Chinese Herbal Medicine is used to assist both acute and chronic conditions.

It is also used to enhance the immune system, which can result in improved mood and energy. All age groups can take Chinese herbs, from young babies to the elderly.

How is Chinese Herbal Medicine used by our practitioners?

The practitioner uses theories of traditional Chinese medicine to assess your symptoms.

You are then prescribed a course of herbal medicine, which is supplied at the clinic. This is usually in granulated powders which are mixed water to drink. Much like a course of traditional medicine you will probably start noticing improvements fairly quickly. Your treatment can be assessed and modified if necessary at your follow-up appointment.

Often Chinese herbal medicine is used in conjunction with acupuncture.

Chinese Herbal Medicine is a popular method of treatment, with nearly three million Australians visiting practitioners every year.

Chinese herbal medicine is part of a larger healing system called traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This also includes acupuncture, massage dietary advice and exercise.

The underlying principles of TCM are very different from traditional Western notions about health, illness and the workings of the body. Chinese herbs are prescribed to normalise imbalanced energy, or Qi (pronounced ‘chee’), that runs through invisible meridians in the body. Studies have shown Chinese herbal medicines to be successful in treating a range of disorders, particularly gynaecological and gastrointestinal disorders.. read more here.

Some History

Chinese Herbal medicine is a system of medicine which is at least 3000 years old. Doctors of this art understood the power of herbs to heal and to re-establish health and harmony in the body.

Chinese herbal medicine has been used through the ages including periods of epidemics and other illnesses. While Western medicine has its purpose, particularly addressing some very acute conditions, Chinese herbal medicine can play a vital role in health and healing once the acute phase is over.

The ancient wisdom of Chinese herbs is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago. Chronic illness, which seems to defy diagnosis at times by western medicine, can be benefited greatly by herbal medicine.

The system of Chinese herbal medicine used at the clinic is based in the “Shang Hun Lun” which can benefit most health conditions. Herbs are prescribed to restore energy balance to the opposing forces of energy – Yin and Yang – and also to eliminate pathogens in organs of the body.

Chinese medicine works on a very different level to the western medical system, so when we say “pathogens”, we are talking about a Chinese medicine term including damp, heat, cold and others. For example, a person may have heat in their stomach, and so cooling herbs, among others, will be prescribed.

It is a very specific system, and single herbs are selected and combined into a unique formula for each individual person, taking into account their symptoms, their constitution, and their Chinese medicine diagnosis. Herbs can act on the body as powerfully as pharmaceutical drugs and should be treated with the same caution and respect.