About Chinese herbal medicine
"As in acupuncture, there is an art to the creation of a balanced (and elegant) herbal formula which matches the patient’s disharmonies, and this is one of the pleasures of practice."
What is Chinese herbal medicine?
Chinese herbal medicine, which goes back 3,000 years, is one of the great herbal systems in world medicine. It has continually developed to respond to changing clinical conditions and more recently has been sustained and enhanced by research into every aspect of how it is used. For centuries Chinese herbal medicine has had a great influence on the theory and practice of medicine in the East and it still forms a major part of healthcare in China where it is provided in state hospitals alongside Western medicine. More recently it has grown in popularity in the West.
Practising Chinese herbal medicine
Like acupuncture, herbal medicine treats disease conditions by focusing on the individual. The art of the herbalist is to produce an individual formula, often derived from classical formulae and tailored to the patient’s individual needs. As in acupuncture there is an art to the creation of a balanced (and elegant) formulae which matches the patient’s disharmonies, and this is one of the pleasures of practice.
What can herbs do?
Herbal formulae can clear pathogenic factors, nourish deficiencies, move stagnation, harmonise the qi and calm the shen. They are extremely valuable in the treatment of acute conditions, and equally valuable for the chronic and complex conditions we see so much of in the West. For acupuncturists, the addition of herbal treatment to nourish Blood and Yin, to clear Phlegm and Damp, to move Blood Stasis or stop bleeding can be enormously helpful. There is a great deal of evidence available for Chinese herbal medicine, including case histories and clinical outcome studies undertaken in China and elsewhere in the Far East. Examples of recent research in the West include studies of the treatment of endometriosis, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and infertility.
What about the use of endangered species?
The RCHM co-operates closely with the public and regulatory agencies and provides its members with detailed information on endangered species to prevent any use of endangered species in the UK. The vast array of substances in the Chinese ‘materia medica’ means that substitutes are always available.
Haven’t there been adverse effects from Chinese herbal medicines?
Most Chinese herbal medicines are extremely safe and have a balanced effect. However, a small number of herbs are powerful and have to be used carefully by fully trained practitioners. Potential problems can be avoided by using RCHM approved suppliers and keeping up to date with current advice from the RCHM. Educating practitioners in safe practice is a key feature of our course.
Will my patients take the herbs?
Most patients soon adapt to taking herbs as part of their treatment. Many of them say that the more their condition improves, the better the herbs taste!
Is it true that regulations made it difficult for herbalists to practise?
EU legislation, which continues to apply unless the government changes it, made it impossible to prescribe pre-prepared (i.e. manufactured) herbal medicines unless these were licensed for use within the EU (there are exceptions for some herbal remedies – mostly in the western herbal medicine tradition – that have been in long-established use over many years). However, a range of pre-prepared ('patent') formulas are now available from some herbal suppliers as food supplements. Qualified herbalists would, in any case, naturally prefer to prescribe individually tailored prescriptions and there is no impediment to herbalists formulating their own prescriptions from single herbs, or powders.
