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An Acupuncture Physician is what Licensed Acupuncturists are called in Florida, and they have much more Training than many other states. However most states with Professional Licensure Laws, require Acupuncturists to have much greater Training than the ‘paint by the numbers’ courses that MD’s, Chiropractors, and Physical Therapists may complete in a brief seminar. (Acupuncture includes 'Dry Needling' but 'Dry Needling' is not Acupuncture - I'll explain below).
I was Trained in the State of Florida, where an Acupuncture Physician is a Physician who is licensed by the Florida Department of Health to practice Acupuncture. You probably noticed that all physicians are typically referred to as Doctor - My Patients have always called me "DR. Todd or Dr. Z", even though I don't refer to myself thus.
However, Medical licensing is regulated by the States, so the specific requirements for medical licenses vary from state to state.
-What then is Acupuncture as defined by Florida law?
- What is required to receive this license?
First of all, “Acupuncture” as defined by Florida includes a lot more than the practice of Acupuncture itself, which is essentially the insertion of very fine needles at specific locations in order to produce a physiological response which results in pain relief or the activation of healing. In the state of Florida, Acupuncture means the entire system of Chinese Medicine. This includes diagnosis, nutrition, physical/orthopedic exam, herbal medicine, supplement prescription, rehabilitative exercise, intramuscular injection of non-drug substances (such as vitamins or saline), and the ordering and interpretation of lab tests and images (such as blood work or x-rays). The primary difference between what a Medical Doctor (MD) and an Acupuncture Physician (AP) can do is that the MD can prescribe pharmaceutical drugs and an AP cannot.
It would be a dereliction of duty if I didn’t address the frightening new practice of MD’s, Chiropractors (DC’s) and Physical Therapists (PT's) performing Acupuncture. These practitioners are required to have little to no training in order to perform "needling" on their patients. I say needling, because they are really not practicing Acupuncture, which as we discussed is a specific holistic therapy; they are merely memorizing some symptom-focused protocols and applying them across the board. I have actually received referrals from “Doctors” who told me that they are referring to me because “they did the chart for the back and it didn’t work”… There is no ‘chart for the back’ Protocol! There may be charts outlining common points but there is no ‘Paint by the numbers’ Protocol for True Acupuncture Physicians!
Dry needling is primarily focused on nociceptive reflexes, and risks of Nerve Trauma are much greater due to scantily trained Practitioners trying to compete with APs - because Acupuncture just works better. However, the broader Training of a Licensed Acupuncturist equips him to utilize Proprioceptive reflexes too, and the deeper understanding of TCM to realize greater results beyond nociceptive manipulation (and without Nerve Trauma!)
Trigger point "dry needling" is for "Trigger Points" Not Acupuncture Points. STOP THE MADNESS! You can't generally apply 'dry needling' to Acupuncture Points! This is why the Nerve Trauma is happening- 'Dry Needlers' are NOT Licensed Acupuncturist's! They need more Training!
Well, I only have one problem. Why not just let my DC or MD do my Acupuncture? Their appalling lack of training, that’s why! An AP has about 3,000 hours of training and over 1,000 hours of internship in the specific diagnostic system and needling technique which allows them to get results. MD’s are not required to be trained at all in order to perform needling, because their license already covers sticking needles in you! If they have membership in the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, they are required to have a SHOCKING 220 hours of training, less than 1/10th of what an AP has. Chiropractors (DC’s) are only required to have 100 hours training to stick needles in you in Florida! This is crazy! I would never let someone with so little training treat me. I certainly would never attempt to adjust your neck or perform surgery when you come in for Acupuncture, and DC’s and MD’s shouldn’t be sticking needles in people and calling it Acupuncture, nor doing Acupuncture and calling it Dry Needling. I have personally received Patients who are suffering Nerve Trauma from receiving “Dry Needling” from these scantily trained Practitioners.
ONE EXCEPTION to all my explanations here is that they are generalizations, used to simplify the explanation of different types of medical license. However, all doctors are individuals with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. In every field there are excellent, qualified individuals who really do get the big picture and recognize the value and boundaries of what they should be doing. I have been educated and inspired by Medical Doctors, and other Practitioners over many years. I’ve studied with very gifted Acupuncture Physicians, and received much of my medical information from research done by exceptional MD’s and DC’s. Some of these doctors do have extensive training beyond that required by law or by certification boards. If you’re unsure about a doctor’s training and background, make sure to ask - don’t assume they’re knowledgeable about a field just because they have a Certificate on the wall. Just because “they can”, doesn’t mean they should.