Through questioning, the practitioner will systematically go through the bodily systems and the status of their functions will all contribute to their analysis of the total health picture of the patient. This will be followed by necessary and relevant physical examinations, which may include tongue, urine and pulse diagnosis, taking the blood pressure, listening to the heart or chest, palpating the abdomen, examining the nails, and so on.
The consultation begins the minute patient meets practitioner.
CASE HISTORY
I remember thinking to myself when the herbalist asked me why I had come to see her, where would I start, what would I say?…“My heart is broken, some days I barely have enough energy to pick up a glass of water and if I manage to drink it, it seems to come out of my eyes…my diet is extremely healthy but completely erratic, I seem to punish myself with gruelling exercise regimes and work like it is going out of fashion and I don't sleep enough. HELP!” How on earth could this poor herbalist possibly know how or with what to treat me?
I consulted a herbalist who combined Western herbal medicine with Ayurvedic techniques. From the minute we met, I could see her watching and listening, not in an intrusive way, just to get the whole picture from where I was in the present to where I had come from. I was made to feel extremely at ease as my story and tears flowed and looking back on it, the way I was gently encouraged to talk and unravel my muddles was quite impressive, as not once did I feel I was being interrogated.
I remember being asked about a number of things; my sleeping pattern, diet, menstrual cycle and childhood illnesses, which to me may have seemed of little importance but as the herbalist explained several possible links to my conditions, things started to make sense. The herbalist wanted to check my tongue and I was intrigued to know that tooth marks around the edge may be due to “over-doing and exhaustion causing poor absorption of nutrients,” while a thin coating may be linked to poor digestion. She asked “did I feel the need to push myself to perfection, have any history of tonsillitis, bronchitis or cystitis, ever suffer with hypoglycaemia, insomnia or over competitiveness?” It was at this stage that I thought my boyfriend had pre-warned her about me as I quietly nodded my head, answering her questions. I learnt about the three primary forces or humours derived from the five elements known as doshas, in Ayurveda. They are responsible for all functions in the body, physical and psychological. My predominant dosha is pitta. Some aspects of pitta aggravation described me in a nutshell: I am a perfectionist, I miss meals, suppress my emotions, look after everybody first and put myself last, work far too much, and am hopeless in inflammatory situations such as anger, frustration or irritation…no wonder I was out of balance, all of these things are no good for a pitta type!
The herbalist took a detailed record of my diet and daily routines and within minutes I began to understand why I was lacking in energy, felt tearful and sensitive and why my digestion needed attention.
The herbalist took notes on the condition of my skin, hair, eyes and nails. I was already feeling better and I had not even been prescribed any herbs. I felt that the hour's consultation was relaxed yet I had gained a deep and comprehensive understanding of myself as an individual.
One thing which I found an enormous help was that the logistics of taking the herbs prescribed to me were realistic to me and my life situation. I did not have to boil up this or that whilst on the run, or take a third of this at any other specific time. I left the consultation feeling extremely positive, full of great ideas on how to help myself and was looking forward to trying out lots of new recipes. I enjoyed the “holistic”, approach as I could really see the importance of the, “whole story”. We certainly are linked in mind and body and not seeing this had played a huge part of where I had been going wrong.
I regularly see my herbalist for top ups and checks. She always takes the time to listen and this, for me, is vital and I have never looked back.
Treatment
The treatment of most ailments begins at home. Many people are almost unwittingly using herbal medicine in common household remedies like salt gargles for sore throats, hot lemon and honey drinks for colds and catarrh, chamomile tea for sleep, peppermint to settle the stomach, vinegar for wasp stings and dock leaves for nettle stings.
The more you can learn about simple remedies for minor ailments, which could be sitting in your larder, growing in your garden or wild in the hedgerows, the more opportunity you will have to treat the first signs of acute infections and minor ailments without the necessity of drugs such as antibiotics, and thereby help to prevent the development of more serious disorders.
Herbs used in this way make excellent preventive medicines and can enhance general well-being when taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle. For more chronic or serious disorders it is advisable to consult a professional herbalist who uses herbs in the context of a holistic approach to healing, where physical symptoms are viewed in relation to other factors, including temperament, stress, social, domestic and working environment, relationships, diet, relaxation and exercise. All play a part in the emergence of an individual pattern of symptoms.
Who Consults a Herbalist?
Most people who consult a herbalist present with chronic disorders rather than acute symptoms. They may be seeking a more natural alternative or complement to allopathic drugs from their doctor for their disorder, that addresses causes rather than symptoms or they may have been treated unsuccessfully elsewhere. Frequently it is those whose symptoms do not fit into a classical “disease” picture or who have symptoms for which there is little in the way of allopathic medicine to remedy their situation. Allergies such as eczema, urticaria and conjunctivitis, and hormonal, nervous and immune problems are good examples of these. Often people come after years of coping with health problems, in which case it may take some time to return completely to health.
Plenty of exercise, rest and good food enhances wellbeing and makes preventive remedies more effective.
As people are becoming more health aware in the holistic sense, they are looking to “alternative” or “complementary” health models as a first line of treatment rather than a last resort. They may simply feel under the weather, tired or run down with vague symptoms, which they would like to understand and resolve before they progress further. In many cases they may just need to have time to talk, to be heard and understood, and to activate their own self-healing mechanisms with the support of a herbal practitioner. The role of the herbalist is often that of counsellor.
Herbal treatment can be taken alongside allopathic drugs in many instances and a herbalist will check for any possible herb-drug interactions before prescribing. For those with long term problems, such as cardiovascular and auto-immune disease, working with a herbalist will help improve general health, energy and “joie de vivre” so that the patient is better able to cope with their problems.
Scheduling Visits
Generally, medical herbalists do not hold open surgery, since appointments tend to be lengthy and so need to be booked in advance. First appointments are likely to last about an hour and follow up visits are thirty to forty-five minutes. Many herbalists operate a sliding scale of charges for the consultation and the herbal medicines prescribed, and for students, pensioners, the unemployed or those experiencing hard financial times fees may be reduced.
To illustrate,
