Choosing an Acupuncturist

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You're ready to take the plunge and give acupuncture a try, but how to you know where to go? What exactly should you look for in an acupuncturist?

LAc: Licensed Acupuncturist

  • Let's start with the basics: just like your doctor or dentist, you want to be sure your acupuncturist has the right credentials. The #1 thing to look for are the letters "LAc," which stands for "Licensed Acupuncturist." Licensed Acupuncturists have been licensed by the state to practice acupuncture. Different states have different licensing requirements, and the lingo can vary from state to state. For example, some states refer to their licensed acupuncturists as "Registered Acupuncturists," in which case the abbreviation may be "Reg. Ac." Here in Colorado, we are known as LAcs. Laura has been an LAc in Colorado since July 2014.
     
  • Note: If you live in Alabama, Kansas, North Dakota, Oklahoma, or South Dakota, your state does not yet license acupuncture. Be sure to read the NCCAOM section to find a qualified practitioner near you.

NCCAOM: Dipl What?

  • Excepting California (see below), most states that license acupuncture require practitioners to pass national board exams. These exams are provided by the NCCAOM, or National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. If you live in a state that does not license acupuncture, check that your practitioner is NCCAOM certified to ensure they have received proper training!
     
  • Those who have passed the NCCAOM exams are known as "Diplomates." This is abbreviated at "Dipl" in credentials. The NCCAOM has different levels of certification, depending on how many exams a particular practitioner has taken. Remember: it is always your right to advocate for your own health by asking your provider about her/his credentials.
     
  • Dipl OM: "Dipl OM" stands for "Diplomate of Oriental Medicine" and Dipl OM is the most comprehensive certification available through NCCAOM. Those with Dipl OM certification have taken a Clean Needle Technique course and passed four exams to receive their certification: Foundations of Oriental Medical Theory, Acupuncture with Point Location, Biomedicine, and Chinese Herbology. Laura has been certified as a Dipl OM since January 2014.
     
  • Dipl Ac: "Dipl Ac" stands for "Diplomate of Acupuncture." Practitioners with this certification level have taken a Clean Needle Technique course and passed three exams to receive their certification: Foundations of Oriental Medical Theory, Acupuncture with Point Location, and Biomedicine. Note that Dipl Acs have not passed a Chinese Herbology certification exam. If your provider is prescribing herbal formulas and is a Dipl Ac, ask her/him about her/his training in Chinese herbs and why she/he did not take the Chinese Herbology exam. Choosing a provider who is certified as a Dipl OM will ensure that her/his herbal prescription knowledge is up to par.
     
  • Dipl CH: "Dipl CH" stands for "Diplomate of Chinese Herbology." These practitioners have passed three exams to receive their certification: Foundations of Oriental Medical Theory, Biomedicine, and Chinese Herbology. Those certified as Dipl CHs are not certified to provide acupuncture, though they are great resources if you seek herbal assistance.

California Training

  • Currently, California is the only state that licenses acupuncturists which does not use the NCCAOM-administered exams for credentialing acupuncturists. The reasoning for this goes all the way back to the early days of acupuncture licensure in the US. In 1974, Miriam Lee was arrested in California for practicing medicine without a license. At the time, she was practicing acupuncture and neither national certification nor state licensure yet existed for acupuncturists. One result of Ms. Lee's arrest was the creation of the California Acupuncture Board and California's unique licensing process.
     
  • To practice in California, practitioners must pass the rigorous California Acupuncture Licensing Exam (CALE). Unlike the NCCAOM exams which are separated into a series of subject-specific examinations, the CALE is a single exam covering all aspects of acupuncture licensure (Chinese medical theory, acupuncture, point location, biomedicine, and Chinese herbology). Upon passing the exam, one is immediately conferred the status of LAc.
     
  • LAcs in California are considered Primary Care Providers (PCPs), that is, they can serve as their patients' first-line of health care provision. In order to prepare their students for licensure, acupuncture schools in California require more hours of training than schools in many other states. Finding an acupuncturist who was trained in California means that she/he was prepared to become a PCP; if she/he passed the CALE, you can rest assured in her/his skills are of a level to be certified as a PCP. Laura completed her training in California and passed the CALE in February 2014.

State Registry

  • If you live in a state which licenses acupuncturists, the easiest way to ensure that your provider has the appropriate credentials is to check the state registry. In Colorado, this registry is run by the Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions an Occupations. Click here to check on the licensure status of a provider in Colorado.

Acupuncture vs. Dry Needling: The Importance of Education

  • Perhaps your Physical Therapist, Chiropractor, or Medical Doctor provides dry needling. Let's talk quickly about the difference between acupuncture and dry needling. In short, dry needling is unlicensed acupuncture provided by undertrained practitioners. Dry needling involves in the insertion of acupuncture needles into specific trigger points on the body.
     
  • Unlike acupuncturists, who undergo 2-5 years of academic training and earn Master's degrees, those with dry needling certifications may have only attended a weekend course. Dry needlers often lack the theoretical framework for their practice. More importantly, they may not have had adequate training and support for needle insertion.
     
  • Laura holds a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine. When she was trained to needle, she began by needling fruits, then herself, then her peers. Laura was not able to needle a paying client (under supervision) until well over a year after she regularly practiced needling techniques in the presence of a teacher. Proper needle insertion techniques reduce the risk of injury. Due to the lack of intensive training, dry needling may increase your risk of injury.
     
  • For more information on dry needling, check out this blog post by Kristen Horner Warner of Live Oak Acupuncture.

Rapport: Find the Right LAc for You, Today

  • Maybe you've tried acupuncture before and just plain didn't like it. Remember that acupuncture is an intimate practice. A practitioner will not only ask you questions, but also physically feel and manipulate your qi, or energy, with the use of needles. This is why it is so important to ensure you find a practitioner whom you "click" with.
     
  • If you've had a bad experience in the past, take some time to reflect on what exactly you didn't like about your session. Did you get the results you were looking for? Was the needle sensation too strong or too weak? Did you feel heard by your practitioner? Take note of your answers and bring them up with your next potential practitioner before scheduling an appointment. Someone may have all the credentials in the world and still not be the best fit for you.
     
  • Be selective, not only based on your provider's training, but also based on your own personal needs and goals. Ask yourself what you want from your acupuncturist, and be scrupulous in your efforts to find the best match for you.