Chinese Herbs and Individualized Treatment

It is widely believed that the practice of Chinese herbology is the oldest form of medicine in the world.  The oldest known texts on Chinese herbal medicine date back to 1200 BC.  There are over 1800 herbs in the Chinese herbal pharmacopeia each understood in depth for its temperature, taste,  affinity for different acupuncture meridians in the body , usage,  dosage, and toxicity.   The most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formulas have been used repeatedly by generations of practitioners for thousands of years,  each generation of herbalists  building their knowledge on the shoulders of previous generations of doctors.

An  effective herbal formula depends on a skilled practitioner who can correctly diagnose a patient's  condition using the Chinese medical system, and choosing  the  correct formula for the patient's pattern.  The practitioner will then commonly  modify the formula  for  what the patient needs, and then  monitor the patients reaction to the formula and adjust the herbs and dosage as the condition changes.

A skilled  practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine spends their lifetime  developing their skill and knowledge in the usage and application of Chinese herbs and formulas.   The application of Chinese herbal medicine is based on the same medical theory as acupuncture — the in-depth diagnostic process that brings the practitioner to a very specific understanding of a patient. Once a diagnosis is reached, the herbalist creates a formula, typically choosing a combination of herbs, much like an acupuncturist chooses acupuncture points. Herbal medicine may be used alone or as an adjunct to acupuncture treatment.