Therapy details - Herbal Medicine
Herbal Medicine or Phytotherapy is the treatment of disease conditions with plant remedies - leaves, flowers, roots, bark, seeds, fruits etc. Its aim to is to revitalise the body and allow it to regain its normal balance, known as homeostasis.
The training for a Medical Herbalist involves knowledge of Human Biology and Chemistry to A-Level standard, followed by a 4 year degree course, which includes the study of:
Anatomy & Physiology, Biochemistry, Horticulture, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacy, Medicine, Clinical Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis, Pathology, Nutrition, Psychiatry, Dermatology etc. and of course, Materia Medica, the study of the plants themselves.
The study is reinforced by 500 hours clinical training.
The first consultation is a detailed case history with simple clinical tests such as blood pressure or urinalysis and takes up to 1 ½ hours. Some questions may appear unrelated to the presenting complaint but it helps the practitioner gain an insight into the background of the condition.
A prescription is formulated and nutrition and lifestyle advice given. The prescription may be in the form of teas, tinctures, creams, ointments, suppositories, inhalation etc. - and is unique to the client.
A follow-up appointment is normally made 2 weeks later when the condition and prescription is re-assessed. Sometimes the client will have been requested to keep a diary to monitor changes.
It is suitable for acute and chronic conditions, (from coughs and colds to auto-immune disorders) but generally the longer a condition has persisted, the longer it takes for it to improve.
Therapists who run this therapy - click name to view details:
Liz Lillicrap