Herbal Medicine
Services: Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine is the most common form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
With over two and a half thousand years of continued use, research and development, Chinese Herbal Medicine treats an extremely broad range of conditions: chronic conditions such as digestive, respiratory illnesses, diabetes, stress or insomnia as well as acute conditions such as hives, colds, flus and acute pain. Herbal Medicine is most often used in conjunction with acupuncture treatments. Chinese herbal medicine can be used to treat a variety of symptoms at once since they are combined with the patient's particular concerns and patterns in mind.
Chrysanthemum flowers are used in traditional Chinese medicine to clear heat from the eyes, they also treats headaches, dizziness and hypertension.
Are Chinese herbs safe?
When taken under the supervision of a trained practitioner, Chinese herbal medicine has a great record of being safe and have few if any side-effects. Please remember that taking Chinese herbal medicine is not the same as vitamins or supplements, they should not be taken unless under the supervision of an herbalist. If you are prescribed an herbal formula it is not meant to be taken continually. Chinese herbal medicine is used to correct an imbalance and then to be discontinued or adjusted.
What to expect in a treatment
Your practitioner will take a thorough history of your condition and ask very detailed questions about your past medical history. Some of these questions may seem unrelated to your main complaint, but Chinese herbal medicine focuses on how all of your body systems connect to each other and how they may be involved in your condition. Your practitioner will describe the imbalance that is leading to your symptoms and will suggest a treatment plan. An herbal formulas will be chosen to respond to your unique set of symptoms and treatment goals. We may not have your specific formula in stock, in which case it will need to be ordered, so it can take a few days to receive your prescription.
Over the course of your treatment plan your formula may change to accommodate your improving and changing condition. Some acute conditions only need one course of herbs but for chronic, harder to treat conditions you will need to commit to taking Chinese herbal formulas for a couple of months. When a patient is taking herbs we like to see them every one to two weeks, since we change the formula according to how they are progressing. We might prescribe one formula to treat acute symptoms and once those are resolved move on to another formula that will address the patient's underlying condition. Most formulas are not meant to be taken for long periods of time and can create dryness, dampness or excess heat if used incorrectly.
Magnolia flowers are used in traditional Chinese medicine in formulas that treat nasal congestion, sinusitis, rhinitis and sneezing. Herbs are always used as a group (rather than taken as single herbs).
A combination of acu and herbs really helped with my period cramps. I had been suffering since I was a teenager and it is so nice not to deal with the pain every month.
Josephine J.
Herbal Philosophy
TCM centers around the balance within the body, most particularly with the five organs that make up the zang — heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys. While we refer to the organ by the anatomical name given to it in Western medicine, in TCM the definition is not as rigid, instead referring more to the body’s functions. Of course, the use of herbs is not strictly a Chinese practice.The World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of people worldwide rely on herbal medicine as part of their personal health care regimen. As with acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine seeks to find the underlying cause (or imbalance) that is at the root of any physical issue. If the problem is digestive, for example, the treatment will be geared towards restoring balance in the spleen.
Chinese herbs can be consumed in different forms. Traditionally herbs are cooked into soups or teas which, while effective, is time consuming and expensive. Herbal medicine is also available in a powder or granule form, which some patients find difficult to consume. In our clinic we general prescribe Chinese herbs in pill or tablet form as they are easier to stock, consume and are less expensive.
In my practice I treat a lot of fertility patients. Chinese Herbs are particularly good at regulating a woman’s menstrual cycle and they can also be used as preventative medicine or to treat an acute or chronic illness. Stress can be a contributing factor in skin conditions, insomnia and digestive complaints. I often combine herbal formulas with dietary and lifestyle advice.
Dr. Bob's medicated sports oil is a favorite at our clinic. This is an all natural oil that contains herbs that warm the channels and move qi and blood. When applied it is immediately soothing to sports injuries.