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.
Don Lee, LAc, DNBAO, AOS, CSCS, QME
Don Lee, LAc, DNBAO, AOS, CSCS, QME, is an integrative orthopedic acupuncturist practicing in Southern CA. He has served on the board and faculty of both Yo San University and Emperor's College, and the governing bodies of the National Board of Acupuncture Orthopedics and CSOMA. In 2008 Don founded the Academy of Orthopedic Acupuncture and is currently program chair of the Yo San University doctoral in Healthy Aging, which launches this year.