Second only to diet therapy, one of the most widely used treatment modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the use of herbs for treating illness, preventing disease and optimizing health. Usually, two or more herbs are used to create a balanced formula that is specific to each individual person reflecting the holistic nature of their use.
These formulas are prepared in different ways, again being individualized to the person and their issues and include:
Chinese Patent Formulas – pre-made pill herbal formulations and the most often used form.
Syrups – preparations to sooth sore throats and coughs and the easiest to give to children.
Externally applied – liniments, salves, compresses and plasters,
Chinese herbal decoctions – a traditional way of preparing a “tea’ with very strong and unappealing taste that involves a lot of effort and time to prepare. These are not used as much in the west due to those factors.
Herbal powders – mixed with hot water to make a tea more widely accepted than decoctions
Chinese herbs are usually administered along with acupuncture to achieve the most optimum results.