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Herbal products come in every shape and package. At the Lane Cove clinic, granules are dispensed in labelled bottles with written directions; here is what to ask and why the label stays with the product.

Browse any health food store or wellness website and you will find herbal products in every form: capsules, powders, tinctures, teas and more, many of them beautifully packaged and displayed beside skincare and beauty supplements. An attractive box, though, tells you very little about whether a product is right for you.

Looks can mislead

A sleek container may feel modern, while an old-fashioned label may feel more authentic. Neither impression settles the practical points: what the product contains, how its directions should be followed and whether it might interact with your other medicines. Clear identification and written instructions matter far more than presentation.

How the clinic supplies herbal medicine

Chinese herbal medicine prescribed by Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, at the Lane Cove clinic is dispensed as granules in labelled bottles, each with individual written directions for preparation, measuring, storage and use-by date. Useful questions include:

• What exactly does this preparation contain?
• How do I follow the written directions day to day?
• When will we review whether it is still appropriate?
• What should I do if I notice a side effect?

Labels belong with the product

Keep the granules in their original labelled bottle. Decanting them into an unmarked jar or travel container can make it hard to know later what you were taking, especially if another health professional asks. If any instruction is unclear, check with Christine before using the product rather than borrowing directions from a different preparation.

When your medicine list changes, for example after a new prescription from your GP, return to the herbal plan rather than assuming earlier advice still holds. Pregnancy, planned surgery or a new diagnosis are further reasons to ask, and your GP or pharmacist should know about any herbal product you use.

A quick look at the labels

If you already come in for massage or skin care, feel free to bring your current products to your next visit. Reading the labels together is a sensible first step in deciding whether a separate herbal consultation is worth booking.