In many ways, acupuncture has one of the broadest scopes of practice in medicine today. An acupuncturist can legally treat most illnesses affecting any part of the body. Even in Illinois, where acupuncturists must have a written referral from a physician, acupuncturists see the same wide range of health complaints as their California and New York colleagues. In fact, this regulation often encourages strategic alliances between acupuncturists and medical doctors that might not be formed otherwise. Often when we speak of acupuncture as a profession, we really mean Oriental medicine.
Oriental medicine is a body of knowledge and techniques related by a common theoretical base.
Most acupuncturists are trained in the practice of therapeutic exercise, bodywork, and Oriental body therapy. Others include Chinese herbology and nutrition in their training. All should have a solid foundation in modern clinical medicine. Together with acupuncture, these modalities combine into an effective tool chest for the treatment of disease. As a tribute to the value of acupuncture, many acupuncturists prospered for years without the benefit of insurance coverage for their services.