National board registration of Chinese Medicine practitioners is really a huge step of progress for healthcare in Australia. Registration provides quality control of all acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine services supplied to the public and necessitates practitioners to adhere to strict continuing education requirements for active registration. This long overdue process brings regulatory guidelines that oversee the profession in accordance with those in the USA where licensing has been mandatory in some states for more than 20 years. The implications of this comparatively early licensure are the benefits of acupuncture have now been already well established. Therefore, acupuncture is provided as complementary care in several prominent hospitals such as for example the Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and even in more conservative fields such as the US military.

The progression of Chinese medicine to registration is a very good outcome for the Australian public were as much as this time medical providers have dictated the flow of healthcare. In situations where you realize you are not 100% together with your game, you could feel only a little tired, your digestion might be sluggish or you may not be sleeping as soundly everybody knows you can. You schedule an appointment to see your general practitioner intravenous vitamin and mineral therapy. He or she performs an examination, runs all the required tests and concludes there is nothing wrong with you, as all investigations were negative. You are “not sick”; you have been congratulated on your own clean bill of health and shown the door. Despite this, you realize you are not completely well and might be feeling better. What would you do? Your doctor hasn’t referred one to see other people, while not ill.

Now Australians can stay healthy safely and seek treatment from registered Chinese medicine providers. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are a fantastic choice to keep you healthy and restore that true sense of well being. Integrative medicine or conventional along with complementary health care services are now acknowledged as getting the potential to supply the public the very best opportunity at maintaining their optimal health. Now you can see your general practitioner, and if you’re deemed to be sick get the right treatment. If nothing is “wrong” and you are given a pat on the rear as you leave your doctor’s surgery then there now is a credible alternative. If you should be “not sick” but nonetheless aren’t feeling quite right, then you can certainly elect to pursue Chinese medicine with a registered practitioner.

Licensed to practice acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and physiotherapy in Australia and the USA, she’s over 20 years experience. Karen is a co-author of Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, has lectured at Chinese medicine colleges, conducted research, authored journal articles and presented at international conferences. Currently, Karen maintains her clinical practice in Sydney, Australia.