Considering Acupuncture to Relieve Arthritis?

Doctors should not be surprised to hear their patients asking about alternative medicine at their next appointment and for those looking for natural remedies to reduce pain, here are helpful hints to take the myth out of alternative medicine.

Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) January 6, 2005 -- I always ask my patients how they heard about our practice and its always the same answer, word of mouth" states Shaheed K. Abdullah, a board certified orthopedic acupuncturist with Pro Sports Healing in Beverly Hills. The removal of Vioxx from the market and research concluding that acupuncture can reduce pain in arthritis patients by 40% has left physicians and many patients with interesting questions about alternative medicine. First things first, in order to find an acupuncturist you feel comfortable with make sure they can clearly explain their treatment plan and is willing to work as a team with your primary care physician.

Find what youre looking for with one call, Traditional Chinese Medical University professors and alumni specialize in many fields; they include orthopedics, gynecology, internal medicine, oncology, urology, dermatology, psychiatry, and hematology. Acupuncturist may specialize in one or several areas of medicine and most practitioners speak English fluently. Get info on their private practice or make an appointment at the school for half the price. If the school is not close then ask for alumni in your area, there contact information is generally listed with the clinic director or on the University website.

Patients are looking for answers not only on how to find an acupuncturist but also on specialties, qualifications, and what do all the letters behind acupuncturist name mean? Word of mouth is still the best way to find an acupuncturist and your doctor, friends, family members and colleagues may have someone they can recommend that has successfully helped them in the past. If your not getting much feed back, it may be time for the yellow pages.

Be careful to choose an alternative care provider who is licensed by the state you live in or certified with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Here is a break down of the titles for alternative care providers courtesy of orientalhealthsolutions.com. L.Ac stands for state Licensed Acupuncturist, OMD means Oriental Medical Doctor, a degree granted to graduates before 1989. After 1989, M.Ac Master's in Acupuncture or MSOM, Master of Science in Oriental Medicine degrees were granted. Dipl Ac and Dipl CH are the designations given by the NCCAOM, National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine for passing the national acupuncture or Chinese herbology certification exam. DOM, Doctor of Oriental Medicine is the New Mexico licensure title, Florida designates their licensees as AP, Acupuncture Physicians and in Rhode Island acupuncturist are called D.Ac, Doctor of Acupuncture, QME stands for Qualified Medical Examiner and NBAO is a post graduate program and stands for National Board of Acupuncture Orthopedics.

Traditional Chinese medical colleges offer curricula anywhere from 2,500 to 3,200 hours of training. The training lasts three to four years, and practitioners graduate with a Master's level degree and are able to sit for the state license exam and the nation exam. Medical doctors and chiropractors may also practice acupuncture; most have taken a 300-hour course, others have considerably more training, as do medical doctors. DABMA stands for Diplomat American Board of Medical Acupuncture, a designation physicians use, about 5,000 MD's practice acupuncture in this country. To find a qualified acupuncturist or get more information on acupuncture in your area, check these websites, www.acupuncturetoday.com, www.acupuncture.com, www.acufinder.com, and www.nccaom.com will all help get you in front of the right physician.

Shaheed K. Abdullah, M.S., L.Ac., NBAO, is the CEO and founder of Pro Sports Healing Inc., a National Board Certified Acupuncturist of Orthopedics and California State Board Licensed Acupuncturist with offices in Beverly Hills California. He offers an integrative natural rehabilitation and rapid recovery system for occupational, personal and sports injuries. For more information or to book an initial consultation please contact Pro Sports Healing at 1.888.218.9041ext. 80 or www.prosportshealing.com

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