WHAT HAPPENS IN A CONSULTATION ?

An initial consulatation will last a minimum of an hour. This enables a thorough medical history to be taken and acknowledges any lifestyle, diet or emotional factors which may be contributing to a patients presentation. A full record of any orthodox medication is taken to ensure that herbal medicines are administered in a safe and informed way.

Treatment may include not only an individual herbal medicine prescription (in the form of tinctures, teas, creams, or tablets) but is also supported by lifestyle and dietary interventions in which herbalists are trained.

Herbal medicine is often most effective when taken over a period of time, especially in chronic, long term illnesses. It can be difficult to predict how long treatment will last in most cases, as individual response can vary.

A follow up appointment is usually 2-3 weeks after the initial consultation to monitor the response to the medicines and make any adjustments neccessary to the prescription. Subsequent appointments may be 4-6 weekly depending on the condition being treated.

WHAT CAN HERBAL MEDICINE TREAT?

There are few health conditions in which herbal medicine cannot offer some help. Many from serious to mild can be treated by the proper use of herbal medicine.

Commonly treated conditions:

Digestive: e.g. Indigestion, ulcers, colitis, irritable bowel syndromes, reflux.

Respiratory: e.g. Asthma, coughs, colds, bronchitis, ear infections.

Hormonal: e.g. PMT, painful periods, menopause, thyroid and fertility problems.

Rheumatic: e.g. Gout, arthritis, painful joints.

Psychological & Emotional: e.g. Insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress and fatigue.

Skin:Eczema, Acne, Ance Rosacea

Allergies: e.g. Hay fever, Candida, food intolerances.

Immune System: e.g. reduced immunity, recurrent infections, fibromyalgia, Chronic fatiuge

Circulatory: e.g. High blood pressure, angina, varicose veins, high cholesterol.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM A TREATMENT?

Progress of treatment is dependant on the type of illness, its severity and duration. A general rule of thumb is that a condition may take a month for each year of duration, for example a 10 year condition may take up to a year to clear, give or take a few months. This is just a guideline. Some conditions may clear faster or slower.

In each case slow and lasting changes are very encouraging. There are some conditions such as digestive problems which will respond quickly and are greatly enhanced by lifestyle and dietary changes. While others such as hormonal changes may take a 4-12 weeks to see results due to the slow process involved in the endocrine system.

As herbal medicine looks at each person as an individual, responses will reflect this. In each case the goal is to help the body to heal itself by correcting imbalance, in a gentle and lasting manner.It consideres an individual to be much more complex than the sum of thier symptoms and seeks to look at the root of the illness to achieve lasting change.

HOW DO I KNOW YOU ARE A FULLY TRAINED HERBALIST?

I am a member of the Irish Institute of Medical Herbalists (IIMH), the professional body for degree qualified medical herbalists in Ireland. Members of this organisation can be distinguished by the letters MIIMH after thier name.

All IIMH members have completed a minimum of 500 hours clinical training and a four year honours Degree in Herbal Medicine at an accredited institution.

This organisation is committed to continuing professional development of members and is governed by a code of ethics. Members are trained to recognise when a condition should be seen by a doctor or by another therapist.

Irish Institute of Medical Herbalists Website