What does an acupuncturist do? – Education and Transformation

THE acupuncture is an ancient art of Chinese healing and has been practiced for over 2,000 years! One acupuncturist specializes in a group of treatments that fall into the general category of acupuncture.

Many people assume that acupuncture is just about needles, but in reality there are many treatment techniques used. There are also a variety of styles, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean acupuncture, but they all have a common goal: to restore and maintain good health and prevent disease.

What does an acupuncturist do?

Acupuncture is rooted in traditional oriental medicine, which views perfect health as a state of balance.

In recent years, acupuncture has gained greater acceptance and use in Western cultures and is often recommended by conventional doctors as an additional treatment. With an increasing focus on complementary and alternative medicine, acupuncture is a career that is likely to see significant growth.

An acupuncturist will perform an assessment of the patient with four exams:

1. Inspection. This involves looking at the patient, body type, posture, skin tone and hair shine. It may also include the traditional tongue diagnosis method.
2. Listening. Information is obtained by listening to the patient's voice and breathing. Smelling is also included.
3. feeling or palpation. This uses abdominal palpation and meridian touch, and the traditional art of pulse diagnosis, in which the practitioner feels the patient's pulse and observes rate, rhythm, quality and shape.
4. inquiry. Standard questions are used to assess body function, digestion, diet, sleep, pain, sensory function, elimination, sweating, menstruation, and medical history.

From the information collected in the evaluation, the acupuncturist can understand the patient's condition. The view of anatomy and physiology used by an acupuncturist is different from Western medicine and is based on concepts such as the balance of Yin and Yang, meridian theory, and disease patterns.

O acupuncturist takes a holistic perspective by considering all parts of the patient's signs and symptoms before starting treatment.

Acupuncture treatment can use needles, but this is only one of the tools and techniques used. Moxibustion, massage, polarity devices, blood movement approaches and frequency approaches are also used by an acupuncturist.

Within each of the techniques, there are many different application methods. Massage, for example, can be used in the traditional Chinese way or in Japanese Shiatsu, which is based on meridians. Different devices are used to establish an electromagnetic gradient along the meridians and acupuncture points to facilitate the flow of Qi along the meridian pathways.

The best known technique used in acupuncture is, of course, needles. They come in a variety of thicknesses and lengths and are usually as thin as a lock of hair. They are made from different materials including stainless steel, gold or silver. Needle treatment involves placing needles at selected points throughout the body.

An acupuncturist will also recommend exercise, dietary changes and herbal supplements. The profession is evolving and new techniques continue to be incorporated. Color puncture, for example, is a variant in which color beams are used at acupuncture points.

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What is an acupuncturist's workplace like?

Acupuncturists work in treatment clinics, offices or private practices. Many work in partnership with other health professionals. Some work in hospitals. Work may involve many hours of standing and may include evening and weekend hours for the convenience of clients.

Safety regulations and needle cleaning procedures must be followed and technicians must use safe needle handling and disposal practices. Exposure to biological hazards such as blood is likely.