IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
To practice acupuncture and East Asian medicine in Maryland the practitioner (not technician) must be a licensed Acupuncturist. The Maryland Acupuncture Practice Act does not allow licensed Acupuncturists to delegate to or other persons to assume any of the practice scope as Assistants or Technicians. Only licensed Acupuncturists can provide all aspects of scope approved treatment for patients. For more information please review the Board’s
FAQs.
National Pain Awareness & Recovery Month
The Clinical Advisor, the medical information arm of the Haymarket Medical Network, identifies over five dozen health condition observances in the month of September. Of those two will be highlighted here. To see the full list visit the Clinical Advisor‘s
webpage.
September is
Pain Awareness Month. The
International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as
“An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage”. Please revisit the IASP Revised Definition page to learn more about the six key notes that IASP lists as additional pain definition considerations.
In Traditional Chinese/East Asian medicine (TCM/EAM) pain is just one of the health maladies that results from an imbalance or blockage in the flow of a person’s energy (Qi) along the TCM/EAM based system of meridians (a.k.a. channels) composed of acupoints - a system of mapped points on the entire body that correspond to every aspect of body function. TCM/EAM comprises multiple means of treatment including: acupuncture, bodywork/manual therapy, exercise, herbology, nutrition, and mind-body techniques to promote healing and the restoration of Qi balance to alleviate a variety of health maladies including pain.
The practice of TCM/EAM is a non-pharmaceutical treatment option that both compliments and provides an alternative to a Western medicine only pain treatment plan. The U.S. Pain Foundation’s
2024 Chronic Pain Fact Sheet cites the CDC report statistic of at least 20% of the U.S. population experiencing chronic pain. The Journal of Pain twice published research(2012 & 2018) that validated acupuncture as effective in the treatment of chronic pain.
The acupuncture arm of TCM/EAM may be the most well known of all those included in its system of medicine but it is only one of those available to help persons suffering with chronic pain.
September is also
National Recovery Month, a time of recognition of the prevalence and impact that addiction has on the lives of sufferers, their family and communities overall. This month equally recognizes those that overcome addiction and the co-occurring diseases, to emphasize hope that recovery is possible. The
Recovery Research Institute defines recovery as,
“The process of improved physical, psychological, and social well-being and health after having suffered from a substance use disorder”.
In TCM/EAM, recovery from addiction is seen as the restoration of the sufferer’s Qi to a balanced state. This is achieved by purging the toxins from the sufferer’s body to improve the body’s self-healing ability. The goal of returning to a state of harmony is theorized to positively impact one’s body, mind and spirit.
As with pain, acupuncture is one of the most well known treatments for addiction. More specifically, auricular detoxification, the five needle protocol specifically dedicated to supporting the goal of ending the dependence on substances. Auricular detoxification achieves this by reducing cravings, decreasing the impact of withdrawal as well as improving the patients overall mood and ability to cope with the stressors of life without the substance. To learn more about auricular detoxification in Maryland visit the
Ear (Auricular) Acupuncture, Auricular Detoxification Specialist page on the Board’s website.
Resources:
Regulatory Basics
You must have a license to practice. It is illegal to practice acupuncture and use East Asian medical therapies without a license. You must also obtain additional certification to practice on animals. Certain non-acupuncturist professionals may practice as
Auricular Detoxification Specialists if they register with the Board and renew their registration. If your license or registration has lapsed please take action to reinstate before you practice.
The
National Auricular Detoxification Association (NADA), is the professional organization for all certified Auricular Detoxification Specialists (ADS). NADA offers the training to become a certified ADS in Maryland, offers membership and is a valuable resource for ADSes.
The
American Acupuncture Society (ASA), the practice’s professional organization, has a Maryland arm - The
Maryland Association of Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine (MAAEAM)- that offers membership. MAAEAM is a valuable resource for Licensed Acupuncturists.
About Paper Licenses The Board does not issue printed licenses. Please visit the
License Verification and Roster Information page to print and/or save a copy of your license status.
About Forms of Payment The Board no longer accepts checks or money orders. All payments must be made by credit or debit card.
About Practice Scope The practice statutes and regulations can be accessed from the Board’s landing page via the
Regulations, Board Meeting Minutes & Newsletters menu item on the left. The Board does not have the authority to interpret statute or regulations. Please consult with a legal professional if additional understanding is required.
About Continuing Education At present the Board does not approve/accredit/endorse specific
continuing education (CEU) providers. Licensees should ensure that the CEU provider is legitimate and provides content that meets industry standards. From time to time the Board does share training information. This does not mean that the Board has a relationship with this provider.
About License Status The Board has two renewal cycles annually: Spring & Fall. This means that the renewal system is only open twice a year beginning April 1st and October 1st. Spring renewals expire on May 31st and Fall renewals on November 30th. The Board sends notices by email and mail to licensees when it is time to renew.
About Contact Information The Board must be able to contact licensees at all times. This means that the Board must have licensees correct contact information at all times. If you change your address, phone number or email address please
inform the Board of the change so that we may reach you.
About Contact Information Licensees are required to advertise and practice in the name for which they are licensed. Name changes must be
reported to the Board with supporting documentation.
*The form to report contact and name changes can be accessed in two ways on the Board’s website: 1) on the
Apply for an Acupuncture License page and on the
Resources, Requirements & Information Requests page.
WHAT’S ON THE 2025 CALENDAR:
- September 9th Board Meeting
- Fall License Renewal Season: October 1st - December 31st
- Columbus Day Holiday October 13th - office closed
- November 4th Board Meeting
- Veteran's Day Holiday November 11th - office closed
- Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Fall Conference (Virtual) November 12th - 14th
- Thanksgiving Day Holiday November 27th - office closed
- American Indian Heritage Day Holiday November 28th - office closed
- Christmas Day Holiday December 25th - office closed
- Maryland State Legislative Session January 2026
- 9th Edition of International Conference on Traditional Medicine and Integrative Health June 22-24, 2026 | Barcelona, Spain
