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Chinese Herbal Medicine
Also Known As:
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Summary:

Chinese Herbal Medicine is a part of Chinese Medicine (or TCM) incorporating other treatments such as Acupuncture, Tuina and Cupping. Chinese Herbal Medicine is based on the Chinese concept of Qi and Syndromes. According to this theory, everybody is born predisposed to suffer certain imbalances called syndromes. Lifestyle choices can exacerbate these or other syndromes, and if left untreated these syndromes will cause illness.

For over 4000 years, Chinese Herbs have been experimented with to create complex functional herbal formulae to reverse syndromes and restore balance and health. These herbal formulae are created from a base of hundreds of different herbs. The herbal prescription is tailored to the finest details of the individual according to a comprehensive Chinese medical diagnosis. In a modern scientific perspective these herbs have been found to contain powerful bioactive compounds. Indeed, there have been many pharmaceutical drugs created from researching Chinese herbs. From a Chinese Medical viewpoint, the knowledge of which herbs to prescribe is based on thousands of years of experiential analysis.

Description:

The first session will involve a complete consultation. The TCM doctor will perform a tongue and pulse diagnosis which simply involves looking at your tongue and feeling the characteristics of your pulse. This gives the doctor a very good idea of syndromes that you may be suffering from and helps to find the underlying imbalances causing the symptoms and conditions. The doctor will discuss your medical history and may ask seemingly unrelated questions in order to analyse the patterns of the condition.

After a full discussion, the doctor will write a herbal prescription. This can be in two forms. The first is granule form herbal extracts that the doctor will prepare for you. These should be dissolved in hot water and drunk. The second form is raw herbs for you to boil at home. This option is more effort and can cause minor inconveniences as you have to cook the herbs which will cause a herbal smell. The herbs will usually taste very bitter. However, it is generally considered that the raw herbs are more potent than the granules and most doctors would recommend starting treatment with raw herbs and moving on to granules when you start noticing results.

The doctor will usually request follow up consultations every 2-3 weeks to assess if your syndromes are changing and if the prescription should be altered accordingly.

History:

Chinese Herbal Medicine has over 4000 years of history. To put this in perspective, western pharmaceutical medicine has a history of about 150 years. The clinical knowledge base of Chinese Herbal Medicine is mostly experiential with millennia of trial and error and meticulous notes. In the last couple of decades, Chinese Herbal Medicine has risen in popularity in the West.

Notes:

Chinese Herbal Medicine is considered generally safe and has been operating in an unregulated environment with very low incidences of adverse reactions. The recent Government Herbal Medicines Working Group commissioned a report on the risks of Herbal medicine and has concluded that whilst it is important to be vigilant, there is insufficient proof of risk to warrant any regulation of herbal practitioners. Occasionally patients may have mild allergic reactions or upset stomach, diarrhoea etc but these all disappear when the herbs are stopped. Primarily for efficacy rather than safety, it is important to visit a fully qualified practitioner who is a member of a Chinese Medicine Professional Association. Reputable associations include the CMIR, FTCMP and ATCM.

Chinese Medicine views cancer as a manifestation of an imbalance in the metabolic processes of the body. These imbalances are caused by syndromes which are themselves caused by predisposition, nutrition and lifestyle.

Costs:

£30-£60 per week for herbs, 25-50 for consultations. Consultations and prescription for herbs: prices will vary a lot depending on the rarity of the herbs in your prescription. Generally granule extracts are less expensive than raw herbs.



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Practitioners
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Kathryn Alexander
Australia

Kathryn Alexander specialises in the field of detoxification and dietary healing, qualifying as a Dietary Therapist in 1987, having studied under Dr Lawrence Plaskett at the College of Dietary Therapy, London. ...
Damián Allegretti
Damián Allegretti is licensed Acupuncture & Herbalist, a nutritional therapist and a Chinese Medicine practitioner, successfully blending Western science with Eastern wisdom ...
Manuela Malaguti Boyle
Australia

Manuela Boyle is a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, and has a background in evidence-base integrative cancer care therapies. ...
Nadia Brydon
Wales UK

Nadia is passionate about supporting and guiding plant-based therapeutic nutritional changes and teaching how to live closer to the laws of nature believing that nature is our greatest healer and teacher ...
Dr Damien Downing
Dr Damien Downing MBBS, MRSB practises Ecological Medicine, allergy (or immune dysfunction), the identification and treatment of damaged or disordered immunity ...
Dr Julia Hartung
Düsseldorf, Germany

Medical Doctor Julia Hartung is a specialist in internal medicine, specialising in haematology and internal oncology, with a focus on traditional Chinese medicine ...
Dr Lily Hua Yu
London, UK - England (South East)

Dr. Lily has a special interest in the treatment of cancer. In Europe, she is recognised by the medical profession as one of the top Chinese physicians practising ethical, safe and effective Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. ...
Steve Kippax
London, UK

Steve Kippax practices The Four Pillars of Health which will allow us to support and maintain our wellbeing, and when disease occurs, will hasten a speedy recovery ...
Dr Ray Lendvai
Vernon, Canada

Dr Lendvai practices Naturopathic Medicine, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Nutritional and Lifestyle Counselling and Chelation and IV Therapy ...
Dr Kandis Lock
Ottawa, Canada

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Emma Marshall
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Dr Thomas Marshall-Manifold
Wimbledon, UK - England (South East)

Dr Thomas Marshall-Manifold practises complementary medicine after having studied for and achieved numerous qualifications in the field of natural health, chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal and complex homeopathic medicine ...
Henry McGrath
Bristol, UK

Henry McGrath specialises in working with people who have serious chronic diseases, such as cancer ...
Dr Martin Milner
Portland, United States

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Edna Batschewa Schur
Switzerland

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Clinics
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AcuMedic Clinic
London, UK - England (South East)

The oldest and largest Chinese Medical Clinic in the UK. Established in 1972, AcuMedic has treated over 50,000 people using Acupuncture and Chinese medicine. ...
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Mederi Center Clinic
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Meditrine Naturopathic Medical Clinic
Langley, Canada

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Miami Beach Comprehensive Wellness Center
Miami Beach, USA

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Napiers Herbal Medicine Clinics
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Optimum Wellness Integrated Clinic
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Painease Naturopathic Clinic
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Richmond Alternative Medical Clinic
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Somerset Health and Wellness Clinic
Ottawa, Canada

The Somerset Health and Wellness Clinic uses naturopathic medicine to make the health of their patients their top priority ...
Stram Center for Integrative Medicine
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The Natural Practice
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Urban Wellness Group
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Vital Health Naturopathic Clinic
Alberta, Canada

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Information & Advice
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Cancer Information and Support Society (CISS)
St Leonards, Global (ie: web based)

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Nottingham, Global (ie: web based)

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Canhelp Inc
Livingstone, United States

CANHELP serves patients and/or family members who wish to take an active part in the healing process and are willing to think outside the conventional medical box. ...
Yes to Life
London, UK - England (South East)

Yes to Life is a charity that offers support to people with cancer in the UK who want to take a proactive role in their treatment ...
Organisations
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Associazione Ricerca di Terapie Oncologiche Integrate
Rome, Italy

The ARTOI is a non-profit and multidisciplinary professional organisation that studies, researches and applies treatments for cancer ...
Suppliers
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Indigo Herbs
Glastonbury, England

Offering an online Health Guide profiling plants traditionally used in Western Herbalism, Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, South American Medicine, Siberian Shamanism ...