Patients are often unsure what "integrative medicine", "naturopathy", "functional medicine" and "Chinese medicine" mean, and how they relate to each other. That's understandable. The terms overlap a lot, practitioners use them inconsistently, and they're sometimes used more for marketing than to describe what a practitioner does. Here's a plain explanation of each term and how it shapes Reece's practice.
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a broad system of health care. It emphasises the body's ability to heal itself, treating causes as well as symptoms, and natural therapies. In Australia, naturopaths train in herbal medicine, nutritional medicine, homeopathy and lifestyle counselling, usually through a four-year degree. Naturopathy has a strong philosophical tradition (the "vitalist" tradition) and assesses the whole person.
Naturopathy draws on nutrition, herbal medicine and lifestyle advice. Naturopaths in Australia aren't part of the national registration scheme run by AHPRA.
Chinese medicine
Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, is a registered health profession in Australia. Practitioners must hold an approved qualification and stay registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia.
Chinese medicine has its own detailed theory, developed over two thousand years, for understanding health, disease and treatment. Within Chinese medicine there are several major traditions. Jingfang (the classical formula tradition) is a classical tradition that works directly from its source texts. See the separate article on Jingfang for more.
Functional medicine
Functional medicine isn't a separate profession. It's a clinical approach that can be used within several professions. It emphasises systems biology, looking for causes, detailed laboratory testing and personalised treatment. It's known for detailed patient assessment, an interest in how body systems interact (gut, immune system, thyroid and hormones), and a willingness to order and interpret much wider pathology than standard panels.
Functional medicine is practised by medical doctors, naturopaths, Chinese medicine practitioners and nurses, among others.
Integrative medicine
Integrative medicine is a way of thinking about care, not a specific therapy. Integrative care combines conventional medicine with natural and traditional therapies. It works alongside your GP and specialists, and doesn't replace the care they provide.
How Reece combines these frameworks
Reece completed a medical degree (MBBS (Hon), University of Sydney) and a Bachelor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He doesn't practise as a medical practitioner and doesn't provide GP services. In a consultation he explains your pathology results and medication list in plain words, then assesses you using Chinese medicine methods such as tongue and pulse diagnosis. He brings both views together in one written plan, and he works alongside your GP and specialists.
Have questions about your health? Reece offers a Comprehensive Initial Consultation of up to 3 hours, or a shorter acupuncture initial consultation of up to 90 minutes for straightforward musculoskeletal issues, face to face in Burleigh Heads.
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