Overview
Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine (AOM) is an ancient and empirical system of medicine based on the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”), which is usually translated as energy.
AOM treatments identify a pattern of energetic imbalance within a patient and redress that disharmony through a variety of therapies that may include acupuncture needling, cupping, acupressure, and exercises such as tai ji and qi gong, as well as Chinese herbal preparations.
AOM is virtually free of the side effects that accompany many modern medical procedures. As a relatively inexpensive form of treatment, it is especially appropriate for reducing healthcare costs. The success of acupuncture today is due to its efficacy, remarkable safety record, cost-effectiveness, and significant public demand.
The prospects for finding a good job in this field are excellent for the foreseeable future. AOM is one of the most requested forms of treatment in the fast-growing field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and holds promise as one of the key modalities to be used in current and future integrative medical settings. A recent Institute of Medicine report noted the widespread use of CAM in the U.S., with patients making more visits to CAM practitioners than to primary care physicians. Annual out-of-pocket costs for CAM exceed $27 billion.
NOTE: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is the official journal of the Society for Acupuncture Research. It publishes observational and analytical reports on treatments outside the realm of allopathic medicine, including clinical care concepts and case reports. The readers of this publication are largely health care professionals and scientists who are interested in integrating CAM therapies into their patient care protocols and research strategies.
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Acupuncture Practitioner 14 May 2008 [pdf, 173 KB]
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