Frequently asked questions – Herbal Medicine

Medicine and pharmacology department dealing with the production of herbal medicines from natural or processed raw materials obtained from medicinal plants and their use in the prevention and treatment of diseases. The term is also used to describe the branch of alternative medicine dealing with treatment with plant preparations.

Yes of course. Herbal medicine is not homeopathy. The active substances in herbs are not as active as in the case of prescription drugs, but overdose is possible. Side effects are milder than in the case of drugs from the pharmacy.

I have been dealing with herbs and herbal medicine since I can remember that is over 30 years. The basic advantages of herbal medicine include ease of breeding, collecting and processing. In a very simple way a person who has the appropriate knowledge can use these methods. First of all, herbs do not spoil like medicines that have a well-defined shelf life, which is usually about 2 years. Plants that can help us in our ailments grow in virtually any conditions and do not cause any side effects. They are effective when it comes to treating many ailments. The most important thing in my opinion is that they can be found virtually anywhere, and therefore are much cheaper than pharmaceutical drugs.

I strongly advise against this. In Poland we have about 200 well-known species of herbs, and in the East there are about 5 thousand. Getting to know everyone takes a lot of time, and learning how to interact with individual ingredients and the so-called drug interactions are an additional problem. It is better to use the knowledge of educated specialists in traditional medicine. I will add that in most cases herbal mixtures are produced by specialized companies in the health medicine industry.

Yes and even I say very important. Herbs have that they draw all the pollution from the environment in which they were planted. The composition of the earth, air, water and climate also affects the final quality of the product made from herbal ingredients.

Definitely yes. Please don't forget where did academic medicine come from? This is how broadly understood natural medicine is. According to the World Health Organization, over 7,000 chemical compounds used in medicine come from plants. Of course, the active substances are artificially synthesized to reduce manufacturing costs. Currently, herbal medicine is used in conventional medicine to alleviate the side effects of drugs, reduce their number and support treatment.

In general, around 80% of the world's population uses phytotherapy as part of healthcare. Among 120 active chemical compounds widely used in modern medicine, 80% indicate a positive relationship between their modern therapeutic use and the traditional use of the plants from which they originate. About 24% of modern US drugs are sourced from plants. There are no official statistics on this subject in Poland, and obtaining any reliable information in this regard is a miracle. In China, phytotherapy is equally popular with conventional therapeutic methods.

In my opinion, herbs have no flaws as you call it. However, if I were to give some examples, they are e.g. lack of greater or lesser effectiveness in the case of serious diseases such as cancer. Here you need to act quickly and use conventional medicine for symptomatic treatment. The second issue is slightly bothersome administration and dosage, as well as the taste of herbs (you need to measure the amount of herbs quite precisely and then brew in a specific way to bring out the most important medicinal substances). Third and most importantly: the lack of any normal rules related to trading, importing, testing, etc., which means that herbs can be found on the market, e.g. on busy streets or polluted with heavy metals.

You should definitely look at the country of origin of the product. If the manufacturer does not directly say that the product is, e.g. of organic origin, it means it is not. For us, this means nothing else that the active substances of the product have been artificially replaced. Let us remember that the capitals of herbal production in the world are currently China, Mongolia, Russia, Japan, India.

If we report to the doctor of traditional Chinese medicine TCM, who himself prepares certain herbal mixtures for each ingredient and its amount we pay separately. It can happen that for the preparation of a specific product we pay the product of all ingredients. It can be quite expensive. Homogeneous products, i.e. containing one active substance, will often not be a solution to our problems. Numerous current companies from the health medicine industry come to the rescue, which produce ready-made mixtures for the pharmacy market in bulk. These products are relatively affordable and effective at the same time.

Yes, we strongly advise against self-healing herbs or using them without consulting a qualified traditional medicine doctor. A visit before ordination of any herbal-therapeutic treatment is obligatory.

In the case of light conditions such as headache or nausea, the first effects will appear up to several hours after taking the herbs. With more complicated ailments like acne or chronic illness, this time may be extended to 3-4 weeks.

The cost is included in the price of the first visit and includes a full medical history. We invite you to read the price list of our surgery.

No you cant. We combine herbs in traditional Chinese medicine according to the strength and direction of action. In conventional medicine (phytotherapy), we consume herbs in the company of nutrients, separately or with a time interval, so as not to cause interaction between the ingredients.

Yes. Depending on what pain you are dealing with. If it is mild to moderate pain, herbal medicine can be helpful. As it is severe pain, we recommend using conventional painkillers.

If it's a mild cold you don't have to do anything. However, if you have a feverish condition, we recommend stopping the treatment and starting only after treating the discomfort.

No. Herbal medicine, just like conventional medicines, should be increased gradually.

The factors that testify to the professionalism of a doctor are: the type of university completed, courses and symposia, scientific titles, age and experience of the doctor, as well as the desire to improve their professional qualifications. The deciding factor is often the specialist's age and clinical practice.

Yes of course :-). Professor Enji has lived and worked in Poland for a long time, and communication in Polish is not a problem for her. Analysis of medical records, specialized vocabulary of classical medicine and eastern medicine is a normal working day of the doctor. When you come to the office, you will not talk to the translator but to the doctor directly.

The quickest way to register a visit is to call Professor Enji directly at 607 489 251. If you have registered via email or visit booking form, it always takes longer (about 1-3 business days). In addition, people who are already patients of Prof. Enji are always served first.

You can send an SMS from the number that is assigned to your patient card with this information. You can call 607489251 directly to the professor or send an email to: akupunktura@tutanota.com

Yes. Each active substance contained in a specific herb has its scientifically proven effect. Synthetic drugs are nothing more than an artificially patented active substance, e.g. obtained from herbs. Herbal medicine is therefore effective and must be ordained reasonably by qualified specialists.

There are differences. First of all, in Polish herbal medicine we have about 200 well-known and described herbs, and in eastern about 5,000. There are also large differences in composition, due to the climate and cultivation method. In Poland, all herbs over these 200 are imported from China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Chile, Brazil and the Amazon. Polish suppliers are not able to ensure regular supplies of goods for which there is such a high demand. Even the so-called Tibetan herbs are already entirely produced, e.g. in Mongolia and India. Tibet due to the active actions of Chinese politicians has long ceased to be an oasis of herbal medicine and knowledge of traditional medical systems.

No. Products for wholesale or retail sale in pharmacies are often completely worthless. It is important to choose the right herbs, their composition, origin and method of cultivation, and then to prepare for sale (confectioning), keeping, and most importantly the method of preparation and dosage. Most herbs from Asia are produced by traditional companies respecting ancient recipes and without the use of any chemicals or fertilizers. The production of herbs in European conditions is hardly possible due to the climate, the relatively low number of sunny days and the temperature. For example, some herbs such as "ginseng" are grown mainly on the slopes of the mountains, where the flowing mountain water rich in vitamins and minerals properly fertilizes the roots. A lot could be written and narrated in this topic, but we will try to prepare an appropriate article that will fully answer your question.

The task of doctors is to treat patients according to their knowledge gained at the Medical Academy and from their own experience. In my opinion, patients do not report to doctors until the disease is already advanced. Then both diagnostics and treatment is much more expensive and takes much more time. Often, such conditions cannot be reversed, and the patient is ultimately left for symptomatic treatment. That is why I believe that periodic diagnostics and preventive visits are the key to maintaining health for years.

Western herbal medicine primarily treats diseases or symptoms such as headaches, runny nose, backache etc. Chinese herbal medicine designs a prescription that will deal with the symptom but also the underlying condition that led to the problem arising. In dealing with the cause of the symptom, more permanent relief is sought. It should be added here that in Poland we have, as we once mentioned, about 200 well-known herbs, and in China there are over 5,000. So please see this massive gap of knowledge and experience over the years.

The majority of conditions treated by acupuncture can also be treated with Chinese herbs and often the two therapies are combined for best effect. However, Chinese herbs are especially good for promoting the body’s ability to heal and recuperate. In this way common colds and flu, amongst other acute diseases respond well to herbs. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis or acne all respond well to herbalism. Gynaecological disorders and infertility respond particularly well, autoimmune diseases and degenerative diseases due to aging can also be helped with Chinese herbs. There are many fields where these methods are effective or very desirable. The best way to contact your Chinese medicine therapists is to talk about your problems and show your test results. On this basis, it will be possible to plan the best treatment regimen tailored to your expectations and not affecting your previous conventional treatment.

While, on occasion the boiling up of herbs may be necessary, in the majority of cases this can be avoided. The remedies can either be provided in ready made pill for or by having the herbs ground up into fine powder which is taken as a tea or put into capsules. This then allows for the herbs to be taken quickly and easily without disrupting peoples busy lives.

Yes, if prescribed by a qualified herbal practitioner. Herbs can be very effective in the treatment of various disorders during pregnancy. Our clinic requires the consent of the attending physician and our physician after full medical diagnosis.