What is Herbal Medicine?

Chinese herbal medicine is an ancient, sophisticated, and powerful method of healing. Chinese herbs can be used to rid the body of disease, nourish and strengthen the body, improve blood flow, balance hormones and improve organ function, and build up the immune system. Western pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, are effective in controlling symptoms but do not alter the disease process. For example: antibiotics kill bacteria but do not improve a person's resistance to infection; diuretics drain excess fluid from the body but do not improve the kidney function. Hypertensive medications control blood pressure, but do not get at the root of the problem. Cortisone injections can help pain in a joint for a month or two, but do not correct the underlying problem in the tissues. While Western medications are undeniably the drugs of choice for many acute problems such as serious infections and potentially fatal diseases, Chinese medicines can make lasting changes in the body, and alter the course of many chronic problems.

How are the herbs administered?

Chinese herbs were traditionally given as very strong teas. However, times have changed. Now herbal formulas are compounded in our office using concentrated herbal extract powders. This form of dispensing herbal formulas means that we can control the formula to give you the right mix of individual herbs and basic formulas for your condition. Patients come home with a single bottle of powder rather than bottles of pills or bags of raw herbs. These dissolve easily and are much more convenient.

Do herbs have side effects?

Chinese herbs very seldom have unwanted side effects, however, they often have positive ones. For example: a patient who came in for treatment of low back pain and received acupuncture and herbs came back after two weeks and reported that her chronic asthma had "miraculously" disappeared. The reason for this is that according to her diagnosis the cause of the back pain was that her Kidney Qi (energy) was deficient. This was also the cause of the patient's asthma. When the Kidneys were strengthened the asthma naturally went away.

Like western medications, Chinese herbs can dispel pathogens from the body and relieve symptoms. However, they also nourish and regulate the Qi, blood, body fluids and the internal organs to alleviate the root cause of the disease.

Many of our patients take medications prescribed by their physicians.It is the job of the acupuncturist to make certain that any herbs prescribed are not in conflict with or exaggerate the effects of these medications.