Chinese herbal medicine goes back to the 3rd century and is one of the most widely used and known systems throughout the world both as a standalone form of medicine and also used alongside systems that are more traditional. Chinese medicine is a totally holistic approach to medicine which uses traditions found in East Asia, Japan, Vietnam and Korea. It is a system that compromises of herbal remedies, acupuncture, tai chi and Qi gong.

Chinese medicine is largely based on the concept of yin and yang in which balance and harmony is essential for the body and mind for our health. It is said that when our chi becomes depleted or blocked than our health is severely affected and illness begins to show. A diagnosis is usually made by using means such as looking at patterns and signs and symptoms that reflect an imbalance, the system places a great deal of emphasis on the lifestyle as a whole in order to diagnose illness and prevent it.

Acupuncture is one of the oldest traditions of Chinese medicine and is a form which is used throughout the world today, acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago also making it one of the oldest forms of medicine in the world.

The term acupuncture describes procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. The techniques involve the insertion of thin metallic needles just under the surface of the skin and these needles are then manipulated either by hand or by electrical impulse.

Although it is advisable if you haven’t taken Chinese herbal medication before to visit a practitioner who specialises in herbal remedies, there are hundreds of stores online and shops in the high street now selling traditional herbal remedies. Should you wish to try them yourself without the advice of an herbalist here is a guide to the various medications available which are made from herbs, flowers and plants and are used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and the illnesses and ailments they are said to help.

Pain relief remedies

Woodlock massage oil – Woodlock is used as an external analgesic for the relief of pain in joints, muscles and nerves and is especially helpful for pain relating to sprains and arthritis and is in the form of massage oil.

The Chinese strongly believe that there are certain forces in the outside world which have an effect on our bodies and minds, it is said that when we are affected by such things this is when illness appears. Chinese medicine relies strongly on discovering these disharmonies and correcting them and when having done so our body is thought to be brought back into harmony and the symptoms are relieved.

The six external causes of disharmony

The Chinese also call this type of disharmony the six evils and they all relate to climatic conditions, when there is extreme cold, heat, wind, dampness or dryness the world around begins to suffer if these extremes are felt for any length of time. During these extremes, the Chinese believe that not only the environment is affected but also we become affected in addition and when we do, it shows as illness because our body becomes unbalanced.

The Chinese have treated illness and diseases with a safe and reliable form of medicine for thousands of years, this is a system know as herbal medicine and the variety of conditions and illnesses it is thought to help are numerous. It is a totally holistic form of medicine which is safe for people of all ages and for most conditions, the practitioner will take into account any other treatment you are taking before prescribing the correct remedy and dosage for your needs.

What does herbal treatments consist of?

Herbal treatments are available in many different formats with the more popular ones being available as dried leafs or in bags for making tea, pills and capsules. You should however always buy your herbal medication from an herbalist to ensure that the correct treatment is taken and in the correct dosage.