Most Common Conditions Treated with Herbal Medicine
Most Common Conditions Treated with Herbal Medicine
When I graduated from Chinese Medicine School in 2014 I knew my focus was going to be herbal medicine. When I was in China I chose primarily herbal rotations, in Nepal I gave every internal medicine case herbs, and followed a TCM cardiology expert outside of Seattle. When I opened Garuda Health, I made sure this would be a cornerstone of our offering since it is considered the highest form of TCM in China. Acupuncture although wonderful can't always get to the root of more complicated diseases quite like herbs can.
1. Cardiology and Vascular Health
While pharmaceutical medications work amazingly fast to bring down blood pressure in hypertensive patients, the problem is they don’t treat the root cause and the patient remains on them for life. Chinese herbs have a far more profound effect in my opinion on treating hypertension and its many various causes. Working with one of my teachers I have also found that it has a dramatic effect on heart disease and the health of the body’s blood vessels. In China it was routine to order tests, but with my teacher out west I sat in on a patient who had their heart surgery cancelled because the blockages in their coronary arteries had been reduced so significantly, his only change was taking Chinese herbs.
2. Cold, Flu & Allergy
Various Chinese Herbs can help with symptoms of upper respiratory and sinus infections. They help kill viruses and bacteria and work with antibiotics or steroids that are also prescribed to improve their outcomes. There are also a multitude of herbs that help improve cough, inflammation, mucus, and fever. There are also varying herbs to deal with allergies in patients that range from hyper-inflammatory to those that require allergy shots from immunocompromise. I have been successful in getting several patients off their allergy shots and let them live a more normal life.
3. Digestion
There are many herbs that can deal with the multitude of digestive issues ranging from acid reflux, to nausea, to constipation and diarrhea, to gastritis and food poisoning.
4. Liver & Gall Bladder
I have successfully treated multiple patients with high liver enzymes when there was no other pharmaceutical options. Patients living for years taking meds or doing various treatments to no avail. Although there are physicians who say herbal medicine will cause liver damage, I can’t help but laugh as many pharmaceuticals are actually liver and kidney toxic and are given indefinitely when there are several herbs that are superior to treating liver and gall bladder disease if they are prescribed appropriately by a trained practitioner.
5. Water Metabolism
Edema, swelling, feeling heavy, fluid filled joints? There is an entire section of Chinese Medicine that is dedicated to fluid problems and correcting them.
6. Mental Health
It is important to continue with a mental health specialist, and see Chinese Herbal Medicine as a helpful tool to help improve more common anxiety and depression issues. Taking a fresh approach at what is going on in the body and improving the systems can greatly improve our mental experience.
7. Women's Health
Chinese Medicine has one of the longest standing systems for a variety of gynecological diseases. Herbs for shrinking fibroids and cysts, improving blood flow to the uterus, regulating cycles, and also reducing intensity of heavy cycles. TCM has lots of options beyond hormonal birth control or D&C.
8. Sexual Function
Low libido and erectile dysfunction in men can be more of an internal medicine issue than just prescribing Viagra or something similar. Chinese medicine even has herbs for those that are already on hypertension meds or suffer from low blood pressure and are unable to take dilators like Viagra.
9. Pain & Healing
Although acupuncture is the king of pain relief, herbs can also play a wonderful adjunct role in helping mitigate pain and speeding the body’s recovery after an injury or surgery.
10. Cancer Support
Patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy face significant side effects from these treatments. Various cancers and stages require different treatments and herbal medicine is an excellent addendum to help with dryness from radiation, low appetite and energy, as well as other digestive problems. The herbs help complement the therapies and keep patients more resilient.
Contact us today to book a consultation and start your journey to improved well-being.
