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.
Barry M. Mark, LAc
Dr Barry M. Mark is a Dentist and Acupuncturist (NCCAOM certified) in the State of New York . He has been in practice for over 40 years. The emphasis of his practice is the evaluation and treatment of craniofacial pain and TMJ disorders. Dr. Mark has an extensive background in bio-energetic medicine and is the author of "All Pain Is Not The Same- A Unique Perspective On Headaches, TMJ Disorders, and Facial Pain".