How well do you know your acupuncturist? Do you know if they are fully trained in acupuncture or if they are minimally trained under the guise of medical acupuncture? There is a major difference!

The majority of practitioners whose post graduate education and schooling is based in the field of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (AOM) receive about 80% of their education exclusively in the field. They are also required to undergo an extensive amount of clinical training for an average of 3 to 4 years. However, many other health care practitioners utilize acupuncture, which is one of the numerous therapies of Oriental Medicine, occasionally as a technique to supplement their primary practice. One philosophical distinction of Oriental Medicine is its whole person approach of body, mind, and spirit in an energetic and comprehensive system of health care that includes meditation, nutrition, tai chi, qi gong, Asian bodywork, and acupuncture.

Typically a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) who has obtained a diploma/degree from a college accredited by the ACAOM, and has passed the national certification exams which are administered by the NCCAOM will have 3 to 4 years (1500 to 2000 hours in acupuncture study). A Typical naturopath, osteopath, medical doctor, or chiropractor who uses acupuncture as an adjunctive technique has less than 300 hours of acupuncture study! The World Health Organization recommends that all medical doctors have 1500 hours of acupuncture training to practice independently and 200 hours minimum for the purpose of research such that they will know when to refer to a Licensed Oriental Medical practitioner or more fully trained Acupuncturist.

Acupuncture should only be administered by a practitioner who has specific education in this field due to risk of improper needling, inadequate understanding of Oriental medical diagnostic procedures, transmission of disease, imbalancing of energy, or ethical violations. It is important that you be sure to ask your medical professional or therapist for his and/or her complete educational background in order to help ensure that you receive the most efficient and professional acupuncture care that is available to help ensure your optimal health and wellness.

Search the TCM Directory to find a qualified acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioner.

Information supplied by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (CCAOM).

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