In the Western world, most of us have a bias to one style of Medicine: allopathic or western medicine. The normal cycle for most of us who get sick is this: we get sick, we go to the doctor, we get prescribed drugs, we get better over time and then we repeat as needed.
Modern western medicine is based almost completely on scientific research and mostly from just the past hundred years. And the solution for most all health problems relies heavily on drugs to treat ailments. As an acupuncturist, I am aware of the history of human medicine and I am also aware that East Asian Medicine has been in existence between 2,000 and 3,000 years.
East Asian herbal medicine is a tradition of ancient wisdom that is passed down through the generations. Many of the herbal formulas that most practitioners use have had the same fundamental herbal components for hundreds of years. East Asian herbs have been used to treat a broad array of disease and illness.
Today in Asia, herbs treat almost every ailment that we treat with Western Medicine. Herbs are even used for treating life-threatening diseases like cancer and heart disease. In the U.S., herbs are mostly used for health concerns of individuals that Western medicine can not help. Herbs are also used for people who want to take a more natural approach, that will have fewer side effects. Most Americans rely solely on medical doctors to treat their ailments with medications, while not taking advantage of ancient wisdom. However, both Western treatments and East Asian herbal medicine have great value and often can be used together for the best treatment.
At Three Moons Acupuncture, we listen to your concerns and then individually tailor your herbal formulas to treat your specific concerns. East Asian herbal formulas are a ‘poly-pharmacy’, which means that different combinations of herbs are given in different amounts, depending on a patient’s individual needs. This combination of herbs is effective for two reasons. First, this approach makes sure the herbs have both a healing effect and a balancing effect for client’s health concern. Second, East Asian herbs include support on three levels: the mind, body and spirit.
Some health issues we treat daily with Chinese herbs are:
- Digestive issues including IBS and acid reflux
- Regulating menstrual cycles
- Headaches & migraines
- Problems with sleep
- Anxiety
- Muscle & joint pain
- Allergies
Herbal medicine is a great way to deal with many conditions. And once you’ve gone through the initial consultation and intake at Three Moons Acupuncture, the herbs can be prescribed and shipped directly to you, if needed. The other nice thing about herbal medicine is that it is highly customized and can be changed quickly as your individual situation changes. So if you’re a little needle phobic or your schedule just doesn’t allow for regular acupuncture treatments, East Asian herbal medicine might be a great fit for you.