What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Herbal medicine is a major component of traditional Oriental medicine, a comprehensive health care system used for over 3,000 years in China and throughout the world today. Chinese herbal medicine is actually composed of over 5,000 plant, mineral, and animal substances. The traditional method of preparing herbs is to cook the raw herbs in water to form a decoction or tea. Although the taste is sometimes bitter, most people find this acceptable given the health benefits. Also available are herbs in pill form for convenience although the potency may not be as strong as the tea.

Oriental medicine views the body as a dynamic, interrelated whole possessing a vital energy or life force called Qi (Chi). Health depends on the free flow of this energy and the interplay of the body, mind, and spirit. When disease occurs, specific herbs are chosen to rebalance the energy and allow the body to heal itself.

Herbs affect the Qi and promote healing in one or more systems of the body. Usually herbs are combined into formulas the address the main health problem and support the mind-body system. Anywhere from 2-12 herbs are chosen which have a synergistic relationship to treat the whole person.

Are Chinese Herbs Safe?

In the hands of a well trained herbal practitioner, Chinese herbs are effective and safe. Careful attention to dosage and combination of herbs, as well as any known drug-herb interactions, are covered in Watercourse Way's practitioners ' comprehensive Chinese Medicine educational programs.

Herbs have a balancing, regulating, and nourishing effect on the body and are usually more gentle than pharmaceutical drugs. Side effects from herbs are possible, but are usually minor. The most common problem is gastrointestinal upset due to slight difficulty digesting the herbal material. If this problem occurs discuss it with your practitioner so he/she may change the formula.

Herb-drug interactions are rare. However, in order to allow your health care providers to treat you effectively,please inform them of the herbal medicines and/or prescription medicines you are taking.

There are nearly 200 Chinese herbs that have been chosen by Watercourse Way and are of the highest quality available. They have been tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides. T he is no use unendangered plant or animal products in our clinic and all of our herbs are sulfur-free.

Conditions Treated by Chinese Herbs

Chinese herbal medicine is a comprehensive form of medicine that can effectively address a wide variety of conditions. It has a long clinical history of treating acute and chronic conditions. It excels in treating conditions that Western medicine has difficulty in treating as well as conditions that do not have a Western medical diagnosis. Chinese herbs may be used to treat infants, elderly patients, and pregnant women.

Below are some of the many conditions that may be addressed through Chinese herbal medicine:

• Respiratory Conditions
• Emotional Conditions
• Gastrointestinal Conditions
• Urogenital Conditions
• Gynecological Conditions
• Musculoskeletal and Neurological Conditions
• Circulatory Conditions
• Supportive Therapy

Pricing

An herbal consultation is $35, plus the cost of herbs.