How are Chinese herbs taken?
Chinese herbs are given in many different forms. Most commonly the herbs are taken as a decoction. This means that whole dried herbs are given to the patient and they boil them with water for a set amount of time. The resulting liquid is drunk much like tea. Another method is to take whole herbs and grind them into a powder which is mixed with boiling water and drunk also like tea. Herbs can also be taken in granular form, which is also a powder, but unlike ground herbs this powder can be dissolved in any liquid and then drunk. There are also pill and tablet herbal formulas. Not all Chinese herbs are taken internally—they can be made into poultices, ointments, oils and lotions—and used externally.
