Question
Hello Dr. Gillman,

I am planning an acupuncture practice later this year in Nashville, TN. Some of my friends & people in a small KY. county where I lived ask me why I don't start an acupuncture practice there?
I tell them it's the price-$60 per Tx. Then I tell them a potential patient presenting with illnesses they've had for several years is going to need,(ideally),around 3 Tx./week for the 1st 3 weeks & 2 Tx./week for the next 3 weeks to get the body to "remember" or get the treatment to "hold", as what chiropracters I believe have spoken of. That could come out to, give or take, up to 15 Tx. during this 6 week period to get the memory out of the nervous system & get the treatments to "hold" or set in. That comes to $900.00, not counting cost of herbs/formulas.

Then I tell them most insurance companys & medicare won't pay on the services of a licensed acupuncturist. Then I ask them where they're going to get the $900.00 for that 1st 6 weeks of initial increased Tx. costs? Then it seems like they understand why I'm not going to a major population center just to get rich. Of course I realize some long-term chronically ill patients will show significant improvement in just 2 or 3 weeks, but I'd expect that to be a minority. In that case, personally, I would try to wean them off Txs. faster, saving them some money.

My question is, Am I telling these people correct in saying that they will probably need these extra Txs. the first several weeks and,..what is the correct name for this type of "body memory"? I google searched & saw one chiropractic reference for "pseudomemory" and another reference to "getting the body or nervous system to "hold" a Tx. I am really curious as to whether this idea of "getting a Tx. to hold" applies to acupuncture, herbal therapy, craniosacral, & other therapies as well or does it just apply to chiropractic spinal manipulation in eventually keeping the subluxations from recurring?

Thank you for any guidance and help.

Mike E.

Answer
Mike,

I almost spammed your question when I saw the title, but you present a question worth addressing.  The concepts you are inquireing about are abound in the holistic (esoteric) healing arenas.  Getting directly to the point:  we don't know what a "subluxation" is.  So let's not even try to discuss it.   The concept of "holding an adjustment" is understood.  But what does that actually mean?  The patient returns and says, "my adjustment didn't hold."  What they mean is that they felt their symptoms return.  They felt good after joint manipulation, and then over time their stuff came back.   Is it really about getting more joint manipulation? More frequent joint manipulation?  You can substitute acupuncture, drugs or anything else for joint manipulation.   Is it really about more of the same modality being needed for the patient?  Or, is it that something else is missing: exercise, ergonomic changes, lifestyle changes, diet, etc.    I'd bet on the latter, and I have the data/references to support that notion.   If your patients do not want to change any of these parameters in their lives, and solely depend on your treatment to feel better, then it's "YES!  You need more $$ treatment in order to $$ hold your $$ adjustments or create $$ body memory..."   How about providing a rational course of care for a fair price and measure the outcome. If the patient/client is not getting better, find out why.  If you can't make them better with the treatment, then change the treatment or discharge them from your care.  

'Hope you found this helpful.

Dr. G