Mind Body

Exploring Chinese Herbal Medicine: Tradition and Administration Methods

What is Chinese herbal medicine? Chinese herbal medicine, also known as traditional Chinese medicine or TCM, refers to the long history of using plant and animal products to treat disease in China. There are hundreds of different herbs used within the tradition of Chinese herbal medicine and most often they are prepared and consumed as medicinal teas. Unlike some other herbal traditions which tend to use a single herb to treat a symptom or disease, Chinese medicine almost always uses multi-herb formulas to treat a presenting pattern of disharmony or disease. There are different methods of administering Chinese herbs. I tend to use one of three in my practice which I'll show you right now. The first method of administration and the most traditional one would be to use the actual herbs themselves as seen here in these two examples. This is actually licorice root, okay, and this is the petals of safflower flower. These would be combined in a formula and boiled in water for a certain amount of time and then consumed as a tea. The second method that I use are these powdered extracts, okay. This happens to be chrysanthemum flower. I would mix these extracts into the proper formula for the patient. They would dissolve this powder in hot water and then drink it like a tea. The third method would be utilizing prepared medicines, pills and tablets and tinctures and topical products to treat a symptom or disease.

Chinese herbal medicine (also known as traditional Chinese medicine or TCM) is a long-standing tradition of using plant and animal products to treat diseases. Chinese herbs are usually prepared and consumed as medicinal teas, with multi-herb formulas used to treat a disharmony or disease. There are three main methods of administering Chinese herbs: using the actual herbs, powdered extracts, and prepared medicines such as pills, tablets, tinctures, and topical products.

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Chinese herbal medicine, also known as traditional Chinese medicine or TCM, is a practice that involves using plant and animal products to treat diseases in China. It has a long history and utilizes hundreds of different herbs. Unlike some other herbal traditions, Chinese medicine often combines multiple herbs in formulas to address specific patterns of disharmony or disease. Chinese herbs are typically prepared as medicinal teas. There are different methods of administering these herbs. The traditional method involves boiling the actual herbs in water to make a tea. Another method uses powdered extracts mixed into hot water for consumption. Additionally, prepared medicines such as pills, tablets, tinctures, and topical products are sometimes used to address specific symptoms or diseases.

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Adam is an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist licensed by the PA Board of Medicine and certified in Oriental Medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. He graduated with a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the New England School of Acupuncture. Adam has completed extensive advanced study in Sports Medicine and Orthopedic acupuncture techniques. He was the chief editor of "Sports Medicine Acupuncture", a landmark text on the acupuncture treatment of orthopedic conditions. He has also worked on four clinical trials at the University of PA, all of which were related to acupuncture and cancer symptoms. Adam has a BA in Psychology from Washington Univ. in St. Louis. You might see him hiking or biking on the trails of the Wissahickon, where he loves to hang out!