If you're intrigued by improving people's health and well-being by using a gentle, natural technique based on the body's anatomical connections, a career as an acupuncturist may be for you.
What They Do
Acupuncturists are alternative healthcare providers who treat pain and other conditions by using a healing therapeutic procedure that consists of inserting fine needles into the body's meridians (energy vessels). American acupuncture practices grew out of healing traditions from Japan, Korea and especially China, where the technique originated more than two thousand years ago.
Acupuncturists diagnose patients, choose the appropriate needle size to use and decide in which of the more than 350 acupuncture points on the body to insert the needles. People may see acupuncturists to treat headaches, asthma and arthritis, to boost their energy levels and to relieve stress. Acupuncture may also help treat addiction, stroke rehabilitation, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Most acupuncturists are self-employed, although some are affiliated with hospitals and medical practices--especially physicians, nurses and physical therapists who've studied acupuncture to complement the patient services they already offer through their Western medical training.
Qualifications
Acupuncturists must have steady hands and excellent eye-hand coordination. If they insert needles incorrectly they can cause pain and infection and can puncture organs.
Requirements for certification and licensure vary by state. Approximately 40 states have established training standards for acupuncture certification. Some require that you be a doctor of medicine (M.D.) or chiropractor. Others only require a master's of acupuncture degree (C.A.) at an accredited postgraduate school. This degree typically involves two years of coursework plus one year of supervised practice. Most acupuncture schools require previous undergraduate study with a focus in anatomy and physiology.
The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.acaom.org) lists accredited acupuncture schools in the United States. The American Board of Medical Acupuncture (www.dabma.org) offers examinations and sets standards for the certification of physicians who practice acupuncture.
The Demand
Acupuncture's popularity keeps increasing as more people discover its benefits. Acupuncturists' fees vary widely by geographic region, expertise and type of treatment, ranging from $30 to more than $100 per treatment. According to http://careers.stateuniversity.com, the median annual salary is $50,000.
For more information visit the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.
What They Do
Acupuncturists diagnose patients, choose the appropriate needle size to use and decide in which of the more than 350 acupuncture points on the body to insert the needles. People may see acupuncturists to treat headaches, asthma and arthritis, to boost their energy levels and to relieve stress. Acupuncture may also help treat addiction, stroke rehabilitation, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Most acupuncturists are self-employed, although some are affiliated with hospitals and medical practices--especially physicians, nurses and physical therapists who've studied acupuncture to complement the patient services they already offer through their Western medical training.
Qualifications
Acupuncturists must have steady hands and excellent eye-hand coordination. If they insert needles incorrectly they can cause pain and infection and can puncture organs.
Requirements for certification and licensure vary by state. Approximately 40 states have established training standards for acupuncture certification. Some require that you be a doctor of medicine (M.D.) or chiropractor. Others only require a master's of acupuncture degree (C.A.) at an accredited postgraduate school. This degree typically involves two years of coursework plus one year of supervised practice. Most acupuncture schools require previous undergraduate study with a focus in anatomy and physiology.
The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.acaom.org) lists accredited acupuncture schools in the United States. The American Board of Medical Acupuncture (www.dabma.org) offers examinations and sets standards for the certification of physicians who practice acupuncture.
The Demand
Acupuncture's popularity keeps increasing as more people discover its benefits. Acupuncturists' fees vary widely by geographic region, expertise and type of treatment, ranging from $30 to more than $100 per treatment. According to http://careers.stateuniversity.com, the median annual salary is $50,000.
For more information visit the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.
L.A. for less than the price of sunblock. 
