Chinese Medicine: Cautions

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This article is from the Alternative Medicine Therapies guide.

If you have a chronic condition or a new acute problem that is seriously disabling you, get a diagnostic evaluation from a conventional primary-care physician before consulting an acupuncturist.
Plan on coordinating your care between your biomedical doctor and your acupuncturist. If they won’t work together, find ones that will.
Be sure your acupuncturist uses sterile, disposable needles.
As with any health practitioner, if the condition is not improving in a reasonable time, get a second opinion. There are increasing numbers of practitioners familiar with both Western and traditional Chinese medicine, should you need a re-evaluation.
Acupuncturists in California and Nevada must take an exam in order to dispense Chinese herbs. In other states, herbal certification is voluntary. Ask if your acupuncturist has passed the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine herbal exam.
Herbal remedies are regulated as "foodstuffs" under current Federal laws. This means that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not evaluated their effectiveness and safety as therapies. Be sure to work only with a licensed and certified practitioner to ensure that you get the best care

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