The AAAOM Meets With Physical Therapist Association
Acupuncture Today Staff
| DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Dry needling is back on the radar for acupuncturists but this time there's a twist—the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) and the American Physical Therapist Association (APTA) came together for a meeting, prompted by Dr. Carlos Chapa, president of the AAAOM and Dr. Jan Dommerholt, a physical therapist.
The two doctors initially met in Quinto, Ecuador during a dry needling seminar. After several conversations they concluded it would be beneficial for acupuncturists and physical therapists to meet, with the purpose of creating a dialogue between the two organizations, and subsequently, the professions.
As a result Dr. Chapa, president of the AAAOM met with APTA's vice president, Matt Hyland, executive vice president, Katy Neas, and Dr. Dommerholt. The group discussed concerns about acupuncture and dry needling - including standards, definitions, defined scope of practice, reimbursement and practice acts. The AAAOM assures that this meeting is the first of more to come, and even indicated that other acupuncture organizations will be meeting with APTA.
Dr. Chapa also urges all acupuncturists to join their state associations, and to consider joining the AAAOM as well. Stay tuned for more information on this subject.
A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.
Acupuncture can be highly effective in cases of nasal congestion so common in allergy presentations; so much so that I often treat such issues using acupuncture protocols alone. In cases of seasonal allergies with highly predictable causes such as obvious elevations of environmental allergens, I use a skeleton acupuncture prescription that can easily be fleshed out to target potential underlying patterns and effectively customized to the patient.
The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.
