Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms & Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms & Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, pain, and stiffness in the joints. It can be complex and affect the health and quality of life of patients.

Here are some clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis and its treatment approach according to traditional Chinese medicine:

1. Symptoms and Treatment Methods:

• Pain in the joints of the legs and hands, swelling and pain, pain that moves, limited movement, aversion to wind and cold, white sticky coating on the tongue, slippery pulse:

• Cause: Due to dampness invasion, cold stagnation, causing obstruction of the meridians.

• Treatment method: Dispel wind, eliminate dampness, dispel cold and unblock the meridians.

• Swelling and pain in the joints of the hands and feet, heavy, fixed pain, feeling cold to the touch, pain intensifies with cold:

• Cause: Due to cold invasion, causing obstruction of the meridians, poor blood circulation.

• Treatment method: Warm the meridians, dispel cold, eliminate dampness and unblock the meridians.

• Swelling, redness, heat and pain in the joints, joint stiffness, heavy, chest tightness and discomfort, thirsty but don’t want to drink, red tongue, yellow thick coating, rapid and forceful pulse:

• Cause: Due to heat invasion, combined with dampness, causing inflammation and obstruction of the meridians.

• Treatment method: Clear heat, eliminate dampness, promote Qi and unblock the meridians.

• Swelling, redness, heat and pain in the joints, like burning, feeling comfortable with cold, difficulty in flexing and extending, skin eruptions, red face, constipation, red tongue with yellow coating, slippery and forceful pulse:

• Cause: Due to severe heat, causing damage to the blood, obstruction of the meridians.

• Treatment method: Clear heat, detoxify, cool the blood.

• Swelling and pain in the joints, difficulty in flexing and extending, joint deformity, purple tongue with ecchymosis:

• Cause: Due to blood stasis, Qi stagnation, obstruction of the meridians, causing joint deformity.

• Treatment method: Activate blood circulation, remove stasis, eliminate phlegm and unblock the meridians.

• Pale complexion, numbness and fatigue in the joints, dizziness and nausea, joint deformity, shortness of breath, pale thin tongue, weak and slow pulse:

• Cause: Due to Qi and blood deficiency, weak meridians, leading to pain and joint deformity.

• Treatment method: Tonify Qi and nourish blood, promote Qi and unblock the meridians.

2. Treatment Based on Disease Pattern:

• Long-lasting joint pain, accompanied by liver and kidney Yin deficiency/Yang deficiency:

• Yang deficiency: Warm and tonify the liver and kidneys, dispel cold and unblock the meridians.

• Yin deficiency: Nourish the liver and kidneys, strengthen muscles and bones.

Notes:

• This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional diagnosis and treatment.

• Patients should seek medical attention for diagnosis and timely treatment.

Advice:

• Keep the body warm and avoid exposure to cold environments.

• Limit strenuous activity to avoid aggravating the joints.

• Pay attention to diet and ensure adequate nutrition.

• Perform gentle, appropriate exercises to strengthen the body and improve joint flexibility.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that requires long-term monitoring and treatment. Along with medical treatments, patients need to be conscious of their health, change their lifestyle to effectively control the disease, and improve their quality of life.