Traditional Chinese treatment methods are becoming popular these days. People who are looking for alternatives to modern medicine or treatments that they can have aside it are going for these options, like acupuncture. So if you want to learn more about acupuncture, maybe to give it a try or to study it as a profession, then you have come to the right place.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that uses very thin steel needles like the DongBang DB100 that are inserted into the skin. The needles help stimulate specific trigger points in the body. The goal of acupuncture is to relieve certain health conditions or symptoms, like pain.
Acupuncture treats various types of health conditions. But most of the time, people seek to get acupuncture for pain – arthritis, migraines, neck, back, knee, or muscle pains, menstrual cramps, and sports injuries. Science has proven time and again that acupuncture is safe but very effective too.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
As long as acupuncture is done by a qualified and experienced professional, there’s no question of its safety. This practice has very few reported complications or side effects. In fact, acupuncture needles are being regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The agency is requiring that all needles need to be steel and solid. And of course, it should go through rigid sterilization and must be nontoxic. It should also be properly labeled before it gets sold in the market.
Types of Acupuncture
A qualified acupuncturist follows the traditional or ancient Chinese principles that focus more on directing the flow of energy or ‘qi’ through the body. There are also acupuncture practitioners who apply Western medicine using the acupuncture needles to help stimulate the body’s systems. And most acupuncturists these days use both for a more effective approach. Also, there are also acupuncture approaches that treat myofascial pain which commonly involves muscles and connective tissues. The trigger points are stimulated in order to relieve pain.
How to Be A Qualified Acupuncturist
The Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACM) has a list of courses that one can study that are approved by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (CMBA). You must enroll in a Bachelor of Applied Science (Acupuncture) or Bachelor of Health Science (Acupuncture). Or, you can also hold a bachelor’s degree that is related to this field and enroll in a Master of Applied Science (Acupuncture). Then, you must continue to take mandatory professional development in order to remain accredited by the CMBA.
There are plenty of professional opportunities for those who want to become acupuncturists. They can establish their own private practice or can further study. If you want to become a qualified acupuncturist, you will usually need to complete a bachelors’ degree. Remember that acupuncture treatment is highly sought-after these days. In fact, anywhere in the world, people are looking for an acupuncturist that you can trust. And of course, you would want to be one who is professional and experienced locally.