About the practice
Care rooted in tradition
Dr. Justin Keane is a registered Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbal Medicine practitioner with a Masters from RMIT. Every treatment is designed around your individual presentation — blending classical diagnostic methods with a thorough understanding of contemporary health.
History
A medicine thousands of years in the making
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) originated thousands of years ago — not much younger than Chinese civilisation itself. The early Chinese appreciated that life was best understood from a healthy perspective, and the philosophy of preventative medicine can be found throughout Chinese culture, arts, cuisine and recreational activities.
Shen Nong is accredited with being the mythical forefather of TCM — the first herbalist and god of husbandry. Huang Ti, the Yellow Emperor, pioneered Chinese Medical science. Their recorded discourse became the Huang Ti Nei Jing, or Yellow Emperor’s Classic, documented at approximately 300BC. Records of remedies date back to 1700BC, with complete herbal formulas from 400BC.
The practice of needle acupuncture in TCM alone is conservatively estimated as being at least 2500 years old.
Benefits
Treating the person, not just the symptom
TCM treats the person — it creates order, stresses positive energy, and treats the root of disease. Unlike Western Medicine which addresses symptoms, Chinese medicine refers to energy deficiency or stagnation, Yin and Yang deficiency or excess. The west fights the invader; the east strengthens the warrior.
When a number of people with similar symptoms see a Chinese medicine practitioner, they will likely receive totally different treatments. This is because Chinese medicine treats the person, not the disease.
The aim of TCM is to restore and maintain the natural order of your energy. Pain is your body telling you where it is having difficulty. The practitioner’s role is to listen and assist in correcting the disorder — when this happens, your body heals itself.
TCM is causal. We treat the root of disease and symptoms disappear. Frequently other seemingly unrelated problems resolve also, as the recovery of balance applies to the entire self.
Principles
Yin, Yang, and the nature of balance
The Yin Yang symbol represents the fundamental duality of the universe — two aspects, both necessary for the other to exist, complementary and contradictory. This theory defines the parameters within which all observations are gathered. It dictates that we cannot know a part without understanding the whole.
Around 500BC, Lao Tse wrote the Tao Te Jing — 5000 characters on bamboo, now a world classic. He wrote that human potential is not limited by nature, and that wisdom is the ability to see the greatest potential in nature and flow with it.
The Theory of the Five Phases gave an even deeper understanding of the nature of things — a system by which phenomena undergoing change may be understood in relation to their correspondences and patterns. Each phase represents a transitional state, easiest understood in relation to the seasons.
These principles, applied through tongue and pulse diagnosis, general observation and detailed questioning, allow the physician to influence the fundamental substances — Chi, Blood, Essence, Spirit and Body Fluids — to restore harmony and balance.
Ready to begin?
Book a consultation
All treatments begin with a full Chinese medicine assessment. Dr. Keane will determine the most appropriate approach for your individual presentation.
Mon, Wed & Fri · 9am–7pm · (03) 9729 9333