Clinical Herbal Medicine Treatment Process & Costs

If you are new to clinical Chinese herbal medicine treatment, it is going to be different from anything else you have done before. In this case, different is good because it allows us to get achieve a different, and better, result than all the things that haven't worked for you so far. Because it's a new and different way of approaching problems, it helps to have a little more information on what to expect. Please read the sections below to understand more about the process and treatment costs.

When you're ready to get started, your treatment begins with scheduling a consultation.

Custom Herbal Formulas

Individualized treatment with custom herbal formulas is the backbone of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In my clinical practice I draw from the complete Chinese materia medica of 400 individual herbs to make formulas which are a combination of 12 to 18 single herbs. This means I have tens of thousands of unique formula combinations at my fingertips, and  am able to craft highly specific herbal formulas tailored to you and your health concerns.

My custom herbal formulas are made with either granule extracts or raw herbs. Granule extracts are concentrated herbal extracts that you add to water and drink like a tea. Raw herb formulas come as dried herbs (roots, barks, berries, flowers) that you prepare at home by cooking, straining, and then drinking like a tea.

If you went back a hundred years, no one would even use the word “custom” because it was implicit in the word formula itself. In Chinese the character for formula is 方, Fang. In a greater sense, Fang means ‘direction’. In the context of treatment, a Chinese herbal formula is created after the diagnostic process has been completed and we understand what direction your body needs to move towards so that your health improves and you feel better. The word for herb or medicine is 药, Yao. Herbs on their own are not inherently useful, not without 方 Fang, the specific direction. This is why Chinese herbal medicine treatment is referred to as 方药,  Fang Yao. The treatment process involves crafting a formula that combines individual herbs to work together and help get your body moving in the right direction, towards health. 

Treatment Plan with Custom Formulas

Your treatment starts with scheduling a 1 hour consultation ($200), which can be in-person, over the phone or through secure video chat. At this visit I gather and review all the necessary information in order to understand your condition, symptoms, and the underlying factors that are driving them. 

Then I create your first custom herbal formula. You might be wondering why I said your first formula. Custom herbal formulas are not like prescription medications that only suppress symptoms and therefore require taking the same meds for life. They also aren’t like your zodiac sign or personality type. A Chinese herbal formula isn’t your formula for life. 

The process of Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment is about unwinding the factors driving your condition and symptoms, with the goal of actually changing your body and health for the better. This is complex, dynamic, and is inherently more challenging to accomplish than simply suppressing symptoms.

An essential part of this process is frequent re-evaluation to determine if your body needs the same direction or if it needs to be adjusted. As we pilot your body towards better health, the formula direction (方) and the herbs needed to get you there will change along the way. 

Your body is dynamic, complex, and constantly changing. Chinese herbal medicine treatment is dynamic and complex to mirror the reality of your body and health. Frequent evaluation and formula adjustment is one of the key reasons my approach has successfully treated many cases where other doctors have failed. 

Once we have begun treatment with your first formula, I will send you a short form to complete every two weeks. The form provides me with the information I need to understand what adjustments your formula needs. Then, I send you another formula that will last two weeks, and we continue on the path of guiding your body toward feeling better. 

Herbal Treatment Plans: Standard Dosage, Intensive Dosage & Raw Herbs

The cost of custom formulas is dependent on the dosage of herbs and format of herbs (granule extract vs raw herb).

Standard Dosage. The standard dosage of granule extract is $175 for a two week supply (160 grams of granule extract) or $350 a month. This is what I consider to be the minimum effective treatment dose, and it is the treatment plan that the majority of my clients are on. This works well for most people.

Intensive Treatment Dosage. The intensive treatment dosage of granule extract is $250 for a two week supply (320 grams of granule extract) or $500 a month. This is the dosage that I would prefer to give all my clients if cost of herbs was not an obstacle. The intensive dosage is ideal when dealing with especially chronic and severe conditions. It is also an option for people who want to see treatment results faster, as it does help push your body in the right direction faster.

Raw Herb Formulas. Raw herb formulas cost $325 for a two week supply, or $650 a month. The dosage of raw herb formulas is variable but averages 1,200 grams of raw herbs for two weeks. Raw herb formulas are the most traditional form of Chinese herbal medicine, and they have advantages in certain conditions. In acute and chronic infections, raw herbs tend to work the best because the dried raw herbs preserve volatile compounds better than granule extracts. It can be confounding that raw herbs cost more when they involve more preparation, since we're used to paying more for convenience. In the Chinese herb trade, the highest grade herbs are sold as raw herbs and not turned into extracts. The shipping freight is also 5 to 10 times heavier than granule extracts. These factors increase the cost, even though raw herb formulas take more time for you to prepare at home.

If those choices seem overwhelming, you can assume that I will recommend the standard granule extract dosage. The higher cost formulas are always optional.

The numbers above reflect the cost of herbs using the subscription option. I recommend the subscription option to everyone because it solves one of the biggest challenges to successful herbal treatment, which is forgetting to order herbs on time. 

The subscription option is not required, but it is offered at a significant discount (~30%) to encourage everyone to go this route. It makes your life easier, it makes my life easier, and it leads to better treatment outcomes because your herbs are ordered automatically so that you can take them regularly, and feel better. 

The subscription runs on an automated synced schedule. Your card is charged every two weeks, which automatically orders your herbs. You’ll receive a form every two weeks on the same schedule so that you can update me on your symptoms and progress, and I will make adjustments to your treatment as needed. 

The synced ordering schedule allows me to plan around your care, so that I don’t leave you high and dry without herbs when I take the occasional backcountry vacation. I am always available and in cell service when you need herbs. 

You save $150 per month or more. Your herbs are ordered automatically & on time so that you don’t run out, miss a week or two of herbs and derail your treatment. You can cancel, pause, or skip shipments anytime easily by clicking the giant orange button in every order confirmation email. I’ve made this very straightforward because I know how annoying it is to deal with subscriptions that are hard to cancel. 

It’s all upside. That said, again, it is not required. You can order herbs manually, on your own schedule. You can pay for your custom herbal formula anytime in the Folkwise Store after our initial consultation. To stay on track you will need to manually order herbs every two weeks.

Treatment Plan Duration

It’s important to understand that the monthly cost of herbal medicine treatment is not a perpetual ongoing cost. Unlike medicines that only suppress symptoms and effectively need to be taken for life, Chinese herbal medicine treatment is working on unwinding the disease pattern so that your body actually changes. 

The average treatment plan is 3 to 6 months long. During this time period we expect to see significant changes in your condition, and most people do not need herbs after this. 

In some cases it can be beneficial to use a maintenance dosage of herbs ( ½ to ¼ of treatment dosage and cost) for 3 to 6 months after treatment. 

Anxiety and panic attacks are a good example. I’ve had clients go from several panic attacks per week to zero panic attacks over the course of 3 months of herbal treatment, from daily anxiolytic medication to not needing any. But a client may have stress triggers that are not going anywhere, like a stressful job or family situation. We still need to do something to support the body and push back against the negative impacts of stress. For some people, maintenance treatment is a lifestyle change like regular exercise, yoga, or an hour of meditation every day. For others, it includes taking a maintenance dosage of herbs as a preventative measure to combat the external drivers of the pattern. 

Throughout your treatment, follow up consultations ($100) are recommended every 3 months. These appointments can be in-person, over the phone or through secure video chat. You can schedule appointments more frequently if you want, but it is not required since it adds to the treatment cost. 

Ready to Get Started?

You can get started by scheduling a consultation today! I look forward to working with you.

Sincerely, Sean Dugan L.Ac.

Sean Dugan L.Ac. is a licensed and board-certified herbalist and acupuncturist. He holds a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine as well as a Diplomate in Chinese Medicine from the NCCAOM. He has studied under many Master Herbalists including Dr. Guohui Liu, Dr. Jimmy Wei-Yin Chang, Dr. Fang Zhang, Dr. Greg Livingston, and Dr. Darren Huckle. Sean’s herbal medicine practice draws from both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Classical Chinese Medicine treatment methods, with a focus on clinical efficacy above all. He has been treating patients with Chinese Herbal Medicine since 2013.