The following information is from the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance

People around the world have relied on Oriental medicine for thousands of years. There are many colleges, both in the U.S. and abroad, with excellent Chinese herbal medicine programs. In the U.S. , Chinese herbal practitioners are usually licensed as acupuncturists, but practicing herbalists are becoming more and more common in a number of states.

In seeking a qualified herbalist, look for a practitioner who is comprehensively trained in Chinese herbal medicine. While many states require that all licensed acupuncturists be trained and tested in Chinese herbal medicine, others do not.

Chinese herbalists are tested and certified by the NCCAOM in Chinese herbal medicine. A patient should ask practitioners about their training and experience in Chinese herbal medicine.

Herb Basics

Modern research and international health organizations agree that herbal medicine is a safe and highly effective treatment for many conditions. Including:

• Breathing problems: colds, flu, allergies, asthma, emphysema, sinusitis, and bronchitis
• Emotional Issues: anxiety, depression, insomnia, and mood swings
• Digestive difficulties: acute/chronic diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, gastritis ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome
• Bladder problems: urinary tract infections, and prostatitis
• Reproductive issues: irregular/painful menstruation, infertility, PMS, menopausal symptoms, and sexual dysfunction
• Pain: neuralgia, migraine headaches, dizziness, low back, neck and shoulder pain
• Circulatory problems: hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis, anemia
• Supportive therapy: painful, debilitating disorders such as hepatitis, fibromyalgia, and auto-immune disease.

Expert Testimony

"Worldwise, only ten to tthirty persent of people use conventional meidcine, seventy to ninety percent use alternative medicine." -NIH. Alternative medicine: Explanding Medical Horizons

"Traditional Chinese medicine has been chosen by the World health Organization for worldwide propogation to meet the health care needs of the twenty-first century." -Burton Goldberg. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide

"One out of three drugs prescribed in Germany is an herb." -Donald J. Brown, N.D. the Use of Herbal Medicine in a Clinical Setting

"In 1993, Americans spent an estimated $1.5 billion on herbal remedies - ten times more than was spent on over-the-counter sleeping pills from grocery stores and drug stores." -Bill Gottlieb. New Choices in Natural Healing

The AOMLAlliance is a membership association committed to improving public health through acupuncture and Oriental medicine. For more information, please call 1-800-814-5956 or visit us on the web at www.aomalliance.org .