Have you been self-medicating with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) patent remedies?

Though many Chinese people buy TCM patent remedies over the counter in China, they still often make mistakes and  sometimes damage their own health.  In the West, TCM patent herbal medicines are becoming very easy to buy over the internet, but this is not recommended. Because diagnosis in TCM is not straightforward, it is easy to think you have it right but actually you may not.  TCM herbal medicine adds something into the body that was not there before

and so it has the potential to be do great damage if it is wrong or if it is taken for too long a time.   For example, most people think that taking ginseng is a great idea because everyone wants more energy, but ginseng is not right for every body type.  There are also many different types of ginseng, some of which are more potent than others.   If you take the wrong type for your body type or you take it for too long you can overstimulate the appetite, cause excessive sweating, or cause anxiety.  This damage can take time and effort to undo.  Your TCM practitioner can make the best choice for you and prevent you from getting side-effects.