Although acupuncture was the first Chinese modality to gain wide acceptance in the West, herbal medicine is actually the main modality or treatment method within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is the world’s oldest, continually practiced, professional medicine with a written history that stretches back not less than 2,500 years.
Chinese herbal medicine, when practiced as part of TCM, is based on individualized pattern diagnosis as well as disease diagnosis. This means the patient receives a custom written herbal prescription designed to treat both the symptom or disease and also his or her individual pattern.
Chinese herbal medicine can be used to treat the full range of disease. It treats acute diseases such as intestinal flu and the common cold, as well as chronic diseases such as allergies, gynecological disorders, autoimmune diseases, chronic viral diseases, and degenerative diseases due to aging. In particular, Chinese herbal medicine is especially good for promoting the body’s ability to heal and recuperate.