Chinese Herbal Medicine

 

Ancient Chinese herbal formulas are as effective now as they were when first introduced more than 3,000 years ago.

 

The Chinese herbal pharmacopeia is one of the most extensive in the world.

Average practitioners know about 300 individual herbs that can be combined into thousands of prescriptions. Most formulas consist of two to eighteen different types of herbs and treat a wide variety of symptoms while stimulating the body's natural healing process. The beauty and efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine is that I am able to look at a patient as a whole, monitor that patient closely and subtly adjust the formula when needed during a follow-up visit to match it to the changing condition of the patient.

 

Chinese herbal preparations are safe and effective when used in the hands of a well-trained practitioner (see Credentials). When used properly, side effects or discomfort are rare and there is no risk. The safety of herbs and the understanding of their effects is due to two factors: 1) thousands of years of documented clinical experience and 2) modern research. Each herb has a definite safety range, standard dosage according to the patient's weight, age, constitution, and digestive condition. Formulas have already been used and tested millions of times before being handed to the patient.

 

Chinese herbal medicine differs from western folk herbology in its holistic approach factoring in the person's environmental, mental, emotional, and physical symptoms to arrive at a pattern of disharmony that is matched to an herbal formula addressing this pattern all by itself. The disease name is merely a starting point in my diagnosis. It is, therefore, not so important to know the disease that a person has, but rather more important to know the person who has the disease.

 

I arrive at my diagnosis through the use of four basic examination tools: 1) Inquiring about the patient's signs, symptoms, medical history and course of the disease. 2) Visually inspecting the face and body with special attention to the tongue and its coating. 3) Listening to the patient's voice, the sound of the breathing and being aware of any odors emanating from the patient's body or excretions. 4) Finally, I will palpate various areas of the body and check the pulses at both wrists. All of this data will then be factored into the appropriate herbal prescription to correct the underlying imbalance that is causing you to have the symptoms that you are having.