Chinese herbal medicine has developed over the last 3000 years into a unique and highly sophisticated system for understanding health and disease. Chinese herbal medicine is especially good for promoting the body's ablility to heal and return to a state of balance. It treats acute disease, like flu and cold, as well as chronic diseases such as allergies, hormonal disorders, emotional imbalances, auto-immune and degernerative diseases. Chinese herbal medicine is increasingly being used to mitigate the effects of chemo- and radiation therapy in cancer treatments.

What's the difference between Western herbalist and Chinese herbal medicine?
Western herbalist primarily treats diseases or symptoms, such as headaches, runny nose, constipation, PMS, etc. Chinese herbal medicine is based on an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. Your customized herbal prescription is designed to treat your symptom or disease as well as your individual pattern. The pattern is made up of your signs, symptoms, emotional temperament, and bodily constitution.

Are there any other differences?
Single herbs or groups of herbs, such as you'll find in Western herbalist, are less powerful than taking a carefully designed Chinese herbal formula including from 6-18 herbs working synergistically to address your main symptoms as well as your constitution.

Are all herbs vegetable in origin?
Most Chinese herbs are from vegetable sources: leaves, flowers, seeds, twigs, stems, roots, tubers, rhizomes, and barks. Chinese herbal practitioners, however, use ingredients from vegetable, animal, and mineral kingdoms.

Where do the herbs come from?
Herbs from all over the world appear in the Chinese materia medica. All of the herbs that we use in our office are grown and manufactured in the United States. What makes these herbs Chinese is that they are prescribed according to Chinese medical theory.

Does Chinese herbal medicine have side effects?
The body more readily recognizes herbs as food, and therefore assimilates their healing substances smoothly. If you experience any discomfort while taking Chinese herbs, call your practitioner who will then modify your formula accordingly. Most of the medicinal in the Chinese materia medica have very low toxicity compared to most common, over-the-counter Western drugs. When prescribed according to a correct pattern diagnosis, there should be no side effects, only beneficial healing results. The incidences of allergic reactions to Chinese herbal formulas are very rare, even among the most sensitive.

What can I expect in a diagnostic session?
Your practitioner will read your pulses, look at your tongue, and ask you questions in order to understand and diagnose. Then she will devise a strategy and an appropriate herbal formula for you to begin your treatment.

What about follow-up?
Your practitioner wants to know how the herbal medicine is affecting you. Physical or emotional changes can occur as soon as 3-5 days after beginning therapy. Whether desired results or not, these changes help your practitioner to know how to ad just the formula or what to do next. Please give periodic reports about what you notice. It may help for you to keep a log. As your condition begins to stabilize, a monthly report will be adequate.

What about the costs of herbal therapy?
Over-all, herbal therapy costs a fraction of conventional drug therapy. Initially, you will pay the diagnostic office visit fee plus, if a customized herbal formula will be ordered, a deposit toward the cost of this order. At some stages of treatment, many communications can be handled by phone or mail, thus reducing office visit fees.

What if I am taking prescription drugs?
Please tell your practitioner which drugs you are taking, since this may be a consideration in the design of your herbal formula. It is important that you continue taking any drugs that your physician has prescribed.

What about Chinese herbs and pregnancy?
The trained herbal practitioner knows which herbs and herbal combinations are contraindicated during pregnancy. Chinese herbal medicine has been used for over 2,000 years to treat nearly any symptom occurring during pregnancy without harm to the fetus or the mother. Chinese herbal regimens are also safe and effective for resolving many types of infertility and hormonal imbalance. Lactating mothers can take Chinese herbal formulas safely when prescribed by a trained herbalist.

How long does it take to see results with Chinese herbal medicine?
In chronic conditions, results may often be seen within two weeks. Long-term, chronic conditions may require a longer time; nonetheless signs that the medicine is working should be evident within a few days. Acute conditions may be expected to improve more quickly.

Should I get acupuncture along with Chinese herbs?
In some cases, the combination of both will expedite healing. There are many possible combinations and approaches. You can decide in consultation with your practitioner.

Why is professional training in Chinese herbal medicine important?
Chinese herbs are strong medicine, thus it is necessary that you look to a professionally trained, knowledgeable practitioner. It is potentially risky if not a waste of your money and time, to experiment with Chinese herbal formulas off-the-shelf or on the recommendation of a person who is untrained or inexperienced in the intricate craft of Chinese herbal medicine. You will save time, money, and ultimately receive greater benefit by consulting a practitioner with the appropriate training.

The above statements are not meant as any form of medical advice. They merely serve as informative and educational purposes. If you have a medical problem please consult a qualified medical physician