What You'll expected during your Initial visit
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During the first initial visit, the acupuncturist will assess your general health.
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The investigative process will include questions relating to your current symptoms, past treatments, patient and family medical history, diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and emotional health.
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Also, the pulse on both wrists will be taken to determine how energies are flowing in the body.
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As part of the diagnosis, the acupuncturist will assess the structure, color and coating of your tongue
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During this comprehensive evaluation, the practitioner will observe your emotions, voice and self-presentation. This will further aid in the diagnosis and development of a treatment that will assist in harmonizing your overall energy.
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The first session may last up to two hours. Subsequent treatments will last approximately one hour. Dietary and other recommendations will be discussed at appropriate times throughout the treatment process
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Customized comprehensive treatment includes Acupuncture, Diet supplement, cupping, Moxibustion, Guasha, medical Tui Na, food therapy and exercise guideline.
What do all those letters mean?
The public are often confused at the very wide array of alphabet after a Chinese medicine practitioner’s name. To make things easier to understand, here is a guide to the most commonly seen designations in the US.
L. Ac.
Licensed Acupuncturist. The highest tier of board certification is the Diplomate of Oriental Medicine(Dipl. O.M.), as it encompasses both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. All Licensed Acupuncturist must accumulate a total of 350 patient visits with 100 new patient visits and are required to have 225 patients with recommended herbal prescriptions before they can graduate.
DACM
The Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) is a first professional doctoral degree in the field of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine. DACM students will graduate at the doctoral level with enhanced training and skills. Graduates of the program will be qualified to sit for the NCCAOM and licensing exams.
The DACM program is a degree program with 171 credits and 3267.5 hours on the professional didactic course and clinical training. The degree program is a 4-year degree program emphasizing traditional Chinese medicine, integrative approaches, and evidence-based research.
MAOM
Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (MAOM) is to train individuals to become a licensed acupuncturist. The entry level to practice Chinese medicine in the United States is a master’s degree. The MAOM program is a degree program with 162 credits and 3067.5 hours on the professional didactic course and clinical training.
Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM)
Diplomate of Acupuncture, Diplomate in Chinese Herbology, Diplomate in Oriental Medicine. These are board certifications given by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The highest tier of board certification is the Diplomate of Oriental Medicine(Dipl. O.M.), as it encompasses both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Choosing an NCCAOM National Board-Certified Acupuncturist™ means receiving excellent care from a professional and qualified practitioner.
How to Find a Licensed Acupuncturist
It’s important to work with a licensed acupuncturist who has advanced education and training. To assist in your search for a licensed acupuncturist and help you understand acupuncture licensing and guide you how to search for licensed acupuncturists. Please check the following links for your referral.
The NCCAOM Registry is a listing of all NCCAOM certified Diplomates, designed to be used by state licensing agencies, insurance companies and the general public to verify that an individual is certified by the NCCAOM.
NCCAOM® FIND A PRACTITIONER DIRECTORY