It can be a daunting task trying to find the best acupuncturist suited to your needs. So here are a few things to keep in mind during your search.
Not all acupuncturist are created equal.
Registered Acupuncturists in BC and in Canada must have a minimum of 2 years post secondary studies plus a minimum of 1900 hours of study in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Once an acupuncturists passes their acupuncture board exams is generally where the similarities in training, experience, and knowledge starts to diverge. More specialized training in the areas that interest the acupuncturist are normally done after they have passed their board exams. From there an acupuncturist will start to gravitate towards their areas of interest and perhaps even specialize in certain areas such as:
- sports rehabilitation acupuncture
- musculoskeletal pain
- digestive health + nutrition
- women’s health
- fertility
- mental health
- internal medicine + metabolic disorders
- cancer
- autoimmune disorders
- cosmetic acupuncture
- etc.
Studies aside, each acupuncturist will also bring with them their own valuable world of experience. So…
Make sure you read their bios. There are clues in there to let you know what type of practitioner they might be. For me personally, I like to share a similar story or background with the practitioner. For instance, I have lots of injuries from my days in competitive sports so I like to work with practitioners that also have had a background in competitive sports or are athletic.
Ask your friends or colleagues for a recommendation. Ask about their experience. What did they like and what didn’t they like about their treatment?
Be open minded. What may not have worked for you in the past may work for you now. And vice versa. The road to healing is not always on an upwards trajectory.
Trial and Error. Like many relationships it can take a few attempts to try different practitioners before you settle on one that you feel confident working with. And even then you may choose to work with more than one practitioner. This is because each practitioner brings with them their own set of unique skills and expertise. Your needs will change as you go through different phases of life.
Just remember, choosing the right practitioner can be a bit of a process so try to be patient and not feel discouraged. Online reviews can be helpful but most likely you will still have to see if they live up to their online reputation.
The most important things are 1. If you felt heard 2. If you felt like the reasons why you were visiting were addressed 3. If you felt confident with the practitioner that was giving you getting treatment 4. If you felt improvement after your treatment(s).
Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. We are here to help.
To book an appointment with us:
info@acupoint.ca
You can read more about our team here.
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