Dr. Matthew Fellner DACM, L.Ac.

In this blog I want to address students of Acupuncture and emphasize the importance of herbal medicine for professional development.

When I began my training in TCM 20 years ago, I went in, like most students, bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to change the world one needle at a time.  It became apparent rather quickly that as much as acupuncture is a crucial part of TCM and constitutes the majority of our time and effort in clinical practice, it is secondary in importance to herbology with regard to understanding the entire scope of this wonderful medicine. 

Without hyperbole I can say that TCM practitioners who are trained in herbal medicine are better TCM practitioners than their counterparts who are only acupuncturists.  Notice I did not say they are better acupuncturists, but rather, better TCM practitioners.  It is important to remember that Chinese medicine has its roots in Shamanism and herbology, with acupuncture becoming more refined later in history as the needles themselves became more refined and precise.  The entire thought process of TCM is based in the understanding gained by studying herbs and formulas.  Many of the most seminal Chinese classics, such as the Shang Han Lun & Wen Bing were written only with formulas in mind.  When you only study acupuncture, you are missing half of the story.

I am reminded of a story I read from music that relates quite well here.  A very well-known and successful guitarist was recounting how his music teacher gave him a very difficult musical piece by Bach to practice on the piano. This guitarist was well versed on the piano but did not play it regularly.  He was confused why the teacher wanted him to practice something so difficult and intricate on his non-primary instrument.  The reasoning was that if he can work his way through that Bach piano piece, even if he struggled, he would be a far superior musician.  The skills he would develop through that practice would automatically translate to him being a better guitarist.  This is the same thought I have regarding herbal study in TCM.  It is difficult to digest, and nearly impossible to master, but engaging in the process automatically makes you a better practitioner because you will think the medicine more clearly and thoroughly. 

TCM sets the foundation for your studies throughout school because it has systematic and repeatable principles that can be taught in any academic setting.  That is why schools tend to rely upon teaching TCM and employing TCM trained instructors.  Once you are well versed in the principles of TCM, then you can branch out to any other type of acupuncture and succeed without having to readjust your entire understanding of the medicine.  That includes being well versed in the principles of herbal medicine.  In order to be successful as an herbalist, it is imperative that you have mastery of disease cause, patho-mechanism, pattern differentiation, and treatment principle.  Each formula requires a complete understanding of each herb, each channel, temperature, taste, and how each herb works with the other herbs in the formula to create a harmonious balance.  As you develop this ability, you are automatically training your mind appropriately to be a better acupuncturist as well.  

I strongly encourage all acupuncture students to explore the 51ֱ�� herbal program to become a more well-rounded and insightful practitioner of TCM.

The post Why should I add herbal medicine to my acupuncture practice? appeared first on Eastern School of Acupuncture & Traditional Medicine.

Chinese Medicine has a long history of using herbs to treat any type of medical condition.  This history predates acupuncture and is closely related to the ancient shamanistic traditions of using the bounty of the Earth to both nourish and heal the body.  Many of the herbs that are so commonplace today have been used by various cultures and healing traditions for thousands of years, including ginger, ginseng, cinnamon, acai, and turmeric, just to name a few. 

Modern science has identified the healing benefits of literally thousands of herbs and there is robust research to validate their use for a wide range of conditions.   There are too many to list but here are a few:

In fact, the properties of some herbs have been so well documented that they have been synthesized into common pharmaceuticals.  Digitalis, which is used to strengthen the heart and improve circulation is made from the foxglove plant.  Aspirin contains salicylic acid which was originally extracted from the bark of the willow tree.

What makes this use of herbs different from their use in Chinese medicine, is how they are administered.  Chinese medicine is famous for creating individualized treatments that are tailored to the patients’ specific needs.  Adhering to the old mantra…”one man’s medicine is another man’s poison” is more than just cautionary advice.  It truly forms the basis of how a practitioner establishes the best way to treat the whole person, and not just cover up symptoms. 

A Chinese herbalist will customize a formula that may contain 3, 4, 5 or even up to 20 herbs to specifically target both the symptoms of disease, and the underlying constitution.  He or she not only knows every individual herb and how it affects the body, but also how each herb interacts with each other and can either negate or enhance specific properties.  So, 8 people who all have migraine headaches may each receive 8 completely different types of formulas.  Or they might receive a slightly different formula that is tweaked just enough to match their unique presentation.  It takes many years of training and research to command the entire canon of Chinese herbal medicine.  But when the formula is created that matches what the patient needs, then the results can be dramatic with almost no side effects. 

Finding a qualified herbalist is actually much more difficult than finding a qualified acupuncturist, because there is very little regulation overseeing who can practice and dispense herbs.  Therefore, it is imperative that you look for someone who has an herbal certificate and authorization to practice in NJ.  All acupuncturists who dispense herbs in NJ are required to be NCCAOM certified in Herbal medicine.  The intern clinic at 51ֱ�� is  a great place to start, because you’ll be treated by herbal interns who are working under the supervision of licensed practitioners with substantial experience dispensing herbs safely and effectively.

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