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.
Michelle Kim, DACM, LAc
Michelle Kim holds a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine from the PCOM, San Diego, and a double-masters in Chinese and Japanese Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from the New England School of Acupuncture in MA. She loves caring for patients, promoting holistic health, and curating products that promote healthy lifestyles. She can be contacted at DrMichelleKimLac@gmail.com.