Chinese Medicine Treatment of Arthritis

Philip Simpson
 

Western Medicine categorizes arthritis as having two basic categories: Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteo (referring to bone)

arthritis.  Rheumatoid arthritis can be either an acute or chronic condition which is characterized by inflammation, soreness

and pain in the joints and connective tissues. The problem can be located at a specific joint or can be generalized throughout

the patient’s body. It is an autoimmune disorder.

Osteoarthritis is characterized as being marked by progressive connective tissue degeneration in the synovial joints

(ex: fluid-containing joints such as the knee and the elbow), as well as in the vertebral connective tissues and disks of the

spinal column.

Chinese Medicine defines all types of arthritis as being ‘Bi Syndrome”. Bi refers to any obstruction occurring in the body

 which inhibits the normal circulation of qi (vital energy) and blood that allow us to have good joint and spinal movement

and function without pain.

Chinese Medicine defines Bi [pronounced  ‘Bee’](arthritis) as falling into several distinct categories on the basis of the

patient’s subjective symptoms (i.e. what the patient is experiencing), as well as what is observed by the practitioner, in

addition to the patient’s health history and questions asked during the intake process.

Chinese Medicine defines arthritis as being of two basic types, Heat Bi and Cold Bi. Heat Bi is the Chinese equivalent

of the Western Medicine diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and is so named because of the observable manifestations

 of the disease. “Cranes’ knee” is a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the knee joint and surrounding connective tissues

of the patient.  It is an apt description based on the physical appearance of the patient’s knee, as well as the linking of the

observed condition to an observable structure occurring on the animal. However, because the Chinese Medicine treatment

of Rheumatoid arthritis primarily involves releasing heat from the patient’s body, as well as a local treatment of the affected

 area, this article will focus on the treatment of Osteoarthritis symptomology. Clearly, any patient with the rheumatoid type

of arthritis pain should be seen by a medical professional to receive an appropriate diagnosis, as the disease can be

progressive and degenerative.

Chinese medicine further defines ‘Cold Bi’ causation as follows; 1.) Wind Bi- this type of Bi can be a moving, migrating pain

or it can be fixed in the patient’s body and is related to rain, cold or wind exposure at its onset. As Chinese Medicine believes

 that many illnesses are allowed into the body by the wind’s action, part of the treatment, according to this theory, involves the

 use of acupuncture or specific massage techniques at ‘wind points’ in order to let out the adverse influence. This is done in

conjunction with treatment of the local affected area or areas with acupuncture, massage techniques and the topical application

of herbal treatment.

2.) ‘Damp Bi’ – this refers to the accumulation of damp in the patient’s body, according to the Chinese Medicine theory.

If a person has this condition internally and then is exposed to a damp condition in the external environment, they can be

diagnosed as having this condition. Treatment of this situation involves the utilization of oral herbal formulas to drain and

dry dampness, as well as application of acupuncture points to achieve this same goal. Then the patient is treated with a

local application of acupuncture points to the affected areas.

3.) ‘Cold Bi’ –this problem can be obtained by a prolonged exposure to the cold weather, as well as by the internal conditions

prevalent with the patient. Individuals who work outside in cold weather without adequate opportunity to warm themselves

can succumb to this type of Bi syndrome.

In addition to the previously mentioned types of Bi symptomology, there exist the diagnosis of ‘Fixed’ Bi and ‘Moving Bi’. As

the names imply, one is migratory in its manifestation, while the other is tied to a specific location in the body.

As well as the previously mentioned types of Bi listed in this article, a person may have several different categories of

manifestation at the same time and that would be their subsequent diagnosis, such as “Wind-Damp Bi” and so on.

Chinese Medicine also uses herbal formulas in the treatment of Bi syndromes. For example, Qian hou ji sheng wan is

a formula utilized in the treatment of a diagnosis of upper body arthritis due to dampness, while Duo huo ji sheng wan

would be utilized for a diagnosis of lower body arthritis due to dampness. These are powerful herbal formulas which should

only be utilized after the appropriate diagnosis has been made by a trained practitioner.  Because the body is seen as a

dynamic whole by Chinese Medicine, no herbal formula should be used long-term without professional input. One should

be extremely cautious not to mix Western pharmaceuticals and any herbal medicines, because many of these “Herb-Drugs”

interactions have not yet been researched and documented, and so can be a potentially dangerous combination.

Philip A. Simpson practices at Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic and is a licensed Acupuncturist with a national certification

in Chinese Herbal Medicine.

 Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic
720 North 30 Street
Beautiful downtown Billings, Montana

Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic
720 N. 30th St.
Billings, MT 59101
PHONE 406·259·5096/FAX 406·248·5655

ync@180com.net

Dispensary
406·254·9682

dispensary@yncnaturally.com