Herbal Medicines And Complementary Therapies

Overview

Herbal medicines are products made from plants (leaves, roots, seeds, flowers or bark) that people take as pills, teas, powders or creams to improve health. Complementary therapies are treatments such as acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy, homeopathy, yoga or meditation that are used alongside, rather than instead of, ordinary medical care. When a therapy is used instead of proven medical treatment, it is called 'alternative' — and that can be risky. 'Natural' does not automatically mean safe: plant products contain active ingredients that can affect the body, interact with prescription medicines, and cause side effects. Herbal products are also regulated differently from medicines in most countries, so what is on the label is not always exactly what is in the bottle.

Yes, very common. Surveys around the world suggest that a large share of adults — often a quarter to a half — have used some form of herbal or complementary therapy, and many people use them alongside prescribed medicines without telling their doctor. Use is particularly high among people living with long-term conditions.

Anyone can use herbal medicines and complementary therapies, but the risks are higher for: people taking prescription medicines (especially blood thinners, diabetes medicines, blood pressure or heart medicines, and medicines that affect the immune system); people who are pregnant or breastfeeding; children; older adults; people with liver or kidney disease; people with cancer having treatment; and anyone due to have surgery.

Symptoms

Common symptoms

• Most people feel no problems at all — but unwanted effects can include mild stomach upset, loose stools, headache or dizziness.
• Skin rashes, itching or a mild allergic reaction after starting a new product or cream.
• Drowsiness or feeling 'foggy' after calming or sleep-promoting herbs.
• Changes you may not feel, such as a rise or fall in blood pressure or blood sugar, or a stronger effect from your regular medicines.
• Easy bruising or longer bleeding from small cuts, which can happen with some herbal products.
• Unpredictable effects because the strength of herbal products varies from batch to batch and brand to brand.

Symptoms in children

• Children process substances differently from adults, and some herbs that are fine for adults are not recommended for children.
• Watch for tummy upset, rash, sleepiness, unusual irritability, or a change in behaviour after starting anything new.
• Never give a herbal product to a baby or young child without checking with a doctor or pharmacist first — some, such as certain cough and cold preparations, are not suitable for young children.

Symptoms in older adults

• Older adults often take several prescribed medicines, which raises the chance of interactions.
• Herbs that cause drowsiness can increase the risk of falls and confusion.
• Kidney and liver function change with age, so the body clears substances more slowly.
• Memory problems can make it hard to keep track of what is being taken — a simple written list helps.

Causes

Main causes

• People look for extra help with symptoms that standard treatment has not fully relieved, such as pain, fatigue, anxiety, sleep problems or menopause symptoms.
• Cultural and family traditions, and a wish for care that feels natural or more personal.
• Recommendations from friends, social media, online sellers, and advertising that may overstate benefits and understate risks.
• Frustration or disappointment with conventional care, or difficulty getting an explanation and a diagnosis.
• Weak regulation in many countries means products can be sold with limited checks on quality, purity or claims.
• Some harm comes from taking a product that interacts with prescribed medicines, from contamination or mislabelling, or from delaying a proper diagnosis.

Risk factors

• Taking prescription medicines — especially blood thinners, diabetes medicines, blood pressure and heart medicines, epilepsy medicines, and medicines that suppress the immune system
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Being a child, or being an older adult
• Liver or kidney disease
• Cancer, or treatment for cancer such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy
• Surgery planned in the next few weeks
• Known allergies to plants, including ragweed, daisy-family plants, or pollen
• Mental health conditions, where a product might affect mood or interact with treatment
• Buying products online or from unfamiliar suppliers, where quality is hardest to check

When to see a doctor

See a doctor urgently if:

• Any breathing difficulty, face or throat swelling, chest pain, fainting or seizure — call your local emergency number straight away
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or pale stools
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Severe stomach pain, ongoing vomiting, or a spreading rash
• You are about to have surgery and are taking herbal products — get advice now

Book a routine appointment if:

• You are thinking of starting a herbal product and you take any prescription medicine
• You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering a product for a child
• You have a long-term condition affecting your liver, kidneys, heart or immune system
• A supplement or therapy is being used instead of a treatment your doctor recommended
• You want to know whether a therapy has good evidence behind it
• You have spent money on products that are not helping and want to review your options

Diagnosis

There is no single test for 'complementary therapy use'. Instead, your clinician will take a careful history: what you take or do, in what amount and how often, for how long, why you started, who recommended it, and whether anything changed afterwards. They will review all your medicines and supplements together to look for interactions, and will consider whether your symptoms could be caused by the product, by the condition it was meant to treat, or by something else that needs investigating.

Tests that may be done

• A full medication and supplement review, including creams, teas and powders — bring the packaging or a photo of the label
• Blood tests to check liver and kidney function, blood count, blood sugar or clotting, depending on what you take
• Blood pressure and heart rate checks
• Allergy testing in some cases, arranged by a specialist
• Tests to investigate the underlying symptom the product was meant to help
• Occasionally, a specialist referral to a clinical pharmacology or complementary medicine service

What to expect at your appointment

Expect a friendly, non-judgemental conversation rather than a lecture. Your clinician will ask you to list everything you use, will explain any interactions or concerns in plain language, and will agree a plan with you — which might be continuing something safely, changing the timing of a dose, stopping a product, or choosing a better-evidenced option. Write your questions down beforehand, and bring a list or bag of everything you take.

Treatment

The main approach is safety and informed choice rather than 'treating' complementary therapy use itself. Your healthcare team will help you weigh up the possible benefits against the risks, protect your other treatments from interference, and make sure nothing serious is being missed. Many people continue with therapies they value while making small changes to keep things safe.

Self-care at home

• Keep one up-to-date written list of every medicine, herb, vitamin and therapy you use, and show it at every appointment.
• Buy from reputable, regulated suppliers and keep the original packaging and batch number.
• Follow the label exactly and avoid 'doubling up' by taking several products with similar ingredients.
• Be cautious with very large doses, long-term use without review, and 'detox' or 'cure-all' claims.
• Stop a new product and seek advice if you notice any new symptom, then tell your clinician what you took.
• Check with a pharmacist before combining anything with prescription medicines, including over-the-counter ones.
• Ask about stopping certain products a set time before planned surgery or procedures.
• Be sceptical of claims of miracle cures, and of anyone who advises you to stop prescribed treatment.

Medical treatments

Medical care focuses on monitoring and support. Your clinician may ask you to pause a product to see whether symptoms settle, adjust the timing of your regular medicines so they are less likely to interact, or arrange blood tests to check your liver, kidneys or blood counts. If a reaction has occurred, treatment is supportive — for example, managing an allergic reaction, treating dehydration from vomiting or diarrhoea, or relieving skin irritation — and is matched to your symptoms. If a product has been masking or delaying the diagnosis of a condition, the priority is to investigate and treat that condition properly. Your clinician may also point you towards therapies with better evidence for your particular problem, such as talking therapies or physiotherapy for pain.

When is surgery considered?

Some herbal products can increase bleeding, affect blood pressure, or interfere with anaesthesia. Tell your surgeon and anaesthetist about everything you take, and ask well before your operation how long to stop beforehand — the timing depends on the specific product, so get individual advice rather than guessing.

Living with this condition

Living well with complementary therapy use is mostly about being organised and open. Keep a simple record of what you take, review it every few months, and treat any new symptom as a reason to check in rather than to push on. It is fine to enjoy therapies that help you relax or feel better — the aim is to use them wisely, not to give everything up.

Lifestyle tips

• Review your supplements every few months and stop anything that is not clearly helping.
• Tell every clinician, dentist and pharmacist what you use, including at hospital appointments.
• Choose qualified, registered practitioners and ask about their training and professional body.
• Be wary of products sold with dramatic claims or pressure to buy quickly.
• Avoid sharing products with family members, and keep them out of reach of children.
• Ask someone you trust to help you keep track if you take several products.

Diet and exercise

Good food, regular movement and enough sleep remain the foundations of feeling well, and they often help the very symptoms people hope herbs will fix — tiredness, low mood, aches and poor sleep. If you are considering a herbal product for weight, energy or digestion, talk to your clinician first; simple changes to diet and activity are usually safer, cheaper and better supported by evidence.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing

People often turn to complementary therapies when they feel anxious, low, or worn down by a long-term condition, and the comfort and routine of a therapy can genuinely help you feel more in control. At the same time, some products can affect mood, sleep or concentration, and relying on an unproven remedy can delay help that would work better. If you are struggling with your mental health, please reach out — talking therapies and support from your doctor are effective, and you deserve proper help. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line in your country straight away.

Prevention

You cannot 'prevent' people from exploring herbal and complementary options, and there is no need to. What can be prevented is harm: most problems come from interactions, poor-quality products, unqualified practitioners, and using a therapy instead of a needed diagnosis or treatment. Being open with your healthcare team and checking before you start something new prevents a large share of these difficulties.

Screening programmes

Tell your clinician about all supplements and therapies at every routine review, before starting a new medicine, before surgery, and during pregnancy planning. Some herbal products can also interfere with laboratory tests and with scans, so mention them when you are sent for investigations — this helps avoid misleading results and repeat tests.

Complications

If left untreated

• Interactions with prescription medicines that make those medicines weaker or stronger than intended
• Liver or kidney injury from some products, contaminated ingredients, or very high doses
• Bleeding problems, particularly with surgery or alongside blood-thinning medicines
• A serious condition going undiagnosed because a remedy was used instead of getting checked
• Allergic reactions, some of them severe
• Wasted money, and distress when promised benefits do not appear
• Unexpected effects on blood pressure, blood sugar, mood or sleep

Long-term outlook

The outlook is good for most people. Serious harm is uncommon, and the great majority of people who use herbs and complementary therapies safely, sensibly and openly do fine. The key is partnership: keep your care team informed, choose quality products and qualified practitioners, and treat complementary approaches as an add-on to good medical care rather than a replacement for it. If something does go wrong, stopping the product and getting advice early usually puts things right quickly.

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