Chinese Herbal Medicine consists of herbs that can be taken internally, to nourish and strengthen the body, or those that can be applied externally, often used in martial arts and sport-related injuries. External applications come in several forms: liniments, herbal oils, tinctures, plasters and raw herb soaks. They are excellent for sore muscles and pains, sprains or strains, achy joints and arthritis. In our clinic we often use external applications for old injuries that have been over-iced or are controlled through over-the-counter pain medications.