Herbal Medicine
In this page, Manchester-based Chinese medicine practitioner Lily Lai, PhD introduces Chinese herbal medicine, discusses benefits of treatment and what to expect from a course of treatment.
What Is Chinese Herbal Medicine?
Chinese herbs have been part of healthcare in China for many centuries and it remains actively used in the UK and in other countries in East Asia such as China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Over 400 plants are used in Chinese herbal medicine and although this includes commonly known herbs such as cinnamon, ginger, mint and goji berry, we prescribe many others that are less well known in the UK.
“For years, I had been referred back and forth across several dermatologists and specialists for a skin problem they eventually diagnosed as vitiligo, a whitening of the skin in several patches throughout my body. These patches had gotten worse over a recent period of stress and I wanted to try something natural that would help my symptoms but also help me feel less stressed. I was given Chinese herbs to boil which dramatically reduced the appearance of the white patches within 6 weeks and eventually returned the skin pigmentation to those areas! My stress levels are now much more manageable and I continue to have monthly consultations with Lily once a month. ”
What does Chinese Herbal Medicine involve?
Before prescribing Chinese herbal medicine, a full health consultation is firstly carried out with you to discuss your key concerns and any relevant medical conditions that may be affecting the symptoms that you’re seeking help with. We’ll review any tests or investigations that you’ve already undergone with your GP or consultant and besides your key symptoms of concern, we will also ask about your general wellbeing, your diet and work/life balance. As part of this consultation, we will need to check your tongue and take a pulse reading which gives us more information about your health from a Chinese medicine perspective. At the end of this consultation, we’ll let you know if we think Chinese herbal medicine can help you and what you can realistically expect in terms of improvement of your symptoms from receiving herbs with us. If we don’t think we can help, we’ll also let you know - sometimes Chinese medicine isn’t appropriate as the next step and we may recommend that you go back to see your doctor, or that you see another healthcare practitioner such as a physiotherapist or osteopath.
If we agree to start you on a course of Chinese herbal medicine, we’ll talk you through what it involves and a bespoke blend of traditional herbs will be prescribed just for you.
Our herbs are usually prescribed to be taken orally on a daily basis and we offer Chinese herbal medicines as granulated extracts or as dried whole herbs. Granulated extracts are usually more suitable for chronic conditions such as chronic pain, fertility or dermatological conditions, whereas dried whole herbs are normally prescribed where a short course of stronger treatment is needed such as in acute conditions.
Granulated extracts are taken by mixing with hot water. Dried whole herbs require soaking before then being boiled on the hob. Both result in a herbal drink that is best taken warm and typically once or twice a day. You may be asked to take herbs after having a meal, or on an empty stomach - we’ll advise you further since this depends on the herbs we prescribe you.
For some patients, Chinese herbs are prescribed for external use as a poultice or as a soak. This includes for children where taking herbs can be quite difficult, for dermatological conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, or for painful conditions such as sports injuries or inflammatory arthritis.
We usually carry out follow-ups once every 2-4 weeks before prescribing you any further herbs. This involves a review of your progress to date and to see how well the herbal prescription is working for your symptoms. Once your symptoms have improved, herbal treatment is usually tapered down gradually to allow your body to adjust to being without the herbs.
All of our herbs are plant-based and do not contain animal products.
Who can use Chinese Herbal Medicine?
We have clinical experience in prescribing Chinese herbal medicine for many conditions listed on the RCHM website such as:
Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome including irregular or absent periods, excessive hair growth and acne (Liao at al. 2018, Lai et al. 2017);
Other gynaecological conditions such as painful periods, endometriosis, male and female subfertility, IVF support (Zhu et al. 2008, Ried et al. 2011, RCOG 2012, Flower et al. 2012, Hullender Rubin at al. 2015, Sosorburam at al. 2019, Zhou et al. 2019, Li et al. 2020);
Dermatological conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and urticaria (Shenefelt at al. 2011, Weng at al. 2016, Luo et al. 2021, Yang et al. 2018);
Respiratory illnesses such as frequent coughs and colds, bronchitis, allergic or perennial rhinitis (Wong et al. 2006, Zhang et al. 2017, Hu et al. 2017, Zheng at al. 2018, Yarnell 2018);
Gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation (Bensoussan et al. 1998, Shi et al. 2008, Cheng et al. 2009, Huang et al. 2020);
Musculoskeletal conditions such as sports injuries, frozen shoulder and arthritis (Li et al. 2007, Chen et al. 2016, Sellami et al. 2018, Xin et al. 2019, Xing et al. 2020, Rotter et al. 2021).
If you are already undergoing medical treatment with your GP or consultant, we will consider your medications or procedures that are coming up. We will never discourage essential medical procedures nor advise you to stop taking medication without consulting your GP or consultant.
“Lily has been a huge help in my journey to rebalance my hormones after being diagnosed with PCOS. She is exceptionally knowledgable and made me feel at ease from the very first appointment. I would highly recommend Lily and her services to anyone considering going down the Chinese Medicine route - it has made such a positive difference for me and my health. ”
Are there any side effects with taking chinese herbs?
When prescribed by a fully-trained practitioner who understands your medical history, Chinese herbs are completely safe to take without ill effects, especially when they are tailored to your needs and individualised to your circumstances. Although side-effects are uncommon with individualised herbs, when they do happen, they are typically digestive such as changes in your bowel movements or nausea and tend to be short-lived, lasting 48 hours as your body is adjusting to the herbs. To minimise the likelihood of herb-drug or herb-supplement interactions, we will always ask for a list of any medications or supplements you are taking and prescribe your herbs with these in mind. We can also advise you on an appropriate dosing schedule alongside your medications or supplements to ensure that you are taking your herbs in the most effective way possible.
Are chinese herbs safe?
As with all our treatments, your safety is of utmost importance to us. As registered practitioners of both the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ATCM) and the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM), we prescribe authenticated Chinese herbal medicines that have been quality-assured by using only RCHM-approved suppliers. These suppliers must fulfil rigorous criteria following a thorough investigation by independent auditors and which includes demonstrating that herbal medicines are manufactured according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. These are important safeguards for ensuring safety standards are met and to ensure that our patients receive the best quality herbs available.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Chinese herbs or would like to book in for an appointment online or in our Manchester clinic, get in touch with us today.