While acupuncture is the main healing practice in Oriental medicine, practitioners may add herbal medicine to your treatment to help speed your recovery or accomplish health goals.In this sense, the plant-based medicine can help to balance the life energy, or qi (pronounced “chee”) in a person’s body alongside regular acupuncture treatments. 

What is herbal medicine?

In general, herbal medicine is the study of plants to create medicinal treatments for illnesses and conditions. It’s a major part of Oriental medicine, but is also used by other holistic practitioners to help individuals heal. In fact, some Western medicine practitioners will incorporate herbal supplements into treatment plans for their patients. Many common pharmaceuticals today are based on herbal treatments from ancient times, such as aspirin, caffeine, and digoxin. 

Although herbal medicine is based on medicinal plants, most herbal medicine practitioners do not use a whole, live plant to treat an issue. In fact, few practitioners make their own compounds directly from plants. You may be surprised to learn that many of the herbal treatments that your practitioner prescribes are available at your local organic grocery store.  

How can herbal medicine help?

In Oriental medicine, disease and pain are seen as manifestations of a body’s imbalance. As the body’s internal balances become disturbed and organs and systems become uncooperative, functions of a certain organ become either overactive or suppressed. Using herbal medicine alongside regular acupuncture treatments can help restore the balance of the body and cooperation of bodily functions. 

What kind of herbal medicine can I expect from 120 Acupuncture Clinic?

At 120 Acupuncture Clinic, Dr. Ko and his team work to find the right treatments in Oriental medicine to help patients heal from a variety of conditions. As part of a personalized treatment plan, Dr. Ko may prescribe herbal medicine in a variety of forms to help the patient reach their goals.

Some common forms include:

• Pills
• Capsules
• Tinctures
• Essential oils

Dr. Ko is committed to ensuring that his patients receive the highest quality herbal supplements, and may prescribe compounds that he has mixed himself. 

To find out if herbal medicine can help you reach your health goals, make an appointment with 120 Acupuncture Clinic today.