By Bill Egloff

Prescribing herbs is the right treatment for many chiropractors' patients. Herbs are easily understood by patients to be an adjunct to nutritional and lifestyle counseling, and the goal of achieving balance in one's life. Culturally, many patients look forward to using the herbs that their grandparents and ancestors have used to nurture their health and overcome various ailments. There are many different perspectives on herb usage that patients are comfortable with and, therefore, more compliant with.

Single-herb prescribing is more common in Europe and the West than in Asia. Culturally, it is more like a Western medicine model than one of traditional Chinese medicine The patient should tell you if they prefer to have a standardized single-herb product or a whole herb prepared for its complete complex characteristics. A quick and simple explanation of the herb's benefit and the different delivery strategies will empower the patient to be more of a partner in their treatment, and it is easier for them to relate to an herb than to a vitamin, mineral or supplement. Patients are looking for a more natural solution.

Similarly, prepared combinations of herbs can be understood to be similar to multivitamin and mineral tablets, and that they are trying to address a number of different issues at the same time. These combinations tend to be for more chronic conditions and can be seen as long-term nutritional support. Remind the patient to be expecting short-term results with many acute ailments.

For those patients who value the practitioner understanding their unique conditions and suffering, Chinese herbs also offer a very personal and customized treatment that puts the focus on the specific symptoms that the patient is experiencing. This aspect of custom Chinese herb prescriptions is unique to the cultural integration of herbs into the traditional Chinese health care model.

There are many cases that need more than normal dietary supplementation of vitamins and minerals. Many menstrual problems like irregular, painful, scanty menses are easily treated with herbs. Infertility responds well with herbs for both women and men. In fact, some of the most prescribed herb formulas used in integrative practices are for infertility. There is no more effective strategy to support the fertility of a couple than herbs, especially Chinese herbs.

The irony that the earthiest and most ancient of healing would be effective when the patient has not been helped by the leading high-tech solutions is stunning yet true. There are no other natural methods that are considered at this stage. This is an example of the power that is inherent in herbal formulas when prescribed by a knowledgeable herbalist.

Bill Egloff is President of Crane Herb Company.