Acupuncture

Duties and Responsibilities

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine. It is commonly used for pain relief, though it is also used to treat a wide range of conditions. The majority of people who seek out acupuncture do so for musculoskeletal problems, including low back pain, shoulder stiffness, and knee pain. Acupuncture is rarely used alone but rather as an adjunct to other treatment modalities. It can be associated with the application of heat, pressure, or laser light to these same points. Acupressure, a non-invasive form of bodywork, uses physical pressure applied to acupressure points by the hand, elbow, or with various devices.

Salary: $29,515 - $102,614

Education: A master's degree in acupuncture trains students in the use of acupuncture instruments and the application of different treatment methods, like cupping, needles, gua sha and moxibustion. For example, when using needles, students learn how to insert the needle into the correct nerve pathway to produce a muscle spasm to relax the muscle; students practice this and other techniques during supervised clinical internships. Most master's-level acupuncture programs require 3-4 years of study. An essay, a letter of recommendation and GRE scores are common enrollment requirements. Courses may cover:

• Chinese and herbal medicine
• Pathology
• Biochemistry
• Western medicine
• Nutrition

I don’t think I would like to become a acupuncturist because I’m not really interested in acupuncture and they don’t make much money.