Herbal Medicine
What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine is comprised of hundreds of single herbs and formulas comprised of plant’s seeds, berries, roots, leaves, flowers and barks. Each herb has multiple functions and is categorized according to taste, temperature, and channel. Single herbs work best when they are combined into formulas and are rarely used individually. Herbal formulas are a great addition to acupuncture and can enhance treatment results.
Chinese herbs are very safe and effective when prescribed correctly by a properly trained practitioner. In Texas, acupuncturists are required to be trained and tested for competency in prescribing herbal medicines before granted licensure
It is always important to inform both your physician and your acupuncturist about all of the drugs, herbs, and other supplements you are currently taking so we can monitor and prevent any herb-drug interactions or adverse reactions. More common herb-drug interactions can occur in combination with anti-coagulant drugs (ie: aspirin), antidepressants, cardiovascular drugs, immunosuppressants, anti-HIV drugs and anticancer drugs.
Are Chinese Herbs safe?
It is not generally recommended to take Chinese herbs during pregnancy unless the benefits from using herbs outweigh the possible risks.
A common reason for wanting to use Chinese herbs during the first trimester is to “protect the fetus.” If a woman has a history of miscarriages or is experiencing a “threatened miscarriage” then an herbal formula may be appropriate. There are many herbal formulas to support fertility and a healthy pregnancy before conception, along with postpartum recovery.
Similar to drugs, most herbs are acceptable for use during breastfeeding, but caution is advised with herbs that contain alkaloids with strong nervous system effects or herbs that have strong hormonal effects.
Always check with your OB before adding anything into your diet from supplements to herbal formulas.
Is it safe to use herbs while pregnant or breastfeeding?
At Mama’s Acupuncture I use herbal formulas from companies such as Far East Summit and Classical Pearls that follow the guidelines established by the cGMP regulations of the United States FDA. All testing and validation of finished product are conducted in the United States by independent FDA recognized laboratories, following the most current published methodologies assuring all analysis meet modern detection limits, are unbiased, and accurate.
Herbal products are tested for:
Microbial contaminants
· Aerobic Plate Count
· Coliform
· E. Coli
· Salmomella
· Staph aureus
· Yeast
· Mold
Heavy Metal content
· Mercury
· Lead
· Arsenic
· Cadmium
If you would like more information on specific suppliers of herbal products at Mama’s Acupuncture, please reach out to me via email at erika@mamasacupuncture.com