Bilateral versus unilateral treatment and how often?

Could you please explain whether the acupuncture treatment in case of diseases which are not clearly unilateral (e.g. essential hypertension, diarrhoea, menstrual disorders, etc.) should be done [b:27b8c39241]bilaterally[/b:27b8c39241] every time, or it is done one day on one side and the other day on the other side, or some points of the prescription are treated on one side and the others on the other side and then the sides are switched next time?

Also, [b:27b8c39241]how often[/b:27b8c39241] do you usually treat patients with acupuncture? I have heard that in China the patients are often treated on a daily basis or every other day, while in the western countries acupuncture is often done once a week or even fortnightly. Does the frequency of acupuncture treatments depend on whether the patient's condition is an acute or a chronic one?

Thank you.

To do acupuncture or herbal medicine, the treatment must be given according to patients' condition. This is a basic and essential principle.

So to talk about the unilateral or bilateral needling, it's all up to the patients' need.

If a patient has hemiplegia, what shall we do? All the points bilateral?

For sure not!!!
The points for the impaired function of the affected limbs should be only thrusted on the affected side, at least in most times it should be so.

While the ohter points could be either unilateral or bilateral. It also depends on how many needles should be given in one session.

There are also some other ideas of selecting acupuncture points, in regard of the unilateral or bilateral needling, but I think you'd better come to China and find it all by yourself.
Seeing is believing.

In fact it's also based on the personal understanding of the acupuncture physician. I believe much on my own feeling.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a healing art, so it's difficult to say a fixed rule for art, right?

For sure the points could be alternated bilaterally.

As to how often the treatment is given, in China, usually it's 3 times a week, but the exceptional treatment could be done on daily basis, or to be less, twice a week.

Personally I think if it's an acute case, the treatment should be give daily or for every second day. If it's a chronic case, 3 times or twice a week is alright.

But once a week or once for fortynight is far from enough, no matter in China or in foreign countries. The stimulation is not strong enough to the Qi and blood and the funcitons of the internal organs.

I remember once I made a post about this issue.
I think the text is quite clear on this point. The reason why the patients in foreign countries are treated much less is quite up to the economy. In China the acupuncture treatment is cheap, while in foreign countries it's much more expensive.

For sure some foreign patients cannot tolerate the needling treatment too often, but twice a week should not be too often, so it's not really a problem.

[quote:469849e643="David King"]If a patient has hemiplegia, what shall we do? All the points bilateral?[/quote:469849e643][quote:469849e643="Sergiy"](...)[u:469849e643]in case of diseases which are not clearly unilateral[/u:469849e643](...)[/quote:469849e643]
[quote:469849e643="David King"]I remember once I made a post about this issue.[/quote:469849e643]
You did, but I have just been to lazy to look for it.

Thank you very much for your answers.

D.K. told us some good experience!

Once I met a veteran acupuncture physician, he would prefer to do more meridians but less points, and in that way he could lessen the needling pain to his patients.

Did you hear anything about that Sergiy?