Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Over 5000 substances derived from plant, animal and mineral sources make up the Chinese Herbal Medicine Pharmacy. Most of these items are commonplace in today’s home remedy cabinets, such as: ginseng, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, goji, ginko, licorice, turmeric, hawthorn berry, cardamom, peppermint, and others. This system of medicine dates back thousands of years and have been proven effective for most health issues. These herbs are available in the form of teas/soups, liquid extracts, tablets, capsules, granules, lotions, creams, salves, powders, and poultices. Your Acupuncture Physician will prescribe herbal formulas based traditional pattern of diagnosis in order to restore health to the individual. Herbal Formulas offer benefit for physiological processes, such as digestion, absorption, elimination, detoxification, respiration, sleep, circulation, reproduction, immunity, and repair. Chinese herbs can also help decrease pain and inflammation and encourage faster healing of injured tissues. A trained physician is capable of prescribing herbs effectively to minimize or elimination potential side-effects. The low risk of adverse reactions and the very low toxicity in comparison to prescription and over-the-counter western pharmaceuticals make Chinese Herbal medicine a very appealing alternative in health care. The most commonly reported adverse reaction is temporary minor gastrointestinal upset. If you experience any discomfort while taking your herbs, please call Dr. Cox, so she can modify your formula.
The extensive training obtained by your Acupuncture Physician allows for safe and effective treatment with Chinese Herbs. We highly suggest not trying to purchase herbs on your own because the incorrect use of herbal formulas can make your condition worse. Certain pharmaceutical medications can negatively interact with herbs; just another reason to ask a professional before starting an herbal supplement.
I promise to follow the way of the great physician. I will serve to live in harmony with nature and teach my patients to do the same.
I will stay calm and completely committed when treating disease. I will not give way to personal wishes and desires, but above all else hold and nurture a deep feeling of compassion. I will be devoted to the task of saving the sacred spark of life in every creature that still carries it.
I will strive to maintain a clean mind and be willing to hold myself to the highest standards. It will be my duty to diagnose sufferings and treat disease. I will not be boastful about my skill and not driven by the greed for material things. Above all, I will keep an open heart. As I move on the right path, I will receive great happiness as a reward without asking for anything in return.
-Adapted from The Great Physician by Sun Simiao (581 – 682)
