free fun runs on Wednesday evenings 6:30p and Saturday mornings 7:30a weather permitting. If you've always wanted to run a 5k, 1/2 marathon or even the big daddy marathon they have training programs that offer you the guidance and support you need to make those goals a reality.

The best part is you don't have to worry about how fast you run or how far. There are several groups that go out and no one gets left behind. There are walking and talking groups too. The first time you come they will ask what your average mile time is and how far you are looking to run and pair you with someone that runs at a similar pace.

Make sure to "like" the Running Depot on facebook to stay up to date on there current events. They offer so much to the community.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com

Stay Cool As A Cucumber

Below are 2 great summer drink recipes that are both refreshing and will help keep you cool. Both cucumbers and lavender have cooling properties and are great to add to your diet in the summer especially if you tend to run more on the hot side.

Lavender Lemonade

10 cups water
8 lemons
agave nectar to taste
1 drop lavender essential oil *

Squeeze lemons into a large pitcher and mix in water and agave to the sweetness you like. Add one drop of lavender essential oil and stir. Serve chilled.

* when ingesting essential oils make sure they are a therapeutic grade essential oil. Young Living has therapeutic grade essential oils and can be ordered through NAP.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cucumber Lemonade Spritzer

1 cucumber thinly sliced
1 can lemonade concentrate
1 bottle lemon-lime flavored soda *

* for less sugar try tonic water and fresh squeezed lemon and lime

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com

5 Acu-points for Pregnancy

If you are pregnant congratulations is a must! Below you will find 5 acupuncture points that will help make your pregnancy a little more enjoyable especially if you are suffering from fatigue, nausea, heartburn, hemorrhoids, constipation, or low back pain.

#1 Du20 Baihui "Hundred Meetings"
Found at the vertex of your skull Du20 is an uplifting point. It can be useful in lifting your mood, energy levels and can even help prevent a threatened miscarriage and hemorrhoids. Du20 can also help keep your pelvic floor muscles toned to avoid prolapse later on.

#2 CV17 Shanzhong "Chest Center"
Found on the midline of the body at the same line as the nipples. This is an important point for gathering qi (energy). It can help alleviate a feeling of fullness in the chest as well as acid reflux, vomiting, and indigestion. CV17 is also helpful for distention and pain of the breasts and insufficient lactation.

#3 PC6 Neiguan "Inner Pass"
Just above the wrist on the palmer side of the forearm. This point has many functions. Sometimes known as the seasickness point for its effectiveness for nausea, PC6 is helpful with vomiting, hiccup, and fullness of the abdomen. It can also assist with insomnia, poor memory (preggo brain), apprehension, fear, and depression. Amazingly, PC6 can also offer relief from carpal tunnel pain associated with pregnancy. (Many drug stores sell bands for acupressure for seasickness, consider "self medicating" PC6 if you are having trouble with any of the above or talk to an acupuncturist)

#4 St36 Zusanli "Leg 3 Miles"
Known as Leg 3 miles because soldiers used to burn moxa over this point to give endurance to walk 3 more miles even if exhausted. St36 is one of the most tonifying points in the body and Qin Cheng-zu of the Song dynasty declared using St36 "all diseases can be treated." St36 is the command point of the abdomen and is especially helpful harmonizing the stomach and strengthening digestion. St36 is also known to help dizziness, especially post partum dizziness and hypertension. Breast pain and abscess can also be treated using ST36.

#5 GB41 Zulinqi "Foot governor of tears"
On the outside top of the foot in between the 4th and 5th metatarsal bones, lateral side of the tendon. GB41 is the confluent point of the girdling vessel a channel that wraps around the waist helping to alleviate pain of the hip, lower leg, swelling of the feet, and contraction of the toes. GB41 also helps with fullness of the chest, headaches, distention and pain of the breasts. GB41 is also a great point to help assist conception.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.983.9825
www.clnap.com