If acupuncture is akin to fine tuning the body’s electrical circuitry, herbs are like reprogramming the computer. Why? Acupuncture serves to redistribute the body’s resources, but herbs - like food - provide the body with precise micronutrients for recovery from a wide array of ailments.
Herbs are precisely measured and combined into a formula in order to address many of the symptoms the patient is experiencing. Moreover, great attention is paid to make sure the formula is balanced: not too hot or cold, drying or moistening.
Sometimes herbal patents (pre-made herbal formulations) are prescribed if a patient’s symptoms match a classical Traditional Chinese Medicine presentation. For more complicated situations, a custom formula will be made to more closely address a patient’s complaints and overall constitution.