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.
Brandon LaGreca, LAc
Brandon LaGreca, LAc is a 2005 graduate of the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, a certified acupuncturist in the state of Wisconsin, and nationally certified in the practice of Oriental medicine (NCCAOM). He lives and works in East Troy, Wisconsin where he directs an integrative medical clinic. Brandon is a thought leader in the synthesis of traditional and functional medicine, authoring numerous articles on the subject. You can visit his blog at www.empoweredpatientblog.com.