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.
Monique Smith, LAc, MSOM
Monique "Neeki" Smith, LAc, MSOM, is a 2005 OCOM graduate specializing in pain and nutrition/lifestyle. She is available for writing or speaking opportunities while she is on sabbatical from clinical practice. 919-763-4236 or NeekiSmith@yahoo.com.