Chiropractors who incorporate acupuncture in their practices report better patient satisfaction and increased income

“Over its 2,500 years of development, a wealth of experience has accumulated in the practice of acupuncture, attesting to the wide range of diseases and conditions that can be effectively treated with this approach. Unlike many other traditional methods of treatment, which tend to be specific to their national or cultural context, acupuncture has been used throughout the world …”—World Health Organization’s (WHO) Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials.¹

The WHO’s report, which was an analysis of the efficacy of acupuncture in treating more than 800 specific diseases, provides a review of controlled studies and therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture as reported in the scientific literature. The growing popularity of acupuncture in the United States is evidenced by an emerging trend for doctors of chiropractic to include acupuncture in their practices. Several chiropractic colleges now offer master’s degree programs in acupuncture and traditional Asian medicine.

Best of Both Worlds
Chiropractors who incorporate acupuncture in their practices report increased patient satisfaction, improved clinical results in treating specific diseases beyond musculoskeletal problems, an increased scope of practice, and significant increases in income.

“Chiropractors who have blended acupuncture into their practices consistently report experiencing the best of both worlds,” says Marilee Murphy, RN, LAc, dean of the graduate programs in acupuncture and oriental medicine at New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) in Seneca Falls, NY. “Interdisciplinary respect and collaboration between two very complementary healing arts result in a powerful synergistic approach to health and healing that yields easier and faster results.”

Murphy says that DCs who offer acupuncture practice a truly holistic approach to healing. “The favorable results that their patients experience is clear and obvious, particularly in cases where Western medicine fails. Acupuncture can be used effectively with patients who suffer from serious degenerative conditions, poststroke, and neurological disorders, as well as with the common back- and neck-pain symptoms that chiropractors frequently see in their practices.”

Murphy first began practicing as an acupuncturist, and later she decided to study nursing to better understand Western approaches to disease and healing. Her years of work as a hospital staff nurse exposed her to the best, and the worst, of Western medicine. “We may not fully understand the reasons why acupuncture works, but organizations such the WHO and the National Institutes of Health not only recommend continued research into the effectiveness of acupuncture, they also endorse it as an effective healing system.”

Zev Myerowitz, DC, is a licensed acupuncturist in Holden, Maine, a post-graduate faculty instructor in acupuncture at the Cleveland College of Chiropractic, president of the Acupuncture Society of New England and the American Academy of Chiropractic Acupuncture, and a faculty member of the Acupuncture Society of America.

“Chiropractic and acupuncture fit like a glove,” Myerowitz says. “As chiropractors, most practitioners are limited to treating the spine with manipulation or adjustments. Chiropractic is certainly an important approach to health care, but our scopes of practice are limiting. As an acupuncturist, I can legally treat over 800 diseases. My scope of practice simply explodes, and in my practice, everyone has access to both healing arts.”

Myerowitz, who holds multiple certifications and diplomates in acupuncture, frequently receives referrals from medical doctors for patients with non-neuromusculoskeletal disorders. “There are obviously different levels of conditions in terms of severity and responsiveness to various treatments,” he says. “But acupuncture, like chiropractic, seeks to correct the underlying disorder.” The goal of chiropractic is to correct the spinal lesion and restore normal biomechanics and balance to the nervous system, Myerowitz says. In acupuncture, he says, the goal is to restore the normal flow of chi, the body’s vital life energy. “Acupuncture approaches the body as an ecosystem of energy that needs to be re-aligned, re-established, and re-energized. We approach the body as a whole and work to bring it into balance physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. There is a two-way communication between the skin and all organs, glands, and tissues of the body,” he says.

By stimulating specific points on the skin, the progress of a pathological condition often can be not only arrested but even reversed, bringing the patient back to normal health, Myerowitz says.

Myerowitz uses various acupuncture techniques in his practice. About 80% of the time, he uses microcurrent, which can be applied quickly, precisely, and noninvasively to specific points on the body. He also uses needle, cupping, scraping (guasha), nonpiercing (Teishin), and moxa (heat) techniques, in addition to medicinal herbs. Myerowitz notes that traditional Asian masters of acupuncture recognize the primary importance of restoring homeostasis to the nervous system, and certain ancient forms of acupuncture use bone-setting techniques.

Growth Opportunities
Becoming proficient in acupuncture also offers practice-building opportunities, Myerowitz says. “People seek out the doctor who practices acupuncture and who gets better results. Four out of five patients in my practice come for acupuncture. I’ve taught many struggling chiropractors who were ready to throw in the towel and close their practices. Becoming proficient in acupuncture not only saved their practices, it exploded their practices,” he says.

Charles Ventresca, DC, LAc, is a New York state-licensed chiropractic acupuncturist and a Diplomate in Acupuncture of the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. He serves as the team chiropractor and acupuncturist for the New York Islanders hockey team and the US Open tennis tournament. Ventresca also writes examination questions for the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Acupuncture Exam. He says about 50% of his patients come recommended to him by MDs for acupuncture. Overall, about 70% of his practice is acupuncture-based.

“The practice of acupuncture has served as a huge referral base for me from medical doctors,” he says. “Acupuncture adds a very specific quality to patient care—allowing the practitioner to target more specific diseases—and dramatically increases the practitioner’s scope of practice.”

Chiropractors interested in learning acupuncture themselves can take certification and diplomate programs or more in-depth masters of science degree programs. The WHO recommends a minimum of 220 hours for certification in acupuncture. Diplomate courses typically require 300 hours.

Chiropractors interested in hiring an acupuncturist to work in their practices must be aware of their state laws governing multidisciplinary practices. Certain states prohibit chiropractors from hiring an acupuncturist to work in their practice as an employee. CP

Gerald A. Anzalone, DC, of Hudson Valley Neck and Back Care, Peekskill, NY, has been in practice for 9 years. He is a writer and lecturer about health care issues. Contact him at janzalonedc@hotmail.com.

Reference
1. World Health Organization. Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2002.