Yun-tao Ma, PhD, LAc

Yun-tao Ma, PhD, LAc is a renowned, international authority on acupuncture pain management and trauma rehabilitation, and a founder and director of the Biomedical Acupuncture Institute. Dr. Ma conducts seminars and teaches biomedical acupuncture for pain management to medical professionals in the U.S. and worldwide. He currently practices in Boulder, Colo.

For questions or comments regarding any of Dr. Ma's articles, please contact him directly at bmai@biomedacupuncture.com.

Previous Articles

A Pioneer in Systems Theory and Contemporary Medical Acupuncture
December 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 12)
The Fast-Changing World of Acupuncture Medicine
June 2007 (Vol. 08, Issue 06)
Pearls and Strings in Classical Acupuncture, Part 2
November 2006 (Vol. 07, Issue 11)
Pearls and Strings in Classical Acupuncture, Part One: The Acculturation of Acupuncture in the United States
June 2006 (Vol. 07, Issue 06)
Trending
News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

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.

Bruce W. Park, DACM