CHINESE HERBOLOGY by Sarah West, L. Ac.

Chinese herbology is probably the most sophisticated system of herbal medicine in the world. Many of the herbs undergo very specific and often complicated processing before they are ready for use. Although some herbs are simply cut and dried, others are soaked in wine, or in decoctions of other herbal teas, and dried and cut according to specific requirements. Chinese herbal formulas are pharmaceutically active preparations which are backed up by thousands of years of experience as well as modern research. Although these medicines are not toxic, they should be prescribed by an experienced practitioner, as they have the potential of creating further imbalances when not used correctly. In western herbology, it is common to think of a plant as simply, “good for the liver”, or “used for allergies”. Chinese herbal medicine is much more specific. An herb may be known to have an effect on the liver, but it is categorized as having a very specific effect. Perhaps it will be tonifying or cooling or “subdue liver yang” or “strengthen liver blood” or “move liver Qi”. It is very important to know exactly what kind of therapeutic effect you are seeking, because tonifying the liver in a case where you really should be “clearing liver fire” can have detrimental effects.

It is common that several people might come in with the same western disease label, and yet each patient may need a very different herbal prescription. There are a handful of formulas that are quite safe for anyone to use for common illnesses, but otherwise it is best to get a clear diagnosis before using Chinese herbs.

Chinese herbal medicines are oriented toward the treatment of internal disorders, although there are also formulas designed to address chronic pain and arthritis. However, even in the treatment of pain, we must take into account the “internal terrain” of the patient in order to get a significant therapeutic effect. In traditional Chinese medicine, pain is always due to “stagnation”, but there are many possible causes of stagnation. These include deficiency of blood or energy, stress, or excessive internal dampness, heat, or cold. All this must be taken into consideration, along with other factors.

In addition, there is a branch of herbology which specifically addresses the promotion of increased vitality and longevity. This is an exciting branch of Chinese medicine, although we usually need to balance organ pathologies before using strong herbs for tonification. There are some herbal prescriptions which strengthen the “essence”, and can be used for symptoms of aging, forgetfulness, loss of memory, sexual stamina, etc. Such herbs are a useful replacement or adjunct for HRT in many cases. Although they are certainly not as powerful as taking supplemental estrogens or testosterone, they are free of side effects (when the diagnosis is done responsibly). Of course Chinese herbs cannot adequately replace western pharmaceuticals in many cases. But there are many disorders for which herbs work better, or can be used simultaneously with great success. Herbs can also be used to modulate the side effects of pharmaceuticals, although there are some herb and drug reactions that must be taken into consideration.

With all the changes facing us in the healthcare system, I do believe it won’t be long before the integration of Chinese medicine and other alternative modalities with western medicine will be common practice.