back to Article Directory

Chinese Herbal Therapy

Chris Di Tecco D.Ac, D.TCM / May 2, 2007

The Chinese medicine approach for using medicinal herbs for health and healing.

Medicinal herbs have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. The use of the herbs has been traced through documentation from over 2000 years ago.

Unlike many other herbal traditions, TCM is a well documented, written tradition. Over the many years TCM has been practiced an enormous body of knowledge has been recorded, verified and developed.

Chinese herbs are usually combined in formulas to enhance their properties and actions. Symptoms and signs are matched with therapeutic effects, reflecting the particular conditions and needs of each patient.

Chinese herbal medicine is the substantial counterpart to the energetic
medicine of acupuncture. Many treatments for internal disharmonies or chronic
conditions can greatly benefit from the use of Chinese herbal therapies.

Herbal medicine is distinct from medicine based on pharmaceutical drugs. Firstly, because of the complexity of plant materials it is far more balanced than medicine based on isolated active ingredients and is far less likely to cause side effects. Secondly, because herbs are typically prescribed in combination, the different components of a formulae balance each other, and they undergo a mutual synergy, which increases efficacy and enhances safety. Typically, a herbal formula prescribed in clinic will be comprised of a combination of eight to fourteen separate herbal ingredients. Thirdly, herbal medicine seeks primarily to correct internal imbalances rather than to treat symptoms alone, and therapeutic intervention is designed to encourage this self-healing process.

Herbal formulas dispensed in clinic by Chris Di Tecco are individually customized for each patient. The Chinese herbs prescribed are powdered extracts of the fresh herb. The formulas are administered by mixing the powders with boiling water to create a medicinal tea referred to as a decoction in TCM.


Call to book an appointment for a herbal consultation!
905.593.5000