Should you do both or is one going to be more beneficial than the other? This is a pretty simple answer, it just depends on what’s going on. I firmly believe every person experiences symptoms differently, and every person heals differently so which treatment option is best for you will be hard to determine until we have done a thorough history and exam.
A lot of patients come into the office for chiropractic care and then get curious about acupuncture and wonder if it would be a valuable addition to their overall health goals.
I have personally found better success in most patient’s healing if they have done both. Once I start working with patient through chiropractic care and they are experiencing some relief from the pain that originally brought them in, they realize there’s some underlying issues that also need to be addressed. Or maybe they knew about the underlying issue for a while – like GI Disorders, stress and anxiety, or insomnia concerns but until they were pain free, they did not have the energy or capacity to deal with the root cause. That is when we begin the acupuncture.
Recently, a long-time patient came in with stress headaches. This had been a new thing and she was not sure what to do about them. We were continuing with her normal adjustment schedule with a concentration on the cervical spine and the muscles in the area. She was experiencing some relief through the adjustments and because of this, she was able to focus on when the headaches were occurring, how she felt before they started, and helped narrow down the main problem of them. We decided acupuncture was the next step in reducing the frequent feelings of anxiety she is having right now. After just one session, she was already seeing improvement. While laying on the table with the needles in, she is able to relax enough to feel her energy (Qi) flowing and describes it as almost like a wave going through her.
We are still in the middle of the acupuncture treatments but overall, there has been great improvement, and this is something I typically see with patients. Acupuncture works best when you do multiple sessions. It builds on the previous treatment with each session, so the results tend to get better and better each time.
There are benefits to just chiropractic care, there are benefits to just acupuncture care, but when we combine both, the results are phenomenal. If you have any questions about whether one or both modalities are right for you, contact me at drhendon@hendonfamilychiropractic.com or call the office (757) 305-9996. I look forward to helping you achieve your wellness goals.