Herbal Medicine
The first visit to your herbalist will usually last an hour or longer. There will be an in-depth discussion of your health issues and everything affecting them, current and past.
As every patient is unique, a prescription will be created specifically for you. Your practitioner will select high-quality herbal tinctures chosen for your unique physiology and situation. Follow-up consultations are shorter and are typically every 2 to 4 weeks. These appointments allow for any necessary adjustments to your prescription to ensure it goes on being effective for you.
What is herbal medicine?
Herbal medicine has been used over thousands of years and in every culture of the world as the primary form of medicine. Many of our orthodox drugs were originally based on plants. The body has a great affinity with herbal medicine as we have evolved with the plant world and so you could say that the body ‘understands’ herbal medicine. Herbs work with the body to aid in proper functioning and support healing, they have been traditionally used to treat many ailments. Some of the commonly seen complaints in practice include IBS and other digestive complaints, hormonal complaints, headaches and migraine, skin complaints and many nervous system complaints including anxiety and low mood. Patients consult us with many of the complaints that you would take to your doctor but instead of using conventional drugs we use plant medicine, nutritional supplements and diet and lifestyle changes (if necessary) to help improve the health and wellbeing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions do herbalists commonly treat?
Herbalists treat all of the conditions that you might take to your doctor but using plant medicine. These can include those of a physical, mental and emotional nature.
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Arthritis and joint problems
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Digestive issues, such as IBS, heartburn, ulcers, indigestion, bloating, wind.
- Fertility issues
- Headaches and migraine
- High blood pressure
- Hormonal health (period pain, PMS and menopause)
- Infections
- Insomnia
- Low energy
- Pain management
- Skin complaints
- Sleep problems such as insomnia
- Stress
Can you take herbal medicine alongside prescription drugs?
Yes, you can, however you should use medicinal herbs only as prescribed by a qualified medical herbalist. Medical herbalists are trained in Pharmacology and can assess potential interactions with prescribed medicines.
Is Herbal Medicine Safe?
Yes, when prescribed by a trained herbalist, herbal medicine is very safe. Herbs tend to act more gently on the body than pharmaceutical drugs.
Herbal Medicine is safe, when prescribed and taken under the supervision of a medical herbalist. The safety record of herbs prescribed by a trained herbalist is excellent.
Do medicinal herbs have any side-effects?
Herbs tend to have very few side-effects, as each prescription is tailor made to the individual.
How long does herbal treatment take to show results?
There is no one answer for this. Factors that can determine how long treatment takes include:
- The condition
- Severity of the condition
- How long it has been present
- Past medical history
- Current health status
- Prescribed drug history
After your initial consultation, a medical herbalist may be able to give you a rough guideline as to the length of treatment, however herbalists tend to treat every person holistically as an individual. So what may have worked quickly for one may take a little longer for another.
You may find that herbal medicine can sometimes take longer to achieve the desired results compared to common pharmaceutical drugs, however their gentle action can help to produce more permanent results through addressing the root cause of your symptoms and rebalancing the body.
