Acupuncture, Herbal Therapy, Cupping|Guasha|Moxabusion

What Exactly is Eastern Herbal Therapy (AKA Chinese herbs)?

Chinese herbal formulas consist of two to twenty or more single herbs that work synergistically to create a balanced modality which has very few, if any, side effects. These formulas, many of which have been around for millennia, have been used safely and effectively by thousands of people worldwide and are becoming more and more popular here in the United States.

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How is herbal therapy administered?

Eastern herbal therapy comes in many different forms, the most popular being granules teas which are convenient but can still be customized for individual patients. Granules are made from raw herbs which consist of plant based materials such as roots, leaves, barks, fruits and flowers. Another convenient but effective way to administer Chinese herbs is granule capsules which cannot be customized but can be used in certain cases.

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Why might I consider using herbal therapy?
Eastern herbal therapy is an effective and safe modality that is part of the larger system known as Eastern medicine. Most people are more familiar with acupuncture as a modality, but did you know that taking an herbal formula along with weekly acupuncture treatments can help you to get better much quicker? That is because herbal formulas are taken daily and they continue to promote healing between your acupuncture treatments.

What is herbal therapy used for?
Herbal therapy can be used very effectively for these conditions (and many more!):

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• Common Cold and Cough

• Long Covid

• Chronic pain & Repetitive Stress Injuries

• Acid Reflux

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Sinus Headaches and Infections

• Seasonal Allergies

• Asthma and chronic cough

• PMS & Painful Menstruation

• Hot Flashes and Menopausal Imbalances

• Anxiety and Depression

• Insomnia

Is herbal therapy safe?
Yes, it is very safe IF it is recommended by a highly trained herbalist. Herbal formulas are safe and natural, but natural does not mean they are problem free. Herbal formulas should be treated like a prescription and not like an OTC supplement. You need to first be evaluated by a qualified practitioner.

Why do I need to be evaluated by a qualified practitioner?
When you are being evaluated, your Eastern herbalist will not just be evaluating your symptoms and treating you based on those symptoms. Instead they will be looking at identifying patterns based on those symptoms. It is these patterns that guide your herbalist to choose an herbal formula that helps to resolve the pattern, thus resolving your symptoms and bringing your whole body back into balance.

If you suffer from headaches, your herbalist is not going to give you a formula for a headache, they will give you a formula for the pattern(s) of disharmony in your body that is causing the headache. The ability to identify and use these patterns to make decisions about which acupuncture points and herbal formulas will be most effective requires several years of training in both a classroom and clinical setting.
 

What is an evaluation like?
An evaluation by a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist focuses not only on your main complaint(s) but also on how well your whole body is working and how you are functioning, physically, mentally and emotionally. You will be asked questions about:
 

• The quality of your digestive system

• How well you sleep

• Your energy levels throughout the day

• Whether or not you are suffering from any pain in your body

• How well your reproductive organs function

• Functioning of your sense organs (eyes, ears, nose)

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and many other questions.

Your tongue will be viewed to get additional information on your digestive system and many other aspects of your body. Your pulse will be palpated to provide even more of an understanding of your organ systems from an Eastern medicine perspective.

Are the Herbal products you use safe, effective and of high quality?
Absolutely! We only use products from companies that have a proven safety and high quality track record:

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Evergreen Herbs -  From "seed to shelf," Evergreen ensures purity, safety and potency in our herbal extracts by following standards of current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO).

https://www.evherbs.com/quality-control-and-manufacturing-process

Blue Poppy Herbs - At Blue Poppy, we pride ourselves on setting the industry standard for quality and ethical procurement and manufacturing practices. The highest quality Chinese herbs are used in the manufacture of our formulas.

https://www.bluepoppy.com/faq.asp

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Do you have additional questions? Please feel free to give Anna a call at 360-926-0859 for a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation.