What's In a Name When You're Poking?

Took part in this year's Summer Solstice Yoga @ Times Square.

About a year ago, I saw a hilarious documentary about one (cynical) man's journey towards understanding the theories, practice and history of yoga in, "Enlighten Up!"  I was surprised to find out, unlike TCM, yoga doesn't have a definite historical past.  No one knows exactly where, how and when yoga began. 

Yet, yoga was one of the first "alternative medicine" accepted widely in the US.  Today, yoga is practiced in posh studios with complimentary coconut water to free classes supported by the community.  There's Yoga Journal (a magazine specifically geared towards yoga); Luluemon (a pricey clothing company selling all kinds of must-haves for your daily practice) and loads of retreats (I often fantasize of attending). 

The Gurus of Yoga have managed to create a lifestyle from their form of healing.  Personally, I think this is something OM can use as an example to become more widely accepted.

NOTE:  I'm not comparing yoga to TCM/OM in any other way than its acceptance, or lack thereof, amongst the majority. 

Yoga has teachers. 

TCM has practitioners.

Yoga has certifications. 

TCM begins as a 4-year graduate program with the option of a 2-year doctorate.

Yoga can be practiced alone. 

TCM requires a symbiotic relationship between the patient and client.

Yoga has clients. 

TCM has patients.

I'm not knocking down on yoga (I practice every day and am so grateful for it.  Shout out to my fav yogi, Rodney Yee!)  However, I think it's remarkable on how the yoga community managed to keep yoga as their own. 

Acupuncture is a form of healing which involves hair-thin needles.  Hair-thin, but still needles.  The possibility of a patient being injured is real.  The majority of the time, these injuries occur because of people who are have not been properly trained, like physical therapists, chiropracters and general practitioners.

Currently, the Oregone Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (OAAOM) filed a legal challenge to the Court of Appeals against the Oregon Board of Chiropracter's Examiners rule that chiropracters can practice dry needling with only 24 hours of education. (Click here for more info)

24 hours!  That's a weekend class!  4 years of an OM students' education crammed into a 2-days!
(Click here to get really pissed off)

This is cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs! 

OM practitioners are having a difficult time being accepted into the Western medical community; however, more and more schools (med, nursing, chiropractic, physical therapy.) are "teaching" acupuncture (under the clever name, "Medical Acupuncture") as an elective (Western medical practitioners who did not have the option of taking Medical Acupuncture in med school can opt to study it while they practice.  This is an old article but OCOM alum, Lisa Hanfileti, LAc breaks it down.  Note: OCOM requires 3,500 hours of training)  I find this interesting considering there are so many haters out there (oh, it's a placebo effect) but the undeniable growth in acupuncture studies has increased significantly. 

If it doesn't work... Then why study it?  BOO-YAH!  'Cause you know it works, NEXT!

In 2008, Maryland got slammed when the Maryland Board of Chiropractic Examiners clarified dry needling is within the realm of chiropractic practice. 

What the heck is "dry needling"?



Meridian Channels


According to the World Health Organization (WHO), acupuncture literally means to puncture with a needle; while "dry needling" means placing acupuncture needles, using acupuncture points, into a muscle trigger. 

What's the difference?

NOTHING! 

Which is exactly why 8 states have outlawed physical therapists from practicing "dry needling".  (Click here to read more of this shannanigan)  So now, Oregon is fighting against chiropracters who want to practice dry needling. 

The main concern for me is that sure, these practitioners are studying acupuncture points; and learning a few points is just memorization.  However, they're missing the FOUNDATION... The ROOTS of this medicine.  It's like learning the incisions for open heart surgery by borrowing Open Heart Surgery for Dummies at the local library, watching a couple of You Tube videos and going deep. 

No one in their right mind would do this... Because it's insane.

These practitioners study the very superficial aspects of the medicine.  Again, it's the Western medical community trying to find a short-cut to treating the symptoms, rather than the root of the disease.

The legal cost is currently at $30,000 and OAAOM is need of some $cha-ching$.  I'm a broke-ass student who's been eyeing this really cute 2mm wet suit by Cynthia Rowley but I've just made a small donation because this is my community that is being affected.  These mofos are coming onto my turf and I gotta represent! 

According to the numbers, acupuncturists are having a difficult time staying afloat; and I think it's partially because we need to start making demands by changing the legal system.  We can't sit back and Qi Gong our way through while our medicine is literally being taken away from underneath our feet. 

Click here to lend a helping hand and donate a little somethin'-somethin' to OAAOM's legal fees.