Patients in Oxnard ask me some version of the same question every week: do you really prescribe herbs, or is that just something people read about online? The honest answer is yes, I do, and it looks nothing like the shelf of mystery powders some people picture. Herbal medicine is one part of a system that has been practiced for thousands of years, and when it is prescribed with care, it works alongside the acupuncture and chiropractic treatment I already provide.
What Herbal Chinese Medicine Actually Is
Herbal Chinese medicine is one branch of traditional Chinese medicine, usually shortened to TCM. TCM is a complete system of care rather than a single treatment. According to UCLA Health, TCM includes five main practices, among them herbal medicine, a form of bodywork known as tuina, mind-body exercises such as tai chi, and acupuncture along with other techniques that stimulate acupoints. Practitioners use acupuncture, herbal medicines, acupressure, breathing techniques, and tai chi to help people improve their well-being.
UCHealth describes traditional Chinese medicine as an alternative medicine practice taken from traditional medicine in China and practiced for thousands of years. Within that system, herbs are not a side interest. They are one of the primary tools, which is why a licensed acupuncturist may spend as much time thinking about what goes into a formula as about where the next needle goes.
Formulas, Not Single Herbs
Here is the part that surprises people most. A trained practitioner rarely reaches for one herb to fix one symptom. Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs are medicinal plants and substances prescribed in formulas to regulate Qi, balance Yin and Yang, and support normal function. A 2020 review in the clinical pharmacology literature describes TCM as making use of herbs and herbal decoctions to strengthen organ function and rebalance the metabolism.
That word formula carries a lot of weight. Herbs are combined so they support and offset each other, and the mix is adjusted based on the person in front of you. A formula given to one patient with headaches may look different from the formula given to the next patient with headaches, because the underlying pattern the practitioner is treating is different. This is also why you should be cautious about copying a friend’s herbs or buying a product because it worked for someone else.
What Actually Shows Up in a Prescription
Chinese herbal medicines are mainly plant based, though some preparations include minerals or animal products. They can be packaged as powders, pastes, or lotions, and they are also prepared as decoctions, where the herbs are simmered in water and the resulting liquid is consumed. Lists of commonly used TCM herbs include items such as lycii berry and whole lycii, along with many other plants that have been used in this tradition for centuries.
Because some preparations include minerals or animal products, it makes sense to ask what is inside a product before you take it. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or you have known allergies, that question matters even more. A practitioner who handles herbs regularly should be able to tell you what is in the formula being recommended for you.
How a Prescription Gets Built
No standard herbal recipe gets handed to every patient with back pain or neck pain. UCLA Health notes that practitioners draw on this tradition to personalize care for their patients. The clinical pharmacology review describes the work as requiring a deep base of knowledge and a keen sensitivity, which is a polite way of saying it takes years to learn how to do it well.
In my Oxnard practice, that means a conversation before anything gets prescribed. What is going on, how long has it been going on, what else are you taking, what have you already tried, and what are you hoping to change. Herbs are then layered onto the acupuncture and chiropractic care already underway, or they are held back if they are not the right fit for what is bothering you that week.
Where Herbs Fit With Acupuncture and Chiropractic
Much of my work combines chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture into a single integrated visit, an approach I call chiropuncture. Herbal medicine fits into that same plan when it makes sense. It does not replace an adjustment or a needling session, and it does not replace the advice of your physician. Think of it as another tool in the same toolbox, one that works on a slower timeline than a treatment on the table.
That slower timeline is worth understanding before you start. Acupuncture and adjustments often bring noticeable change quickly for musculoskeletal complaints. Herbal formulas tend to be taken daily over a stretch of time, and the goal is a steadier shift rather than a single dramatic moment.
What the Research Does and Does Not Show
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that the approaches that make up TCM, including acupuncture, tai chi, and herbal products, have been the subject of many clinical studies and scientific reviews. Chinese herbal products specifically have been studied for many medical problems, including stroke, heart disease, mental disorders, and respiratory diseases.
Being studied is not the same as being proven, and I will not pretend otherwise. The NCCIH overview describes the evidence across TCM approaches as mixed and still developing. Some approaches appear to help with certain conditions while research continues. Anyone who tells you every formula has rock solid science behind it is overselling, and anyone who tells you none of it deserves attention is not reading the research either.
A Short Note on How These Herbs Got Here
Chinese herbs are not a recent arrival in the United States. Herbalist Yvonne Lau has explored the resilience and healing wisdom carried across oceans and how Chinese herbs took root in America. That history is part of why you can walk into a clinic in Ventura County and find a practitioner working from a tradition that developed on the other side of the world.
Questions Worth Asking Before You Start
What is in the formula, and does it include any mineral or animal ingredients?
How is it prepared, and how often do I take it?
What else am I taking that your recommendation should be weighed against?
What would tell us it is working, and how long before we judge that?
If my symptoms are new or getting worse, who else should be evaluating them?
These are reasonable questions, and a practitioner should welcome them. If you are dealing with a serious medical condition, herbs are not a substitute for the care your physician recommends. Use them as part of a plan, not as a replacement for one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is herbal Chinese medicine the same thing as acupuncture?
No. Herbal medicine and acupuncture are separate practices within traditional Chinese medicine, and TCM includes other main practices as well, such as tuina bodywork and mind-body exercises like tai chi. Many practitioners use them together. In my Oxnard clinic, herbs are prescribed alongside acupuncture and chiropractic care, not instead of either one.
Are Chinese herbal medicines made only from plants?
Most are plant based, but not all of them. Chinese herbal medicines can include minerals or animal products in some preparations, and they are packaged as powders, pastes, or lotions, or prepared as decoctions. Because formulas vary so much, the reliable way to know what is in a product is to ask about the ingredients directly.
How are Chinese herbs usually taken?
It depends on the preparation. Powders, pastes, and lotions are common forms, and decoctions are made by simmering herbs in water and drinking the liquid. Each form has its own routine, and some people find decoctions more time consuming than powders. Follow the specific instructions given for your formula rather than guessing.
Does herbal Chinese medicine actually work?
The honest answer is that the evidence varies by condition and by approach. NCCIH notes that TCM approaches, including herbal products, have been studied extensively, and Chinese herbal products have been researched for conditions such as stroke, heart disease, mental disorders, and respiratory diseases. Being studied is not proof of effectiveness, so keep your expectations realistic and ask questions.
Can I take Chinese herbs with my regular medications?
That is a conversation to have with your care team rather than a decision to make alone. Tell your physician and pharmacist about every herb and supplement you take, and bring the ingredient list with you so nothing is guesswork. Since some preparations include minerals or animal products, knowing exactly what is in the formula helps everyone involved.