Within this section of our website you can learn more about the wonderful healing science of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, a very unique and very old science.

Keep scrolling for a description of our current training requirements and a short history of acupuncture.

Training Standards and Scope of Practice

The World Health Organization has set training standards at 2500 hours for acupuncture training programs plus basic biosciences prerequisites.

Acupuncture Physicians in the state of Florida must complete a four-year program of intensive study of 2700 hours training.  This is similar to the number of hours required of other medical professionals: MD/DO 2756 hours (+ 3 yrs of residency) and DC’s 2887 hours.

The course of study includes training and supervision in the use of Oriental Medicine diagnosis and techniques, herbal studies, western biomedical terms, anatomy and physiology, laboratory tests, and x-ray imaging.

According to Florida Law Acupuncture Physicians May stimulate acupoints by needles, moxibustion, cupping, thermal methods, magnets, gwa-sha scraping, acupatches, acuform, acupoint injection, massage, acupressure, reflexology, shiatsu, tui na, electrical stimulation (percutaneous and transcutaneous), and laser biostimulation.

They may use Nutritional Counseling, recommend non-prescription dietary supplements, recommend breathing techniques and therapeutic exercises, give lifestyle and stress counseling, recommend homeopathic preparations, and prescribe herbal formulas.

The first publicized use of acupuncture in the United States was in 1826. Ben Franklin’s grandson Franklin Bache, MD published a paper on the beneficial effects of Acupuncture. Acupuncture and Electro-acupuncture were used in the 1860’s, 70’’s and 80’s for lumbago, fractures and anesthesia. In the early 1900, however, with the rise of Western allopathic medicine, the use of acupuncture became less known in the US except in Chinatowns.

It was not until 1971 during the Nixon Presidency that acupuncture was revived for Americans. James Reston, of the NY Times newspaper was traveling in China with Henry Kissinger when he developed acute appendicitis. Chinese physicians successfully treated him for post -operative pain using acupuncture. Reston wrote an article entitled "Now, Let Me Tell You About My Appendectomy in Peking..." This piqued the interest of Americans everywhere. A resurgence of acupuncture practice commenced.

In 1991, a mummy frozen in the ice of the Italian Alps was discovered. When scientists began to examine the body, markings that were originally thought to be tattoos were discovered to be rock ground into his flesh to stimulate points on his body to treat various health disorders! This early Italian man (now called Otzi) was utilizing a system that matched up with Acupuncture meridians and points! Yet, at 5200 years old, he predated when scientists previously thought Acupuncture existed in China. This find has led scientists to theorize that meridian medicine systems like Acupuncture most likely existed in many early cultures as part of mankind’s development of medicine and suggested an intuitive knowledge of the body in prehistoric man. http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/iceman/evidence/tattoos.html

Research also shows that there is a strong similarity between the medicine of ancient Mayans of the Americas and Chinese Acupuncture. Over 50 points match in location and indication of use to Acupuncture points. Needles and other Chinese medicine tools were also used by the Mayans. Similarities even exist in the understanding of the healing systems of the body, and the diagnostic and treatment languages. (see the book Wind in the Blood ISBN:1-55643-304-2)

Modern research is proving the efficacy of Acupuncture and Herbal medicine, and we are even seeing functional imaging of the brain showing us that when stimulated, Acupuncture points actually affect various brain centers which then stimulate various healing systems in the body.

We welcome you to enjoy the information on our site, and explore the web links to more information.

You may also use our physician locator service to find an Acupuncture Physician Near You.