How to Know If It's Safe to Mix Chinese Herbs and Pharmaceuticals
The simultaneous treatment of multiple medical conditions frequently leads to questions about the safety of overlapping treatments. If your treatment regimen comes to include a mix of both pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbal remedies, don't worry. It's easy to find out how safe specific combinations of herbal and synthetic drugs are. Chinese medicine is an ancient discipline that relies on herbs to treat all types of ailments, from gastrointestinal disorders to infections. Follow these steps to find out if it's safe to mix the treatments you are taking.
Things You'll Need:
Computer with Internet access
Distinguish Herbal and Pharmaceutical Treatments
1
Know that manufactured pharmaceuticals are intended to replace a very specific chemical deficiency within your body. Substitution of the chemical, not the healing of the mechanism that produces it, is the end goal.
2
Understand that
Chinese herbs
are used with the end goal of correcting the malfunctioning bodily process that's causing your symptoms. It's generally considered gentler and more natural to treat the body using herbs, though their effects may not be immediately apparent.
3
Learn more about the different ways herbal treatments and manufactured pharmaceuticals act upon your body by visiting the Practice Longevity Web site (see Resources below).
Learn if it's Safe to Mix Your Herbal and Pharmaceutical Treatments
1
Consult a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) specialist to see if any of the conditions you're treating with pharmaceuticals can be treated with gentler, more natural Chinese herbs.
2
Double-check with a Chinese herbology expert. Tell him or her what pharmaceutical drugs you're taking. He or she will be able to tell you if there are any potential conflicts with the Chinese herbal treatments you've been recommended.
3
Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about the pharmaceutical medications you're taking. The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about what treatment options to pursue.
4
Talk to your pharmacist. She'll know a great deal about potentially dangerous drug combinations, and will certainly inform you if any of your herbal treatments could pose problems with your prescription medication.
5
Realize that some combinations of drugs are technically safe, but render one or more of the drugs ineffective. For instance, the mix of birth control pills and certain herbs can cause the contraceptives to stop working.
Tips & Warnings
Treating chronic conditions using Chinese herbal therapy tends to be less expensive than using prescription drugs. Talk to a qualified practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine to see if herbal remedies can help your condition. Consultation costs are generally inexpensive.
If you experience abdominal cramps, headache, nausea or vomiting as the result of drug treatments (herbal or synthetic), seek immediate medical attention. You could be having a potentially serious reaction to your medication(s).
Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2031549_its-safe-mix.html
The simultaneous treatment of multiple medical conditions frequently leads to questions about the safety of overlapping treatments. If your treatment regimen comes to include a mix of both pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbal remedies, don't worry. It's easy to find out how safe specific combinations of herbal and synthetic drugs are. Chinese medicine is an ancient discipline that relies on herbs to treat all types of ailments, from gastrointestinal disorders to infections. Follow these steps to find out if it's safe to mix the treatments you are taking.
Things You'll Need:
Computer with Internet access
Distinguish Herbal and Pharmaceutical Treatments
1
Know that manufactured pharmaceuticals are intended to replace a very specific chemical deficiency within your body. Substitution of the chemical, not the healing of the mechanism that produces it, is the end goal.
2
Understand that
Chinese herbs
are used with the end goal of correcting the malfunctioning bodily process that's causing your symptoms. It's generally considered gentler and more natural to treat the body using herbs, though their effects may not be immediately apparent.
3
Learn more about the different ways herbal treatments and manufactured pharmaceuticals act upon your body by visiting the Practice Longevity Web site (see Resources below).
Learn if it's Safe to Mix Your Herbal and Pharmaceutical Treatments
1
Consult a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) specialist to see if any of the conditions you're treating with pharmaceuticals can be treated with gentler, more natural Chinese herbs.
2
Double-check with a Chinese herbology expert. Tell him or her what pharmaceutical drugs you're taking. He or she will be able to tell you if there are any potential conflicts with the Chinese herbal treatments you've been recommended.
3
Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about the pharmaceutical medications you're taking. The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about what treatment options to pursue.
4
Talk to your pharmacist. She'll know a great deal about potentially dangerous drug combinations, and will certainly inform you if any of your herbal treatments could pose problems with your prescription medication.
5
Realize that some combinations of drugs are technically safe, but render one or more of the drugs ineffective. For instance, the mix of birth control pills and certain herbs can cause the contraceptives to stop working.
Tips & Warnings
Treating chronic conditions using Chinese herbal therapy tends to be less expensive than using prescription drugs. Talk to a qualified practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine to see if herbal remedies can help your condition. Consultation costs are generally inexpensive.
If you experience abdominal cramps, headache, nausea or vomiting as the result of drug treatments (herbal or synthetic), seek immediate medical attention. You could be having a potentially serious reaction to your medication(s).
Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2031549_its-safe-mix.html
