What is the difference between Western folk herbalism and Chinese herbal medicine?
Western herbalism focuses on symptoms and diseases like headache, sore throat, etc. Chinese herbal medicine is practiced as part of TCM, and is based on an individual’s unique pattern diagnosis, as well as their disease diagnosis. This means that TCM patients receive individualized herbal prescriptions called formulas. These formulas can remain the same through treatment, or they can change with each treatment as the disease changes and resolves. Chinese herbal medicine also focuses on a patient’s underlying constitutional makeup. Western herbalism often uses single herbs or a group of herbs for the same disease. TCM formulas are composed of 4-16 herbs, each added to address a specific symptom as well as to focus on the main disease pattern.
Western folk herbalism primarily treats diseases or symptoms, such as headaches, runny nose, menstrual pain, etc. Chinese herbal medicine, when practiced as a part of TCM, is based on an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. Your pattern is made up of your signs and symptoms, your emotional temperament and the overall composition of your body; The TCM patient receives a custom written herbal prescription designed to treat their individual pattern as well as the symptom or disease. Western folk herbalism usually focuses on one symptom or disease at a time and use a single herb or groups of herbs for treatment; TCM formulas are crafted to treat your entire pattern as well as the symptoms or disease that prompted you to seek treatment. TCM formulas may include six to eighteen herbs to treat the symptoms or disease as well as you entire pattern.
Within Chinese herbal medicine, not everyone with the same disease is given the same herbs. Each individual’s unique constitution and relationship to the environment is evaluated before an herbal prescription is devised. Chinese herbal medicine usually uses a formula which contains 4 to 16 different herbs designed to balance each effect and address the individual’s symptoms as well as the root cause and therefore the entire pattern of disease. Western herbal medicine primarily uses a single herb or groups of herbs which treat symptoms only.