ANTA has been accrediting Chinese medicine practitioners for over 60 years. Every one of our practitioners must meet our high educational and training standards to become members. The Chinese medicine practitioners in our directory are fully qualified, and able to deliver high quality treatment.
To find a Chinese medicine practitioner or a Chinese medicine clinic and dispensary, search our directory below.
Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the idea of Yin and Yang, a philosophy that describes how opposing forces are connected, complementary, and dependent on each other. According to this philosophy, opposites such as these are found throughout our universe, including in our bodies, and when these opposites are balanced, good health is achieved.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) attempts to restore a patient’s balance and harmony, which allows their vital life force (Qi, pronounced “chee”) to flow freely through their bodies. Qi imbalances can be caused by stress, diet, emotional upset, infection, pollution, and more, and TCM uses practices such as acupuncture, dietary advice, exercise, and Chinese herbal medicine to resolve them. Each of these unique practices are components of TCM, and Chinese herbal medicine helps to resolve Qi blockage or deficiency through the use of herbs. The practice has proved successful in treating a number of conditions.
Chinese herbal medicine has greatly influenced Eastern medicine, and forms a major part of healthcare in China, provided in state hospitals along with Western medicine. It has a historic background that continues to influence clinical practice in China, with extensive research into its effects, helping to develop modern diagnostic techniques.
Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests that the world consists of elements—fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. This is known as Wu Xing, and is critical to Chinese medicine. Each element corresponds to a taste as well as an organ in the body, as outlined the below table:
| Element | Taste | Organ |
| Fire | Bitter | Heart and small intestine |
| Earth | Sweet | Spleen and stomach |
| Metal | Pungent | Lung and large intestine |
| Water | Salty | Kidneys and urinary bladder |
| Wood | Sour | Liver and gall bladder |
If you’re suffering from a problem related to your kidneys, you might be prescribed a herbal medicine that includes something salty.
TCM treats a wide range of ailments, including pain, IBS, infertility, colitis, arthritis, insomnia, depression, stress, neuropathy, and more7.
To become ANTA members, Chinese medicine practitioners must meet strict criteria. Every ANTA member is fully qualified, accredited, and recognised by both federal and state governments. If you’re looking for a Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, the quickest and most effective way is to use our Chinese medicine directory.
If you’d rather find a Chinese medicine practitioner yourself, it’s important to consider the below.
Chinese medicine practitioners must be qualified, with nationally-recognised accreditation and be registered with the Chinese Medicine Board Australia. Malpractice insurance is also a requirement.
Medicine advances over time, and a Chinese medicine practitioner must stay up to date with the latest developments in their field.
Based on observations of nature, there are several traditional classifications and categorizations that are still adhered to in the administering of Chinese herbal medicines today.
The TCM philosophy proposes that everything (including the body’s organs) is composed of five elements according to the concept of Wu Xing — earth, fire, water, wood and metal. These correspond to the Five Flavors classification — sweet, bitter, salty, sour and pungent — and each of these corresponds to specific body organs. These flavours imply certain therapeutic actions and properties. For example, sweetness is harmonising and moistening, whereas saltiness drains downwards and can soften hard masses.
There is also a classification known as the Four Natures — warm, hot, cool or cold. This translates to cool and cold herbs being used to treat “hot” symptoms, and warm and hot herbs used to treat “cold” symptoms. Examples of the former include a red face, thirst, irritability, constipation, a rapid pulse, and a red tongue with a dry and yellow coating. Examples of the latter include a pale complexion, cold limbs, fatigue, loose bowels, a pale tongue with a white coating and a tense or slow pulse.
Here is a summary of the Five Flavours and their corresponding tastes and organs:
Element | Taste | Organ |
Earth | Sweet | Spleen and stomach |
Fire | Bitter | Heart and small intestine |
Water | Salty | Kidneys and urinary bladder |
Wood | Sour | Liver and gall bladder |
Metal | Pungent | Lung and large intestine |
Chinese herbal medicines are mainly plant-based and can be prepared as pastes, powders, tablets or lotions depending on the herb and its intended use. Prescribing a particular herb or mixture of herbs means the practitioner will take into account the state of your Yin and Yang and the elements that are governing the affected organs. However, herbs can be as powerful as pharmaceutical drugs, which is why it’s critical that your practitioner is fully qualified.
They may also advise you to make specific changes in your diet, such as avoiding alcohol and spicy foods, and may suggest a diet that contains foods that either “cool” or “heat” your body as part of the overall healing process.
Traditional Chinese Medicine aims to treat a range of conditions and health issues including pain, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), insomnia, arthritis, depression, stress and other gynaecological and gastrointestinal disorders.
To become a member with ANTA, Chinese medicine practitioners meet strict criteria, including having full accreditation and qualifications as recognised by the state and federal governments. To choose a highly-skilled Chinese medicine practitioner, and the best Chinese medicine in Brisbane, go to our search directory at the top of this page.
If you would like to access a Chinese medicine practitioner yourself, there are a number of things you should consider, including:
Malpractice insurance and national accreditation that is formally recognised is essential for Chinese medicine practitioners in Australia.
Since 2012, all Australian practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine — which includes those performing acupuncture and prescribing and dispensing Chinese herbal medicines — must be registered under the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Agency via the Chinese Medicine Registration Board.
Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine are regulated in Australia by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
A Chinese medicine practitioner must be trained in the latest practices and techniques to provide safe and effective treatment.
All herbal ingredients used by practitioners should be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in consultation with the Endangered Species Certification Scheme. This ensures no endangered animal products are used, and herbs are obtained from suppliers that are quality controlled, regularly “batch tested” and monitored for heavy metals and pesticide residues.
Chinese herbal medicines are generally considered safe, but as with all treatments, they can occasionally be associated with adverse reactions. You should let your practitioner know if you are taking any medications or supplements, and are pregnant or trying for a baby.
Chinese medicine takes a holistic approach to health rather than focusing on individual symptoms. In your initial consultation, your practitioner will thoroughly assess you and make a diagnosis based on traditional principles.
This will involve talking about you and your family’s medical history, your diet, exercise regime, lifestyle, sleeping patterns, digestive state, emotional health and any medications or supplements you are taking. They will ask about your general health and the issues you are trying to resolve. They may also examine your pulse and tongue, in addition to palpating your abdomen or areas that are causing you issues.
They will then make a diagnosis and design an individualised treatment plan — which typically involves the prescribing and dispensing of herbal formulas. They will prioritise immediate concerns and offer long-term solutions, and their focus should be on helping you to feel better as soon as possible.
Other therapies may involve:
You may also be given lifestyle and/or dietary advice, therapeutic or corrective exercises, breathing practices and/or meditation techniques.