While Acupuncture is most often used in the USA to treat an illness that has already occured, since ancient times acupuncture has been used to prevent illness. There are specific discussions on this topic in the Nei Jing, or Yellow Emporer’s Classic.
In general, it is recommended that even health people receive acupuncture quarterly, before the change of each season, to help the body adjust to the natural climactic changes and prevent disease. This is the practice of chrono-biological acupunture, and I have found it especially helpful for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and critical for people that get frequent colds, bronchitis, or flu.
Acupuncture for prevention involves matching the time of the year to the particular disorder. In the treatment of Asthma with classical acupuncture, treatment has to begin in late July/earlyAugust, when the body is full of heat. In general it is important to give heat diseases like eczema more treatment in hot weather, while cold diseases like osteo-arthritis receive additional treatment, especially of moxabustion, in winter.
For more information on the seasonal treatment of diseases with Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, or Ayurveda at my San Diego clinic, please look at my website, www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com or leave a question in the comment box.