There is no single number, and I would be wary of anyone who gave you one over the phone. What I can tell you is how the number is arrived at: at the end of your initial consultation I propose a course of visits and a review point, and that proposal is based on you rather than on a standard formula.
This post walks through how I plan a course of acupuncture at my clinic in Alexandria, what a review visit looks at, and why the plan is written in pencil rather than ink. It will not tell you what a course achieves, because that varies from person to person and I do not make promises about it.
What I weigh when planning
The first appointment is mostly conversation. Alongside the concern that brought you in, I ask about sleep, digestion, energy, stress, diet and history, and I use traditional observation such as the tongue and pulse. By the end I have a picture, and four things in that picture shape the plan more than anything else:
- How long the concern has been present. Something that arrived last week is planned differently from something that has been there for years.
- The nature of the concern. Whether it is constant or comes and goes, whether it is local or general, whether it is worse at particular times.
- Your general constitution. How you sleep, how you recover, how much reserve you have to work with.
- What else is going on. Work, travel, other care you are receiving, and how much time you realistically have.
None of these is a score. They are the things I hold in mind when I suggest a number.
Why the first visit ends with a proposed plan
Before you leave the initial consultation I will suggest a number of visits and a point at which we stop and review. I do this for two reasons. The first is practical: you can look at your diary and your budget and decide whether the plan is workable. The second is that a plan with a review point is honest. It says “this is my best estimate, and here is when we check it against reality”.
Some people notice change after a single treatment. For others it can take three or more before they notice anything. Both are normal, and neither tells me much on its own, which is why the review point is set a few visits in rather than after the first.
Why sessions start closer together
Courses usually begin with visits closer together and then spread out. The early visits are where I learn how you respond: what changes between appointments, how long any change lasts, and which points and approaches suit you. Spacing those visits closely gives me that information quickly and lets me adjust while the picture is fresh.
Once the pattern is clear, the gaps widen. As a general guide, visits are weekly for the first few sessions, then fortnightly, then monthly, as long as things are holding steady between visits. Spreading visits out is part of the plan from the start, not a sign that something has gone wrong.
What a review visit looks at
A review is not a different kind of appointment. It is a follow-up in which we spend the first part of the hour comparing where you are with where we expected you to be. I ask the same questions I asked at the beginning, look again at the tongue and pulse, and we talk through what has changed and what has not.
Three outcomes are possible. We continue as planned. We change the plan, because things have moved faster or slower than expected. Or we agree that acupuncture is not the right tool for this, and I say so.
When the plan changes, and when I refer on
Plans change. If things are moving faster than I expected, we space the visits out sooner. If they are moving slower, I look at whether the approach needs adjusting, whether something else is in the way, and whether more visits are likely to be worthwhile. I would rather change course than keep going for the sake of it.
If I think another practitioner is better placed, I will tell you and refer you on. That is usually your GP, and sometimes a physiotherapist or another specialist. Working alongside conventional care is normal practice for me, not a last resort.
Fees and appointment length
Follow-up acupuncture appointments are $130 and run for 60 minutes. The initial consultation is $180 and also runs for about an hour, most of it conversation. If your extras cover includes acupuncture, I email you an itemised invoice after each visit so you can claim your rebate through your fund.
The frequently asked questions page covers what to wear, how to prepare and what happens on the day. For a fuller walkthrough of the first visit, read what to expect at your first acupuncture appointment.
Ready to book?
The plan starts with the initial consultation, so that is the appointment to book. If you would like to begin acupuncture at the clinic in Alexandria, you can book online or call (02) 9341 5775. Come with your questions and we will work out the number together at the end of the hour.
Ahil Naturopath/Acupuncture is a clinic located near Redfern, Alexandria and Waterloo. We also service areas across Sydney including Botany, Camperdown, Darlinghurst, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Mascot, Newtown, Rosebery, Surry Hills and Zetland.
We offer Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Cupping, Gua Sha (Scraping) and Moxibustion services in South-East, Eastern and Inner City of Sydney.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for individual advice from a qualified health practitioner. If you have a health concern, please see your GP or book a consultation.