Do You Know Who Is Cupping You?

Did you know there is a difference in training between a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) and other healthcare providers who offer acupuncture and other Eastern modalities such as cupping? Acupuncturists with a master's degree in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (AOM) receive approximately 80% of their education exclusively in this field and undergo a minimum of 1800 hours of extensive clinical training. Other healthcare practitioners, such as medical doctors and chiropractors, may only use acupuncture as an adjunct technique in their primary practice.

• A licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) has obtained a 3-4 year graduate degree from a school approved by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), has passed all three of the national certification exams administered by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), and, in Arizona, is licensed by the Arizona Board of Acupuncture Examiners. 1800-2000 contact hours in acupuncture education.
• A medical doctor, osteopath, naturopath, or chiropractor who uses acupuncture as an adjunctive technique. 300 hours or less in acupuncture education.
• A chiropractor or detox/auricular acupuncture technician. 100 hours or less in acupuncture education.
• A physical therapist who uses an acupuncture needle to perform dry needling in the treatment of muscle trigger points. Continuing education seminars provide approximately 40-50 contact hours in “dry needling.”

For more information on this topic, please see the article - "Know Your Acupuncturist"

Constance Bradley, Ph.D, L.Ac., attended a 4-year nationally accredited master's degree program in Oriental Medicine. That program comprised of over 3000 hours in the study of acupuncture and biomedical sciences at a post-graduate level as well as over 1000 hours of clinical residency.  She has received specialized advanced training in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture and is certified to practice Cosmetic and Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture. For more information about Constance, please click here

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