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.
Cynthia Hoff, MAT, MAOM, LAc
Cynthia Hoff practices in Portland, Ore., and specializes in treating pain, eye conditions such as macular degeneration and women's health, stress management and health care for seniors. She may be contacted at www.singingcraneacupuncture.com.