Oakland, CA – Chinese Herbal Medicine to Support COVID-19 Recovery

Chinese herbs in powdered format

As we are getting our first confirmed cases of coronavirus in Alameda County, sufferers are turning to Chinese herbal medicine to support their recovery. We are hearing that more than 85% of COVID-19 cases in China were treated with Chinese herbal therapies in combination with western medicine

While it is too early to have research on the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine on this novel coronavirus, pharmacology has shown that specific Chinese herbs address coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, vomiting and nausea, and body aches, and some of the antiviral Chinese herbs have been useful against other SARS viruses. Decreasing the severity of symptoms and helping coughs become more productive should ease the burden for those suffering from viral infections.

Please note that if you suspect you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should immediately contact your primary care practitioner for diagnosis and treatment.

Use of Chinese Herbs for Epidemics

China has had over 300 epidemics during the 2,000+ years during which Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture have existed. Over the years, herbalists have developed a complex system of diagnosis and herbal prescriptions to address the wide varieties of symptoms that occur in viral epidemics. These traditional formulas can be modified with additional herbs to address the symptoms that arise from novel viruses.

How Can Chinese Herbs Help My Symptoms?

Appropriate Chinese herbs can be prescribed by understanding your symptoms as well as looking at your tongue and/or feeling your pulse to confirm what your body is showing. If you have a headache, fever, and body aches, or you have chills with a dry cough, or you have a fever with thick yellow phlegm and difficulty breathing, or any combination of symptoms, your herbalist can customize a Chinese formula to address these symptoms.

As we learn more about COVID-19 we are understanding that people showing symptoms often take two or three weeks to fully recover. Chinese herbal medicine may ease the severity of symptoms and aid the recovery from this virus. Again, anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should be receiving western medical care, especially in cases where breathing is difficult.

If you know anyone who needs herbal medicine to help recover from COVID or other viruses, please contact me. I provide herbal consultations by phone and ship or deliver the herbs to your house to reduce risk of spreading any infections.