There are a few key things aside from the obvious education, credentials, licensing, and insurance you’ll want to consider when searching for your most compatible Acupuncturist. I like to recommend searching the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine if you don’t have a referral from a friend.
- Do they LISTEN?
It seems it’s especially difficult to feel like someone is actually listening to you. Maybe because life in general is so busy – go go go! Whatever the reason, you want to make sure your Acupuncturist is really listening to your concerns. Eye contact and an engaged demeanor are vital to a successful treatment. When the physician is connected with you, I believe your treatment will be so much more healing. Listening and connecting goes both ways though, so pay attention when they talk to you. Acupuncturists are human balls of an incredible amount of knowledge!
2. Do they ASK questions?
Although it may seem like all the answers to every possible question about your body are in the 10 pages of new patient paperwork, I can assure you if you have a good physician – they’ll have more questions! Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine evaluates the entire body as a whole, so the Acupuncturist may ask questions that you don’t think are relevant to your issue. Maximize your health by providing as much information about your body, even when you don’t think it’s relevant!
3. Do they ANSWER your questions?
You should never leave the doctors office with the same or more questions. Of course no doctor is going to have 100% of the answers to give you but they should be able to answer most of them, at least when it comes to their experience working with a particular issue, what success they expect to see in a given time frame, and what type of treatment or adjunct treatments they recommend. So often we feel rushed, especially in appointments. You want to find a physician that isn’t rushed and takes their time, thoroughly answering all of your questions, regardless of whether you are having a treatment that day or not.
Finding the right Acupuncturist in Orlando that fits you is truly a personal decision that only you can make. Of course, having a referral from a friend or relative is always a good place to start but ultimately make your own gut decision! Good luck!