Chinese Herbal Medicine FAQ
Q. | What is Chinese Herbal Medicine? |
A. | Chinese Herbal Medicine is a very powerful form of Medicine that has evolved over thousands of years. It uses many hundreds of different herbs described in the Chinese pharmacopeia to combine them into carefully designed prescriptions to suit an individuals immediate requirements. |
Q. | What happens during a consultation? |
A. | First appointments will be scheduled slightly longer than subsequent visits to allow the practitioner to take a full medical history. This is followed by careful questioning regarding your condition, Chinese tongue and pulse diagnosis, a physical examination where required and a discussion on prognosis and the most appropriate course of treatment. After this the practitioner will compose a prescription reflecting your condition. This prescription can be altered on every visit so as to reflect any changes/improvement in your condition until it is fully resolved. |
Q. | What conditions can herbal medicine treat? |
A. | Chinese herbs can be used to treat the widest range of conditions from skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema and acne, to hormonal issues such as PMS, fertility and menopause through to digestive and respiratory problems and allergic and autoimmune diseases. Many conditions, especially in their chronic forms, present great difficulty for conventional medicine whereas CHM can produce remarkable results. For a fuller list of conditions that may be helped, please look at one of the special clinics or follow this link www.avicenna.co.uk/therapies/chinese-herbal-medicine/ |
Q. | Are the decocted herb sachets ready to use as they are? |
A. | Yes, they are ready to use, one sachet is one portion of medicine (A normal full dose is two doses per day). |
Q. | How should decocted herbs in sachets be stored? |
A. | It is important they are stored correctly, preferably in a cool dark place. They can be stored in the fridge but this is not necessary. Avoid direct sunlight or direct exposure to heat. Stored under the correct conditions, decocted herbs have a shelf life of up to 70 days from the date of production. Herbs are prescribed for the individual patient only and should be safely kept out of reach of children. |
Q. | How do I prepare my dry herbs? |
A. | Please follow the enclosed instructions carefully to get the best results. |
Q. | Can Chinese herbal formula (dry or in sachets) be kept and used at a later date? |
A. | Because a formula of Chinese herbs is prescribed individually and for a specific condition at a particular time, it is not appropriate to keep them and consume them at a later date. If in doubt please contact the clinic to get advise from your Practitioner for further advice. |
Q. | Can decocted herbs in sachets be frozen and defrosted? |
A. | Yes, but they may only be frozen once and as soon as they are dispensed. Once defrosted they must be used within 24 hours. |
Q. | Can they be heated in the microwave? |
A. | No. If preferred the contents may be warmed gently by placing the sachet in warm water for 30-60 seconds before opening. |
Q. | How long do the herbs last? Do they have a shelf life? |
A. | Stored under the correct conditions, decocted herbs have a shelf life of up to 70 days from the date of production. |
Q. | What do I do if a sachet becomes damaged in transit or becomes hard or expands – can I still use it? |
A. | No. Herbal sachets that leak, or that have expanded and gone hard should be discarded and NOT be used. |
Q. | What is the best time of day to take them? |
A. | Please consult the instructions on the sachet unless otherwise informed by your practitioner. The usual dose is to drink one sachet before your morning meal and one sachet before your evening meal. Your Practitioner may suggest a different regime. |
Q. | Should herbs be taken before or after food? |
A. | Please follow the instructions on each herbal sachet, unless instructed otherwise by your Practitioner: Drink one sachet before your morning meal and one sachet before your evening meal. |
Q. | What do the herbs taste like? |
A. | Because each herbal prescription is unique to the individual and their condition, the ingredients and therefore the taste of each prescription will vary. Generally, Chinese herbs can taste a little strange at first to our Western palates, but despite initial impressions most people get used to the taste and have no problem drinking them fairly quickly. |
Q. | Can I mix the herbs with something e.g. honey, juice etc to make them more palatable? |
A. | Yes - but it is best to try and get used to the taste – most people do so quite quickly. Liquorice is often used to sweeten a prescription and disguise the taste. |
Q. | Can I have an allergic reaction to herbs? |
A. | Anything that comes into contact with our bodies or that we eat or drink can potentially cause an allergic reaction. Thus all medicines can cause an allergic reaction, although adverse reactions are extremely rare with Chinese Herbs. If in doubt, stop taking the herbs and contact your Practitioner immediately. |
Q. | Is it normal to feel worse before I feel better? |
A. | This shouldn’t happen, though occasionally, your condition may change slightly before settling down. If in doubt, please call the clinic. |
Q. | What do I do if the herbs make me feel significantly worse? |
A. | Stop drinking the herbs for the time being and call the clinic for advice. |
Q. | Should I continue taking the herbs if I am feeling better? |
A. | After consultation with your practitioner take all the herbs until the course is finished. |
Q. | Can I keep taking the herbs when I get a cold or get ill? |
A. | If it’s a simple common cold or head cold, then it should be fine for you to continue. If you develop a fever with your illness, flu like symptoms or digestive problem, it is best to discontinue the herbs until you feel you have recovered. |
Q. | Can someone else with the same illness use my herbs? |
A. | Herbal medicines can be very powerful and should only be taken on prescription by the person they’ve been prescribed for. |
Q. | How long do I have to take them for? |
A. | This depends very much upon the severity of the condition being treated and whether it is chronic or acute. Your Practitioner will give you an opinion based on their past experience during consultation. |
Q. | What if I forget to take my herbs or have a break – do I continue to take them as normal? |
A. | Try not to forget! It is beneficial to build up a continuity with the treatment for it to take full effect. If you do forget, then start again as soon as you can and continue as before. Although it is better to take the herbs prescribed per day in two lots more or less 12 hours apart, if you forget a dose, you may take 2 doses together to catch up, but revert to taking them twice a day after that. |
Q. | Are there any foods or drinks I should avoid when taking Chinese herbs? |
A. | Depending on the condition being treated, it is best to avoid excessively spicy, rich or greasy foods. In short - moderation in all things is the best way. |
Q. | Can I drink alcohol while taking herbs? |
A. | In moderation – as with everything! It is best to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum of a couple of glasses 2 or 3 times a week. With certain conditions however, alcohol is not recommended and your Practitioner will advise you during your consultation. |
Q. | Are there any medications contraindicated with Chinese herbs? |
A. | Yes. It is important that you always tell your Practitioner about all medication you are taking and notify them if anything changes while you are undergoing treatment. Your Practitioner will then be able to advise you and can adjust the herbal prescription accordingly. |
| Q. | Can I still take vitamin / mineral supplements? |
| A. | As a rule, yes. Consult your Practitioner if in doubt. |
Q. | Can I take herbs if I have had, or have to have, travel injections such as yellow fever etc? |
A. | As a rule, yes. If in doubt, please contact your Practitioner. |
Q. | Can I take them abroad with me? |
A. | Yes. To avoid potential delays going through Customs, we recommend taking a letter with you from the clinic with details of your herbal medication. Please contact the clinic for more information before you travel. |
Q. | Which conditions are herbs most suitable for? |
A. | Chinese Herbal Medicine can have a beneficial effect on many different acute and chronic conditions. Please browse the website for more information or call the clinic for advice. |
Q. | Is it safe to take herbs if I am pregnant or become pregnant? |
A. | If you are planning pregnancy or trying to get pregnant, be sure to tell your Practitioner, so they can tailor your prescription accordingly. As a general rule however, Chinese herbs are excellent for increasing fertility and assisting a healthy pregnancy. |
Q. | Can anyone take Chinese herbs? |
A. | Yes. Chinese Herbs are very effective for treating wide range of conditions in patients of all ages when properly prescribed they can be taken by all ages including babies, children, pregnant women and the elderly. |
Q. | Are they safe for children and babies? |
A. | They are safe for all patients including babies and children. We often treat children only a few months old with good results. |
Q. | Are Chinese herbs safe to take? |
A. | Yes they are safe, although there are always risks to taking any medication, adverse reactions to Chinese herbs are extremely rare and in comparison to Western pharmaceuticals, they have remarkably few side effects. To minimise further any risk, it is and has been the policy at Avicenna to do regular liver function tests on all patients undergoing treatment with herbs. |
Q. | How would you know in time if someone reacted badly to herbs? |
A. | Even though adverse reactions are rare for patients on herbal medicines (the majority of the problems highlighted in the press were due to adulterated medicines of uncertain origin or herbal pills containing illegal herbal ingredients) we have many years ago adopted a policy of monitoring all our patients with regular liver function tests. |
Q. | I am concerned about the use of endangered species in Chinese herbal medicines. |
A. | We are a RCHM approved supplier and adhere to a strict code of practice and our carefully sourced dispensary stock consists of over 450 herbs from government-approved suppliers in China. We source the highest quality herbs available, and do not stock endangered or prohibited species. |
Q. | Can I buy just herbs or herbal products from you without a consultation? |
A. | No. At Avicenna, herbal medicine is only dispensed on prescription after a consultation with a fully qualified and registered Practitioner. We monitor all our patients and all prescriptions are tailored specifically to the individual and their present condition. We do not sell individual herbal ingredients or formulas over the counter. |
Q. | What about the plastic sachets the herbs come in – are they safe? |
A. | The sachets are food grade packaging and of approved standard. No seepage of the plastic occurs into the medicine as they are heat resistant to 140 C. |
Q. | How much do herbs cost? |
A. | Again it depends on your prescription and your condition – very roughly for adults dried herbs cost around £35-40 per week and decocted herbs around £50 per week. |
Q. | Are there specific herbs for particular conditions? |
A. | Yes and no. Whilst certain herbs will be indicated for say eczema, each individual case of eczema is treated slightly differently depending on the patient’s unique signs and symptoms. This means that each herbal prescription is a carefully balanced recipe specifically tailored to that person’s entire health condition. |
Q. | How do I choose a practitioner? |
A. | It is important to always consult a fully qualified and registered practitioner. |
