How does Chinese Herbal Medicine work?

Chinese herbal medicine, when prescribed is carefully balanced to accentuate its strengths and reduce any side effects. A single drug (herb) can only exert limited effects on a patient. Though when combining it with another drug (herb) it is possible to stimulate these effects to become stronger, or to diminish unwanted reactions in the patient and thereby display even better therapeutic effects. Gaining such strong therapeutic effects via the combined application of drugs(herbs), is what differs Chinese Pharmaceutics from other forms of medicine.

The combination of drugs (herbs) is always tailored to the patient. Adjustments are made to fit specific requirements of the patient such as, if the patient is taking Western medication, changes in the disease during the course of treatment, the strength of the patient (old or young). Therefore a patient does not receive the same medicine each week and does not receive the same as others with the same complaint.