Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 medical conditions that affect the skeletal system, specifically joints where two or more bones meet.* It mainly occurs in the joints of the hands, knees, shoulders, hips and lower back.
In Western medicine pain relief is often treated with painkillers which can have serious side effects. Ever thought of acupuncture in combination with Chinese herbs? With this combination we aim to relieve pain and increase mobility. Read further to see why this is so important.
Heat and cold
Osteoarthritis is approached very differently in Chinese medicine than in Western medicine. Western medicine looks at the joints themselves, while in TCM we look at the root cause of your joint pain.
In TCM, osteoarthritis is associated with damp, cold or heat, which brings us back to the concepts of yin and yang. Because cold relates to yin and heat relates to yang. Too little yin may lead to burning pain as yang is in excess, but on the other hand weak yang may lead to contracting cold pain as yin prevails.
Bones and joints are especially sensitive to damp, wind and cold. As a result, people with rheumatic conditions, such as osteoarthritis, experience more pain in Autumn and Winter. According to TCM it is always important to stay warm, but if you have arthritis it is extra important to dress warmly during winter because the cold will spread throughout your body and creep into your bones causing your Qi and blood to stagnate. If the stagnation stays there too long, bones and joints can change causing pain, stiffness, inflammation or thickening of the joints.
With acupuncture we encourage your blood and qi to flow smoothly again in your body in order to relieve pain and improve mobility.