| Cost | Herbs only* |
|---|---|
| Duration of treatment | 1 ½ hours for first appointment 30 minutes subsequently |
| Days available | Mondays and Thursdays |
Medical Herbalism, sometimes also called Phytotherapy, uses pure natural plant remedies to promote health and well-being. Herbs have been used medicinally for thousands of years and modern scientific research increasingly supports their effectiveness and studies their safety.
The herbalist deals with a wide range of health conditions in every age group. Herbal medicines are selected mainly to strengthen or stimulate the body’s normal functions and so help the body heal itself. Unlike most conventional medicines which usually have a single ingredient, herbs contain many ingredients and so may support the body’s health in several ways at once.
Consultation
Your first visit will take about one and a half hours. A student practitioner, under close supervision of the qualified practitioner will take a detailed medical history, including health problems, emotional state, lifestyle, diet and any other underlying causes. There may be other students observing. Simple investigations (eg blood pressure testing or other physical examinations) may be done, and then an individual management plan will be discussed with you along with proposed herbal treatment and any lifestyle or dietary changes. Your herbal medicine prescription will then be prepared while you wait.
Subsequent visits usually last for half an hour plus time to dispense the herbal prescription. The practitioner will assess your progress and adjust your management plan and herbal prescription as required.
All consultations are confidential and any advice on referral for further investigations or treatment either to your General Practitioner or other healthcare practitioner will be discussed with you.
Prescriptions
Your medicine will contain a selection of herbs specifically matched to your individual needs and current state of health. This is usually in the form of herb teas, tinctures, pills, creams or lotions (all easy to take or apply). Advice on diet and general health care may be offered.
Can herbal treatment be taken with the medicines I am taking from my doctor?
Herbal medicines will be chosen to avoid interaction with any current medication you might have been given by your doctor. You should continue taking any medicines prescribed by your doctor, and it is important that you do not stop using your existing treatment without seeking your doctor’s advice
Notes
Concessions are given for students, the unemployed and pensioners.
*Herbs costs vary, but a rough guide is £2 per day. Ask the practitioner if you’d prefer a more specific costing.
