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.

Experiencing the Midwest Alternative Medicine Clinic

There are ways to find alternative medicine clinics in the area in which the individual lives. When searching online, however, it is important to look for details about the clinic that point to the fact that they are licensed to do what they do and that they expect professionalism and training in their employees. There are national organizations that will provide licensing exams for those who are interested in Oriental Medicine degrees, such as the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Most state regulations require that individuals be licensed through the state and the state standards are mostly based on the NCCAOM's standards, since it is recognized as a national association for this purpose.

There are many clinics that only specialize in one form of alternative medicine and others that practice many forms. The Midwest Alternative Medicine Clinic serves in many different areas with their tagline being "Helping people get healthy naturally." Many organizations like the Midwest Alternative Medicine Clinic will work hand in hand with conventional medical centers and hospitals. The hospitals and other medical centers will treat the problems directly related to the illness but will send the person to the alternative medicine center for a diagnosis of the person's entire being and health so that the underlying issues can be resolved.

At the Midwest Alternative Medicine Clinic and other clinics like it, there is always an in-depth diagnostic process used to detect what the underlying issues might be for the patient. With alternative medicine, there is the belief that the body has a pathway and patterns of electrical currents that are continually moving through the body. When these pathways and patterns get disrupted, that is when the body becomes imbalanced and illnesses occur, whether physical or mental. Some clinics will look in depth at the tongue as the mirror to the body, checking for irregularities, as well as the coating, moisture and size of the tongue. Others will focus on the pulse of the individual since they are trained to detect irregularities there as well.

The Midwest Alternative Medicine Clinic offers mental health practitioners as well as acupuncturist therapies for individuals with different health issues. Acupuncture uses a variety of techniques to stimulate different key areas of the body so that the pathways and patterns of electricity can be restored. They also teach individuals proper eating patterns for their bodies as well as the proper exercise routines to follow to keep their bodies in perfect health.

Learning about Alternative Medicine at the Mayo Clinic

There are alternative medicine clinics that are cropping up all over the West, such as the MidWest Alternative Medicine Clinic, as this type of medicine becomes more accepted and popular. The Mayo Clinic has a lot of information about alternative medicine so that individuals can understand what it includes and what to ask about it when they are talking to their doctor. Alternative medicine usually entails using different herbs and natural means to treat different health issues, from physical health to mental health. Often conventional medicine, such as is used at the Mayo Clinic in general, is paired with alternative medicine techniques so that each method can work together to help the person's issues.

The great thing about alternative medicine according to the Mayo Clinic is that it will usually encompass a diagnosis that takes into account the person's entire body and lifestyle rather than only addressing the current symptoms that he is experiencing. Conventional medicine is usually good at solving the symptoms that are presenting themselves, but does not necessarily address the underlying causes of why the person got sick in the first place. Alternative medicine at the Mayo Clinic usually begins with a diagnosis that takes into account the way the person looks, the way they smell, the way they live their lives and the foods that they eat. The practitioner will observe different parts of the person's body to check for any abnormalities.

Once the diagnosis has been made, the practitioner will begin to prescribe the plan to bring the person back to health, restoring balance in their body. Alternative medicine techniques mentioned and used at the Mayo Clinic include things like herbal treatments and acupuncture. Herbal treatments are prescribed that contain about four different herbs or more that are designed to restore balance to the person's body. These herbs are taken either in a tea form, or by pill or powder in most cases. There are also acupuncture techniques in which pressure or needles are used to stimulate different areas on the body so that the blockages in the system are unplugged and the electrical pathways and patterns are restored.

Besides these methods, alternative medicine at the Mayo Clinic also includes teaching individuals what the proper diet and exercise plan is for their bodies. Some individuals might be eating healthy foods, but the foods might not be the best choices for their particular body type. In addition, they might be working out but they might be working out too hard or not enough for their particular body type. Alternative medicine works to restore these practices to health.