Frequently Asked Questions

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Who is Allowed to Practice Eastern Medicine?

 

Masters of Eastern Medicine attend graduate school for four years after attaining their undergraduate degrees.  They are trained to treat a wide-variety of disorders, from low back pain to anxiety, from Parkinson's to stroke rehabilitation, from infertility to IBS, and on and on...  One third of their training is in acupuncture, one third in herbal pharmacology, and one third in Western medical diagnostic techniques (including physical assessment, lab work, scans, etc.) and basic pharmacology.  In addition, they attend clinical rotations in which they treat over 1,000 patients prior to graduation.  (Masters of Eastern Medicine bear the acronym MAOM after their names.)

 

It is important to note that not all practitioners of acupuncture licensed in Washington state (labeled L.Ac.) are educated to the Master's level; Washington's requirements for practice do not require herbal training, extensive Western medical training, nor as great of a treatment history.

 

 

What Do Herbal Prescriptions Entail?

 

The herbal prescriptions that we prescribe are encapsulated powders. External application liniments and ointments are also sometimes prescribed. All herbal products require a prescription for purchase. If your practitioner gives you a refill, no additional treatment visit is required in order to pick up the herbal prescription, until such time as that refill expires. Herbal medications are priced in addition to acupuncture treatment costs, ranging from $5-15. Herbal medicine increases treatment efficacy by continuing therapy at home.

 

 

What Conditions Can Herbal Medicine Treat?

 

Because this medical system takes a holistic approach to treatment and diagnosis, all diseases, conditions, and symptoms can be treated. That is to say, when the approach of diagnosis is to consider all symptoms and constitutional qualities together as one whole, each of these factors is important for treatment, and therefore, all medical issues can be resolved.

 

 

What Can I Expect with Treatment?

 

Herbal therapy has minimal and rare side effects that are specific per formulation.  The most common complaint is mild digestive discomfort, since most patients are not used to taking Chinese herbal therapy; this discomfort is most often resolved by taking the formulation with food.  Herbal formulations are combinations of different herbs that work together for the desired effect and are tailored to each individual case.  Therefore, although most patients feel at least somewhat better immediately, it may require a few repeat visits before the exact right formulation is created and complete relief is seen.  At this point, most patients are given refills of their formulas and asked to return for another in-person visit in up to three months.