Conditions For Herbal Treatment

There are seven conditions for herbal treatment that are generally accepted as the best areas to use herbs. Once again common sense rules, as if you don't get better, try another remedy and perhaps contact your doctor.

• Disorders and symptoms in older adults

Elderly people often have disorders affecting many organs and symptoms may change from week to week. Doctors often give 6-12 different presciptions and many older people cannot tolerate theraputic doses. Treating symptoms with herbs can allow a doctor to perhaps reduce the dose of the prescription, thereby reducing side effects. This may not hold true for all diseases, such as severe cardiac conditions.

• Disorders of the immune system

Some clinical studies have shown that various herbs are effective in allergies, asthma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and perhaps even may help the sypmtoms of multiple sclerosis.

• Psychological disorders

Using herbal medicines for psychiatric disorders should be done with a healthcare provider who is aware of the affects of herbs and can recognize if a patient is having an emergency. Combinations of herbs for depression can be quite effective without causing tremor, nightmares and other side effects.

• Subjective symptoms

At times, when a diagnosis cannot be made, it may be beneficial to treat the symptoms. This may be especially true when a diagnosis is known, but cost dictates that funds be spent on other treatments. Some things such as menopause may benefit from herbal remedies for menopausal symptoms.

• Allergic and adverse reactions to drug therapy

A good example of herbal use in adverse reactions is the patient with arthritis who cannot tolerate oral non-steroidals due to the effects on the stomach. Herbs for arthritis relieve pain the same way COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex) do and are available at a much cheaper price.

• Combination therapy with conventional medicine

Herbs may strengthen the body's response to rescription medications. A good example is the use of prednisone when treating lupus. By using a specific formula of Chinese medicine with gensing, the dose of prednisone can be lowered, thus avoiding steroid side effects.

• Combination therapy to reduce side effects of conventional medicine

Chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment fight the disease but have horrible nausea, vomiting, loss of hair and appetite. Herbs and formulas exist that can reduct these side effects. Herbs can also be used to combat side effects of radiation therapy.

As you can see, conditions for herbal treatment are varied, but there are certain disease states where herbs do serve a place. Return to herb description and medicinal use.