Q. Do I need to see my medical doctor or need a prescription or referral for acupuncture?
A. Your medical doctor is an integral part
of your overall healthcare. It is not necessary to get a referral or a prescription for acupuncture. However, many acupuncturists
work very closely with physicians and chiropractors. A medical report or findings by the doctor often help pinpoint the problem.
Q.
Can an acupuncturist prescribe medication?
A. No, only a medical doctor can prescribe medication.
Q. Should I bring x-rays?
A. Most
acupuncturists are not trained to read x-rays or other tests. The written report by your medical doctor on the findings of the x-ray
or other tests would definitely be helpful to the acupuncturist.
Q. I am pregnant. Can I have acupuncture?
A. When a woman is pregnant
there are some acupuncture points that should be avoided. It is obvious that points on the abdomen would not be used. A common complaint
that women have during pregnancy is morning sickness, which can be treated with acupuncture and is generally covered by insurance.
Most other problems are treatable with acupuncture during pregnancy.
Q. Will insurance pay for acupuncture?
A. Some insurance
companies will pay for acupuncture, but you will need to check with your own provider to be sure. At this time, Medicare does not
pay for acupuncture because acupuncture is not available in all 50 States.
Q. Who makes the laws concerning Acupuncture?
Q. Who administers or regulates Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in the State of Texas?
A. The Texas Legislature mandated that the
Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners, which is a subset of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, is the licensing body
for Acupuncturists. The members of the Acupuncture Board are composed of acupuncturists, medical doctors and public citizens. The
Governor appoints these positions.
Q. What training is required to practice acupuncture?
A. Acupuncturists are required to do extensive
training over approximately three to four years at an approved school or college accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine, and to pass comprehensive national examinations administered by the National Commission for Certification of
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Individuals licensed by the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners are fully qualified to practice
all modalities within Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Q. Where can one go to get training in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine?
A. There are currently three acupuncture schools located in Texas, two in Austin (AOMA and TCTCM) and one in Houston (ACAOM).
In total, there are approximately forty schools located throughout the United States. A list of these schools can be found at the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine web site.
Q. What are the needles made of?
A. In ancient China the first
needles were made of flint. Later on, bamboo and fish bones were also used as needles. It was once believed that gold and silver needles
were of benefit and were used with the nobility. Today most needles are made of surgical stainless steel and come in sterile packs
as one time use disposable needles.
Q. How long and thick are the needles?
A. The needles vary from one half inch in length to over
two inches in length. The longer needles are used in the more fleshy parts of the body. The half inch needles are usually used for
areas on the body where there is little or no body fat. The needles are usually 32 to 40 gauge needles. A 40 gauge needle is a little
thicker than a human hair. Acupuncturists are trained to use the appropriate needle for the treatment.
Q. Are the needles sterile?
A. Most acupuncturists use needles that come in a pre-sterilized pack and are one time use disposable needles.
Q. How deep are the
needles inserted?
A. Each acupuncture point has its own unique depth. Part of an acupuncturist's comprehensive training is to know
the depth of insertion for each acupuncture point. There is little or no correlation between the depth of insertion and whether or
not the insertion is painful.
Q. Is acupuncture painful?
Q. Is acupuncture safe?
A. When acupuncture is done by a fully trained acupuncturist licensed by the Texas State Board of Acupuncture
Examiners it is very safe and should not be a concern to the patient.
Q. How does acupuncture work?
A. There is no all inclusive definitive
Western explanation of how acupuncture works. It is known that acupuncture releases endorphins in the brain chemically structured
similar to morphine. Other research seems to indicate that acupuncture is responsible for activating responses from the body to the
brain. There is no one good explanation as to how it works. The Eastern explanation is very complex. In general, acupuncture treats
the body as a whole. It does not separate the mind, body, soul or psychic into separate parts. It assumes that there is a connection
between each part of the body. What affects one part of the body may also affect another part of the body. In general the acupuncturist
balances internal energy so that the body functions as a whole and returns to a normal condition for that body given that person’s
genetic structure.
Q. How many acupuncture points are there?
A. There are 361 acupuncture points on the classical meridians and hundreds
of additional acupuncture points. More points are being discovered each year.
Q. Are there different types of acupuncture?
A. Acupuncture
was first discovered in China over three thousand years ago. It was later spread to the neighboring countries of Japan and Korea.
Later in the 17th century it was taken to Europe by the Jesuit priests and merchants who traded with China. Basically there is Chinese,
Korean and Japanese acupuncture with numerous subsets of each. It is not the type of acupuncture that is as important as the competency
and knowledge of the acupuncturist. Someone trained in Chinese acupuncture may choose a set of acupuncture points that would be different
from someone trained in Korean or Japanese acupuncture.
Q. How many treatments do I need?