Ever felt you were treating the symptoms not the cause? Then herbal medicine may be for you.
Herbal medicine ( phytotherapy ) is the use of plant remedies in the treatment of disease. It is the oldest form of medicine and is the base upon which conventional medicine and many other alternative therapies have grown. Herbal medicine uses the whole plant, in a therapeutic dose, to give a gentle healing effect to address the underlying causes of ill health and not just the symptoms.
Herbal medicine can be used in conjunction with other treatments for a wide range of health problems including:
- Digestive disorders
- Insomnia, stress and depression
- Skin problems
- Headaches and migraines
- Hormonal and menstrual disorders
- Allergies
- Heart and circulatory diseases
- Joint disease
It is a safe effective treatment for any age group and is particularly effective in the treatment of children and babies.
Although many over the counter herbal products can be helpful, consultation with a qualified medical herbalist is the safest and most effective treatment.
- Consulting a medical herbalist
- Herbalists take a holistic approach to patient care and treat the underlying causes of disease not just the symptoms.
- An initial consultation will last up to an hour and will involve;
- Taking a full case history.
- Asking about you and your family’s medical history
- Discussing diet and lifestyle
- Finding out about current medications you are taking
- Blood pressure readings and other tests or examinations will be conducted as necessary
- At the end of the consolation a treatment plan will be discussed.
A mixture of herbs will be given tailored to your specific needs. This usually takes the form of an alcoholic tincture to be taken daily. Creams, teas, ointments, tablets and other preparations can also be given. Diet and lifestyle advice will be given if necessary. Your medicines will either be sent out to you or can be collected from the clinic the following day.
After the initial consultation, a couple of shorter sessions to assess your progress should be needed, followed by a check up every three to six months as necessary. Because of the gentle healing nature of herbs, they usually take longer to work than orthodox drugs but the effects are long lasting and there should be no side effects.