Acu-Care Health Centers

What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) is a complete system that seeks primarily to correct internal imbalances, rather than to treat symptoms alone. And, therapeutic intervention from a board-certified practitioner encourages this self-healing process. CHM is successfully used to treat a variety of conditions including:

• Skin disease, including eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, urticaria.
• Gastro-intestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, ulcerative colitis.
• Gynaecological conditions, including pre-menstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis, infertility.
• Hepatitis and HIV: some promising results have been obtained for treatment of Hepatitis C, and supportive treatment may be beneficial in the case of HIV.
• Chronic fatigue syndromes, whether with a background of viral infection or in other situations.
• Respiratory conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, and chronic coughs, allergic and perennial rhinitis and sinusitis.
• Rheumatological conditions (e.g., osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis).
• Urinary conditions including chronic cystitis.
• Diabetes, including treatment and prevention.
• Psychological problems (e.g., depression, anxiety).

The use of Chinese herbs is quickly gaining acceptance in conventional medicine (medicine practiced by doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals). For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of wormwood extract (from the qinghao plant) in the fight against malaria. Malaria affects over 250 million people and kills over 2 million children annually in the tropical world.

About 300 to 500 Chinese herbs are commonly used for medicinal purposes. More than 80 per cent of the world's population relies on herbal medicines to cure their illnesses and annual sales in Europe and the United States exceed $8 billion. The herbs may taste unusual at first to anyone who has not yet tried them, but most people get used the taste very quickly.

If you are interested in more information about Chinese Herbal Medicine and how it may help your health condition, please give us a call.