As part of last year’s registration renewal, CMTO asked RMTs/MTs about their use of needling techniques in Massage Therapy practice. Here are the key findings:

• 1,083 of 16,044 RMTs/MTs (6.7%) reported using acupuncture in their Massage Therapy practice.
• 65% of RMTs/MTs authorized to perform acupuncture are also registered with another health regulatory college (e.g., College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Naturopathy) and are authorized to perform acupuncture under that profession’s Scope of Practice.

Important Reminders:

• When using acupuncture in Massage Therapy, authorized RMTs/MTs can only use it to treat physical dysfunction and pain in soft-tissues and joints of the body and treatment must follow CMTO’s definition of acupuncture.
• If an RMT/MT is registered with another health regulatory college and uses acupuncture or other needling techniques, they must clearly separate their work between the professions’ different Scopes of Practice.
• RMTs/MTs must ensure that clients understand when they are receiving acupuncture as a part of Massage Therapy care, and when they are not.

Case Study: Clarifying Scopes of Practice

Jackson, an RMT/MT and Registered TCM Practitioner, is treating a client for chronic shoulder pain. When asked about wet cupping, Jackson explains it’s outside the Massage Therapy Scope of Practice because it focuses on the use of needling to intentionally draw out toxins and blood from the body. Instead, Jackson offers to book a separate TCM appointment to assess and perform the treatment under that profession’s standards. Jackson always ensures his clients understand the type of care they’re receiving.

Have Questions?

Contact CMTO’s Practice Specialist: practicespecialist@cmto.com. For acupuncture authorization inquiries, email registrationservices@cmto.com.