Category Archives: Acupuncture

After nearly 100 hours on online instruction and independent study, my acupuncture training has concluded with a 5-day hands-on practicum and both a written and practical exam. All that remains to do to finish my certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture … Continue reading →

I haven’t updated my acupuncture adventure in a while, largely because I’m past the part of the course making general claims and justifications of acupuncture and into the portion that consists mostly of memorizing individual points and associated anatomical and … Continue reading →

One consistent theme in acupuncture research is that it has proven very difficult to show any difference between the effects of acupuncture intended to treat a symptom or disease and the effects of various kinds of fake or sham acupuncture … Continue reading →

The latest lectures in my acupuncture course have covered the use of acupuncture (and, incidentally, massage and laser therapy) for “neuromodulation” of the twelve cranial nerves. “Neuromodulation” is a somewhat vague term often used to suggest some clinically relevant and … Continue reading →

Introduction The latest lecture in my acupuncture course concerns the use of acupuncture in patients undergoing anesthesia and surgery. Most of the lecture focuses on the potential role of acupuncture in reducing pain or mitigating some of the undesirable effects … Continue reading →

Introduction This lecture had surprisingly little information about acupuncture itself. It began with a review of the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury and the typical steps for evaluating and stabilizing patients presenting with acute spinal cord injury. Most of the … Continue reading →

Acupuncture and the Evidence I have spent several hours, now, listening to lectures discussing scientific evidence and acupuncture. I have also made an effort to find and read many of the specific papers discussed so that I can evaluate their … Continue reading →

Having begun the online portion of my acupuncture course, I am beginning to get into the work of identifying, remembering, and locating the main acupuncture channels and points that are used for clinical treatment in several varieties of acupuncture. This … Continue reading →

I have written extensively about acupuncture since it is one of the most widely used and accepted of the alternative therapies. It is also complex, with many different definitions, associated theories, and a huge body of relevant research evidence. Sorting … Continue reading →