Massachusetts Society of Acupuncture
Massachusetts Society of Acupuncture
MSTCM is a 501c(3) nonprofit professional membership organization representing Chinese acupuncturists in Massachusetts and new England area. Our membership includes well trained acupuncturists who have been in complementary health care practices mainly acupuncture and Chinese herb remedy. Starting from 1972, acupuncture has been introduced and developed in the USA for almost 50 years. Millions of people have benefited from this natural medicine. We are glad to see that most insurance companies have started to cover acupuncture treatments now, as a result of hundreds of acupuncturists' professional contributions for public health services in MA.
Mission
The mission of MSTCM is to support the integration of acupuncture and traditional medicine into American conventional health care system. MSTCM fosters our members to provide high quality complementary health care, education to their clients, thereby to benefit the public health. For the purpose, we promote our members to access the high quality of continue education and training, as well as the alternative medical research. MSTCM is a best resource for public looking for the experts in acupuncture and oriental medicine.
Visions
MSTCM will continue to provide the opportunities, lectures, conference, case discussions and so on, to promote our members accessing the best resources of modern medical sciences and natural medicine, for strengthen our professional knowledge and clinical experiences.
MSTCM promote public understanding of acupuncture and oriental medicine as well as traditional culture. We appreciate the diversity of our patients and respect all of the genders, races, incomes, disabilities and political beliefs.
MSTCM has established very friendly collaborations with other acupuncture organizations in USA, not only for the academic exchanges, but also protect our acupuncture practice by monitoring legislation and regulations, for ensuring we are fairly treated as the other health care professionals.
Definition
Acupuncture is a therapy, using acupuncture needles as a medical instrument, to insert into body through certain points of the skin. The point is termed as "acupoint". The points are selected not only based on the two thousand years of TCM theory and practices, but also on modern medical anatomy, physiology as well as pathology. Numerous modern studied demonstrate that the acupoints are functionally connected and formed a circulating network system linking the whole body together, including brain, nerve, muscle, fascia and inter-organs. To bring the concept of the network system into acupuncture practice was originally developed from the ancient scientific theory of meridian" in TCM. It is scientifically approved that acupuncture stimulation may induce certain signals and physical reactions locally around the acupoints or corresponding area in distance of the body, particularly in the brain-inner organ and neural-muscle-fascia system. The purpose of the acupuncture stimulation is to rebalance or improve the health conditions, including pain reduction, stress management, and general wellbeing, etc.
Herbal remedy practice
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By law, herb or herbal product are treated as dietary supplements in USA. Acupuncturist can legally practice herbs or herb remedies with the acupuncture license and certificate of herb authorized by NCCA and Acupuncture Committees of MA, an organization under Medical Board of MA.
Not only Chinese herbs have been used for thousands of years. every single herb has been studied by modern research and evaluated the side effects and toxicities by the standard pharmacological procedures in China.
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Definition of acupuncture
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The modern acupuncture practice has been developed based on 2000 years of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and current medical science through the past 60 years. Acupuncture is viewed to effect on the "meridians, a circulating network covering the whole body, including brain, nerve, muscle, fascia and inter-organs, at aims to rebalance or improve the physical conditions and self healing power. Many benefits of acupuncture have been scientifically documented, including pain reduction, stress management, anti-inflammation, neural and immune modulations.）
Is acupuncture safe?
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FDA recognize the acupuncture needles as medical device. Only disposable needles are used. Plus, all acupuncturists need to pass the National acupuncture board examination and National Clean Needle Technique Examination before allowing acupuncture practice. There is little safety warning reports on acupuncture treatments in the records globally in the past.
