Finding an Acupuncturist

Acupuncture seems to be all the rage these days. The Practice has an acupuncturist on their show, Charlotte from Sex and The City got acupuncture for fertility problems and Oprah and Dr. Oz are both fans of acupuncture. I even remember Tony Soprano getting acupuncture for a shoulder injury.

So, now the question is: How does one go about finding an acupuncturist?

I can help you with that.

The most ideal way is to get a referral from a friend or coworker to an acupuncturist that they have used and are happy with. If that isn't an option, go to AcuFinder.com or NCCAOM.org and find someone who practices acupuncture in your area. The key is that the person should have “L.Ac.” after their name, this stands for: licensed acupuncturist.

Once you find some practitioners in your area, your best bet is to call their office and set up a consultation to discuss your needs and get a feel for the practitioner. Always ask about their education and training and whether or not they have experience in treating your condition(s).

You should get treatment from acupuncturists that are NCCAOM certified, have a master's degree in Oriental Medicine (or Chinese Medicine) and are licensed in the state you are seeking treatment.

The one thing I need to bring to your attention is that receiving acupuncture from a medical doctor who is practicing “medical acupuncture” is not the same as receiving acupuncture from a licensed and NCCAOM acupuncturist. Generally speaking, doctors practicing medical acupuncture have 300 hours of training in acupuncture and have very little understanding of the tenets of Oriental Medicine. They will use acupuncture as an adjunct to the medical discipline they practice.

NCCAOM certified and licensed acupuncturists have over 3000, yes–that's an extra zero, hours of training in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Medical doctors have an amazing amount of knowledge to treat your medical condition(s) using various tools and procedures. We need medical doctors. So, use medical doctors for the field in which they are an expert. And, use an NCCAOM certified and licensed acupuncturist for the field in which they are an expert: acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Just my two cents…

About Aimee Raupp, MS, LAc

Aimee Raupp, MS, LAc, is a renowned women’s health & wellness expert and the best- selling author of the books Chill Out & Get Healthy, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant, and Body Belief. A licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in private practice in New York, she holds a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Rutgers University. Aimee is also the founder of the Aimee Raupp Beauty line of hand-crafted, organic skincare products. This article was reviewed AimeeRaupp.com's editorial team and is in compliance with our editorial policy.

4 comments

  1. Thanks for the tip that we set up appointments with possible specialists so that you can get a feel for them and get a feel for their education. My husband has been experiencing a lot of pain in his back and we thought we would try to start some acupuncture treatments for him to try to help. So to make sure I find the perfect specialist to perform these acupuncture treatments on my husband, I’ll be sure to ask them about what kind of education and training they have been through to be working on people in this way.

  2. I agree that you want to call an acupuncturist in order to find out more about them. Setting up a consultation beforehand would help you know they are qualified and experienced as well. My husband wants to try acupuncture, so we’ll have to call them first.

  3. Thanks for these tips on how to find an acupuncturist. Checking their certifications and license would be nice. My husband and I are looking for an acupuncturist, so we’ll have to check their certifications first.

  4. I like that you said that a good way to find an acupuncturist is to ask a friend or coworker for a referral. My wife is having pain in her shoulder and back and we were curious about acupuncture. I’ll be sure to ask around for some recommendations.

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