Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese Herbal Medicine is a major branch of Chinese Medicine, the others being acupuncture, Chinese Food Therapy, and Tui Na (massage). Chinese herbal medicine can treat the same conditions that acupuncture can treat – lameness, pain, musculoskeletal disease, skin disease – and it is often more effective than acupuncture for internal medicine problems including digestive issues, urinary tract infection, heart conditions and cancer. Chinese herbal Medicine is used alongside acupuncture and Chinese Food Therapy and also fits well when Western medications are being used for your pet.
Chinese Herbal Medicine has been used for over 4,000 years in China and other countries. The modern use of herbs is easier today than when the raw herbs needed to be boiled in a decoction, and taken by mouth 3 or 4 times a day. Herbs today are prepared with the benefits of modern technology and intensive quality control but the formulas are still based on ancient Chinese recipes.
In Chinese Herbal Medicine practice, herbs are used to correct imbalance underlying a disease pattern and to promote the body's ability to heal itself. Each herb has a different effect on the body and can fall under a number of classifications such as warming, cooling, sour, or bitter and can affect a variety of organs, including the liver, lungs, or heart. A patient needs to be assessed using Traditional Chinese Medicine methods, and modern diagnostic imaging can help guide the practitioner toward a specific herbal formula for the patient. The herbal formulas are made up of anywhere from 2 to over 15 different single herbs to treat a specific pattern of disease.
Chinese Herbal Medicine is increasing in popularity for a few reasons - it is an all-natural treatment option, it is safe to use when prescribed properly by a trained practitioner, it is effective when prescribed correctly. Clinical research and field experience has shown that Chinese Herbal Medicine is extremely effective intreating chronic veterinary medical issues in the fields of: gastroenterology, dermatology, cardiology, behaviour, endocrinology, and oncology. Chinese Herbal medicine can also be used to treat respiratory issues, urinary issues and sports injuries. Geriatric patients especially benefit from the gentle and safe way that herbs can help the body.