Consultation Session

Consultation Session

Your first visit to Dr Li's TCM Clinic will usually include a consultation similar to that of visiting your GP. Our practitioners will usually take you to a private consultation room, where you can discuss your health concerns and the reason for your visit.

We will also ask you a series of questions in relation to your health. It is important for your practitioner to gain a clear and thorough picture of your past and present health, perhaps including some family history.

...and make a diagnosis

Special diagnostic techniques will be used by your practitioner to determine your current state of health. We use a specialised method of observation including checking your pulse and looking at your tongue.

Through this process, your practitioner can determine a Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis and what combination of treatment you require.

You may need to allow some extra time on your first visit to cover these discussions. After your consultation, you will generally move to a treatment room to commence treatment. Depending on your condition and your practitioner's recommendations, your treatment may last between half to one hour.

After diagnosis, we provide Treatment Advice:

Your practitioner may advise a course of several treatments, depending on the severity of your condition. If you have an acute condition such as a new sports injury, you may only need one treatment, but if you have had chronic back pain for several years, it may be necessary and advisable for you to have a series of treatments to fix your condition.

Often, you may be advised to take a course of Chinese Herbal Medicine in conjunction with your treatment sessions.  Physical treatment addresses your condition externally, while Herbal Medicine works from the inside out.

Combining Treatment Types...

Traditional Chinese Medicine includes individual modalities or techniques like acupuncture, moxabustion, Tui Na (massage), cupping, gua sha, herbal remedies, animal extract remedies, exercise and diet.

Combining different types of modalities increases the effectiveness dramatically over stand alone treatments as TCM modalities work best in synergy. The duration of treatment may also reduce.

...with Chinese Herbal Medicine

Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine comes in many forms such as raw herbs, powder, capsules or tablets. Raw herbs are highly effective because your practitioner can combine a variety of herbs specific to your condition. Raw herbs require special preparation, similar to making tea or soup. 

Many herbs are now available in convenient tablet form so there is no need for you to prepare the herbs. If you are given herbs in this form, remember that only a certain amount of plant material can be concentrated into a small tablet.  This is why you may need to take more tablets than you would typically expect of Western Medicine.

Taking the herbal medicine
It is recommended that all Herbal Medicine be taken in accordance with your practitioner's instructions in relation to meals and should always be taken with a full cup of warm water (as opposed to hot or cold water). This promotes the proper absorption of the herbs increasing their effectiveness.

You should also avoid taking herbal medicine with any other beverage or consuming any other drink immediately afterwards.  This especially includes tea, coffee, soft drink etc.  Again, this will improve the effectiveness of your Herbal Medicine.

DISCLAIMER:  All information on this website is provided as general health information.   While we have exercised due care in ensuring the accuracy of the material contained on this website, the information on the site is made available on the basis that Dr. Li's TCM Clinic is not providing professional medical advice on a particular matter.  This website is not a substitute for independent and separate professional medical advice.  Nothing contained in this site is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any symptoms, diseases or conditions, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.  We do not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.

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