Herbal medicine is the main treatment method within Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is the world's oldest, continually practiced professional medicine. Its written history stretches back thousands of years and its practice is probably much older than that.
How herbal medicine is prescribed in TCM is different than Western folk herbalism. Western herbalism primarily treats diseases or symptoms, such as headaches, runny nose, etc... TCM herbal medicine is based on an individualized pattern diagnosis as well as a disease diagnosis. Your pattern is made up of signs and symptoms, your emotional temperament and the overall composition of your body.