Chinese Herbal Consultation

Chinese herbal consultation with an expert herbalist with vast experience of Chinese and Western medicine. 

AcuMedic’s Chinese herbal medicine can be specifically tailored to your health needs and prescribed by a fully qualified CMIR-registered Chinese herbalist.

This is effective natural treatment for a wide range of emotional and physical health concerns. We have Chinese herbs available for many conditions ranging from skin and digestive issues to fertility, depression, allergies, fatigue and pain.

Our herbal consultation includes:

• A full Chinese medical diagnosis with personalised advice from a fully qualified Chinese herbalist.
• A Chinese herbal medicine prescription specifically tailored to treat your symptoms and health conditions. The completed herbal prescription is charged separately.

Chinese herbal medicine has evolved over 4,000 years as a powerful and accurate tool for regulating the functions of the body in order to treat and prevent illness. Chinese herbs provide the essential nutrition to overcome physical, mental or emotional imbalances.

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How our Chinese herbs are different

During the Chinese herbal consultation the AcuMedic herbalist will compose your Chinese herbal prescription by combining many different Chinese herbs into a complex combination that will perform a set of curative actions.

At AcuMedic, Chinese herbs can be taken as herbal extract capsules made on site or raw herbs to make a medicinal tea. All the ingredients used by proper Chinese herbalists are natural and unlike most Western drugs have little side-effects. Over 1000 herbs are used in Chinese Medicine and all the ingredients used at AcuMedic come from the natural flora of China.

We have been selling Chinese herbs for over 30 years now and have established strong and very strict partnerships with sustainable herb growers all over China. All of our Chinese herbs are cultivated to be effective and are delivered to us as pure single herbs (not mixed in China). We have expert herbalists in London who meticulously check the herbs for quality and purity before we can sell them to our patients.

AcuMedic have been pioneering the modernisation of Chinese medicine for decades and have invented the concept of the Chinese herbal capsule to make Chinese herbal medicine more accessible and convenient for busy modern lifestyles. We have recently invented the Phytoform System of Chinese herbal medicine. This is GMP quality, purity tested herbal extracts which are assembled for patients in our dispensary

We never use herbs that have been banned in the UK or any animal parts at all in any of our products. We are in constant contact with the MHRA and CITES guidelines on herb imports. We do not import anything containing Aristolochia.

At AcuMedic we do not use any endangered species or animal products. All of our herbs are pure, without any pharmaceutical additions or heavy metals.

How we can help

During the Chinese Herbal Consultation at AcuMedic a properly trained Chinese herbalist will prescribe for you a mixture of different Chinese herbs to treat an illness or to strengthen your health. The AcuMedic pharmacologists and pharmacognisists will then make sure that the correct herbs are gathered according to the prescription from your doctor. Every effort is made to ensure safety and efficacy.

Chinese herbs can deliver a strong and precisely focused effect on the individual organs in the body. When combined together into a personalised formula, Chinese herbs can perform a multitude of therapeutic actions in multiple areas of the body.

Combining various Chinese herbs into an individualised prescription to treat and prevent a disease is an essential part of the system of Chinese Medicine which has treated billions of people for thousands of years with great results. The average Chinese herbal prescription contains a range of various herbs; the amount varies from 3 to 25 kinds of herbs per single prescription.

Chinese medical herbal prescriptions consist of combinations of various herbs because a single herb usually cannot resolve a complex disease. Several herbs with similar or different therapeutic effects have to be combined in order to treat a condition.

In most cases there is absolutely no problem combining Chinese and Western medicine but please do discuss any Western medication that you are taking with your AcuMedic doctor. In general, you should leave 2 hours between taking Chinese and Western medicine in order to avoid any interactions.

How it works

Consuming different foods will have varying effects on your body and your health. It may seem obvious but this is the basis of herbal medicine. For thousands of years, Chinese medical doctors have been examining and recording the different effects of different herbs, testing how they work in combination with other herbs and looking at how different herbs have different reactions to different people depending on their physical and psychological makeup.

With all of this vast knowledge, the AcuMedic doctors can prescribe the exact combination of herbs to treat you. This means that the medicine you are prescribed will treat all of your symptoms simultaneously and as your condition changes over time, your medicine will also be adapted accordingly. For example, herbs must be added or subtracted within the prescribed herbal formula according to the principles of the Chinese materia medica.

Chinese Medicine differs from Western medical methodology which is based on the rule of one single active ingredient. The essence of Chinese Herbal Medicine lies in the practice of creating a multi-targeting synergy of complex herbal ingredients, that is, a herbal prescription to treat the individual patient’s entire condition rather than tackling only a single ailment with a generic drug.

When taking a Chinese herbal prescription please be aware that symptoms may flare up before improving as the body reacts to the herbs. For example, to treat a chronic skin condition such as urticaria (hives), the rashes and some of the other symptoms might initially get worse before they get better. This is a normal process and is experienced by many patients who take Chinese herbs. As the Chinese herbal medicine enters the body it confronts, unsettles and draws out the toxins and the heat in the body which cause the red rashes on the skin and other typical symptoms of hives. The signs which indicate that this has happened come in the form of the symptoms briefly getting worse before subsiding. This is a sign that your body has responded to the Chinese herbal medicine and healing has been triggered.

To find out more read our brief Introduction to Chinese Medicine.

What to expect

A fully qualified CMIR Chinese Medical doctor with extensive Western medical training will discuss any complaints (physical, emotional or mental), ask questions, examine the tongue and pulse and will give a Chinese Medical diagnosis of your state of health as a whole and explain why the symptoms are manifesting. The doctor will then write a Chinese Herbal prescription specifically tailored to you.

A Chinese Herbal Consultation appointment usually lasts 20-30 minutes and includes personal consultation, pulse and tongue diagnosis. If you have been prescribed raw Chinese herbs then this can take up to half an hour to prepare after your appointment.

Diagnosis and Consultation

There are four main diagnostic methods during the Chinese Herbal Consultation which are observing, pulse diagnosis, questioning and listening. Each method has a unique function in the process of collecting different clinical information about your health. All four diagnostic methods must be used to make an accurate diagnosis and compile your unique Chinese herbal prescription.

Observing involves looking at all the outward manifestations of your internal health. This is done by observing your general vitality, complexion, figure and skin. One of the most well known parts of observing is tongue diagnosis. The tongue is like a mirror showing the state of your internal organs. The doctor will be able to judge the condition of your Qi (vital energy), identify the location of the affected parts of the body, determine what is exactly is wrong and identify how the disease might progress just from looking at your tongue.

There are over 50 different pulse types and the doctor will take your pulse on both wrists to determine which pulse type you have. Your pulse is identified in terms of depth, speed, strength, shape and rhythm. Your pulse is an indicator of how Qi and blood are moving around your body, therefore how well your internal organs are functioning. From your pulse the doctor can determine a great deal about your physical and emotional condition and which Chinese herbs you require.

The doctor will ask you a few questions to learn about your health and general lifestyle. It may seem like some of these questions are odd, but it all goes towards building a complete picture of you and your health. No matter how trivial something might seem to you, tell your doctor. No symptom that you have is unrelated or unimportant to your diagnosis. It is also very useful for your doctor to see the results of any medical tests you have had so make sure you bring them along to your first consultation and whenever you get new results through.

Once the doctor has finished diagnosing you, they will tell you about your particular Chinese Medical syndrome. These syndromes often have funny sounding names, like Liver Qi Stagnation or Kidney Yin Deficiency, but do not let that put you off. They will accurately explain why you have the symptoms you have and therefore which Chinese herbs you should be taking.

The doctor will then suggest a Chinese herbal medicine for you and you will be able to purchase your prescription when paying for your Herbal Consultation appointment.

Your prescribed treatment may be an individualized herbal prescription using a combination of raw Chinese herbs which are made specifically for you after the diagnosis and consultation or pre-formulated AcuMedic herbal capsules and drinks.

The difference between raw and powdered Chinese herbs is that the raw herbs allow the doctor to tailor the prescription more accurately to your requirements and provides a stronger prescription in comparison to powdered herb extracts. Depending on your condition the doctor will recommend raw or powdered herbs, or some combination of the two.

After the consultation

If you are given a raw Chinese herbal prescription then you will need to boil the herbs at home to prepare a tea. You will be given instructions on how to do this by the AcuMedic Clinic reception but it basically involves soaking and cooking the herbs in water. If you are prescribed pre-formulated capsules or drinks then the Clinic receptionist will advise you on your dosage.

How soon you will see results from your Chinese herbal prescription will depend on the severity of your condition. The doctor should be able to give you a good idea of what results you should see and when you should expect to see them. For chronic conditions it normally takes at least 3 months before the improvements will become obvious

The taste of raw Chinese herbs will most probably be bitter and strong but it will be the most effective medicine for you, individually tailored to your unique health needs. You can add some honey to mask the bitterness but we advise just trying to drink the cup of tea quickly.

To find out more about being a patient at AcuMedic please take a look at the AcuMedic Patient Handbook.