How to Find Alternative Medicine Clinics

Health and alternative medicine have been popular topics in recent years as alternative medicine has been gaining acceptance as a valid form of supplemental medicine in the West. Alternative medicine clinics are easy to find in the East where the practices are still widely accepted and used in conventional health facilities in conjunction with new technology. In the West, it is still more difficult to find alternative medicine clinics where the employees are well trained and licensed to practice. There are also some places in the West where individuals will claim healing through their methods in extreme ways, meaning with outrageous claims. These are the types of clinics that individuals need to stay away from, since most do not have the training or certification needed to practice this type of medicine.

One way to find an alternative medicine clinic is to talk to the conventional doctor that the individual goes to regularly. This doctor will usually be able to tell the individual what clinics practice valid forms of alternative medicine and have the licensing to do so. If the doctor is not inclined to recommend such a clinic, then the individual has other options.

Each state has a licensing process for individuals to be able to practice Oriental medicine within the state, including herbal medicine and acupuncture. The individual can check with the state licensing office to get a list of practitioners so that they can find an alternative medicine clinic in their area that is fully licensed. They can also see which clinics have complaints against them so that they can stay away from those and only go to the best alternative medicine clinics in their area.

Another way to find an alternative medicine clinic is to visit website of the National Certification for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). This organization, although privately run, is considered a valid national certification organization in the field by most states. In fact, many states get their guidelines from the NCCAOM's recommendations and standards of licensing. This website has a list of certified practitioners in Oriental medicine, allowing individuals to find alternative medicine clinics in their area. By going through professional organizations such as the NCCAOM, the individual can be more certain of the qualifications of the practitioners and that there is oversight of the practice so that they can stay certified. In this way they are able to find the best alternative medicine clinics in their area for their herbal medicine treatments and acupuncturist sessions.