Member of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (MATCM)
Registered Practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine
BSc (Hons) TCM, Bachelor of Medicine (Beijing)
Loose herbs – the plant root, leaf, fruit or stalk which is decocted (boiled) to extract the pharmacologically active ingredients.
Powders – a dried, powdered preparation of the decoctions which is taken as a draught with boiling water.
Pills – the easiest method of taking the herbs is in pilule form. Your practitioner will advise you of the dose and frequency for taking the herbs.
How will my herbal prescription be constructed?
Following a comprehensive consultation, your practitioner will take into consideration your overall symptoms as well as patterns of sleep, diet, emotions, digestive function and other relevant factors. Other factors such as gender, age, general health and family history are taken into account.
Using this information, and the guidelines set down in classical texts, your practitioner will prescribe a basic formula and then adjust the mixture according to your individual needs, by altering the herbs slightly or adjusting the dosage.
A prescription will usually contain between 5 to 15 different herbs, and should be taken as prescribed by your practitioner for best effectiveness.
Are there any side effects?
As a general rule there are no specific side effects unless specifically informed by your practitioner. Occasionally you may notice tiredness, loose stool or diarrhoea while the body adjusts to the medicine.
© 2007 L.E.Hughes and J.K.Harper
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine is considered to be the best treatment for many conditions. We offer a bespoke prescription service, and herbs are prescribed accordingly to your individual complaint.
Only the best quality, GMT approved herbs are used in our formulas and no animal products or endangered species are used in our clinics.
Following your consultation you may be prescribed herbal medicine in various forms: