How can herbal medicine be of help?
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Ko Jeong-min
By Ko Jeong-min
Acupuncture is administered almost everywhere around the globe these days and its natural and non-invasive properties make it more preferable for various kinds of disorders from a sprained ankle to insomnia.
The growing interest in acupuncture has also triggered interest in herbs as medicine. Herbal medicine is more sought-after because of its compositions from nature.
Patients who have experienced the effects of herbal medicine say they have escaped from chronic pain and discomfort and are living new lives.
Herbal medicine is not just a combination of a number of herbs that are said to be good for joint, throat, memory, and other ailments; the theory of how a certain number of herbs are combined in a prescription to act together, and why two patients having an identical diagnosis in Western medicine can be prescribed with different herbal medicine is what herbal medicine is really about.
Herbal medicine exerts dramatic effects when prescribed by a qualified practitioner after a thorough consultation with the patient. Safety issues are mostly settled with research stating that herbal medicine itself does not damage the liver or any other organs when properly prescribed. This is why most countries allow only qualified medicinal herbs to be used for herbal medicine and only to be sold to qualified practitioners: herbs obtained at a market or during travel may not be safe or effective enough to be used as medicine.
Although herbs in herbal medicine all come from nature, they are not called food but rather categorized as “medicinal herbs” with their strong and unique properties that foods do not possess.
Practitioners are also continuously studying to find adequate prescriptions for their patients, who have different kinds of pain and discomfort.
Patients’ symptoms and conditions are changing just as the world is changing: as every single one of us is affected by where we live and the people around us, the changes in society pretty much affect the person’s health as well, like earthquakes making people sleepless and worried and a depressed economy and violence making people angry and feeling hopeless.
Herbal medicine in Korea in the last 20 years has helped obese patients get slimmer, short children grow taller, alopecia patients grow hair again, rhinitis patients breathe easier, and more. Now, even neuropsychiatric disorders like panic disorder and other chronic and intractable disorders are challenging the practitioners as many patients come for help after being disappointed with Western medical treatments.
In Donguibogam or Shanghanlun, there are no lines that specifically state how to deal with obese thighs, sneezes in the morning, increased appetite before exams, and other ailments. It is the practitioners’ part to read between the lines of the medical texts, and at the same time figure out what the patients have inside themselves besides their chief complaints like “obesity” or “panic disorder.”
Who would have imagined acupuncture needles flattening facial wrinkles, or herbal medicine acting to help patients lose weight, or even overcome panic disorder! The bitter taste, large volume for one dosage and relatively high price when not covered by insurance, may make it less favorable. But the effects and benefits for not only the affected area but for overall health will be enough to give it a try. Since the holistic approach of herbal medicine also cares for even a healthy person, it would be better to regularly consult a practitioner of herbal medicine and acupuncture for the maintenance of one’s health.
The writer practices Korean medicine in Dr. Jeongmin Ko’s Korean medical clinic located in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, and is the CEO of All That Korean Medicine.