What are Chinese Herbs and how are they used?
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are both tools in the Chinese medical toolkit. Every time you take your herbs, you are helping to shift the imbalance at the root of your symptoms. Herbs are an incredibly cost-effective way of supporting your health goals between treatments, as a month’s worth of herbs typically costs half as much as an acupuncture visit. Chinese herbs are available in both powdered form (custom blends) and in standardized formulas in pill form for ease of use.
Depending on your condition, Chinese herbs may play an important role in your treatment plan. While conditions like back pain or arthritis tend to respond best to acupuncture, internal problems with digestion, sleep, menopause, skin, immunity, and reproductive health tend to be best treated with a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Taking a personalized herb blend allows you to reinforce the same message that we send to your body during acupuncture about how to get back into balance. Because formulas are aimed at correcting the underlying imbalance in the body, a well–designed Chinese Herb formula can treat many different symptoms at once.
Chinese herb formulas have been used safely and effectively for over thousands of years, in synergistic combinations to address the underlying disharmony as well as the symptom.
Are Chinese Herbs safe?
Most Chinese herbs can be safely taken in conjunction with Western medication, and may even help to offset the negative side effects of prescription drugs. If you are taking medication, it is important to let your acupuncturist know so that negative drug-herb interactions may be avoided.
All the Chinese Herbs prescribed at this office have been lab tested for safety and purity, and to ensure that they contain no heavy metals, harmful bacteria, or other potentially harmful substances. All ready-made Chinese medicinals sold here meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and contain no pharmaceuticals. Brodie Welch, L.Ac. is a Nationally Certified Diplomat in both Chinese Herbology and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), the highest distinctions in the field.
Interested in making an appointment?
Call 541-757-4868 and we’ll get you set up with your initial series.