Chinese Herbal Medicine
If you need herbs, please call. We can take payment over the phone and make arrangement for safe pickup or delivery.
Herbal Prescribing
Herbal medicine is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and often prescribed along with acupuncture as part of treatment at South Austin Community Acupuncture. Chinese herbal medicine uses mostly plant materials, but also some mineral and animal/insect materials.
Chinese herbs are most often used in combinations of multiple ingredients, unlike Western herbs which are more traditionally used singly. Many of these formulas have been used for literally hundreds of years, with many classical formulas still in use today dating as far back as 220AD. Chinese herbal prescribing is without doubt one of the most advanced systems of herbal prescribing on the planet.
Our Training as Herbalists
Extensive classroom and clinical training, passing a national board exam, and continuing education in Chinese herbology are all required to practice acupuncture in the State of Texas. In fact, Licensed Acupuncturists are the only health profession in Texas required to have formal training in herbology as a core requirement of their training and licensing.
Herbal Dispensary
At South Austin Community Acupuncture we stock a wide range of Chinese herbal products:
- Patent Medicines
Mostly we direct our patients to Chinese patent medicines, which means formulas in pill or tablet form, because these formats are most practical for most people.
- Granulated Extracts
We use Taiwanese granulated herbal extracts to make custom formulations as necessary. Granules are consumed adding hot water to make an instant tea.
- Decoction
We also stock bulk dried Chinese herbs. Bulk herbs are prescribed in formulas and boiled in water to produce herbal decoction for either internal or topical use.