Chinese Herbs for Arthritis

People complain join pain in the cold season becuase of arthristis. For this reason, Arthristis makes them feel weakness with their elbows and legs. I am curious how Chinese Medicine can help a lot of this kind of patients w/o corticosteroids drug.  Here I find good information to share.  

East Meets West

When the two popular pain medications Vioxx and Bextra were taken off of the market because they could cause heart problems, patients began struggling to find relief. Most over-the-counter medications simply do not offer the kind of pain relief needed for arthritis patients. In order to have the same effect, over-the-counter medications need to be taken in higher than recommended doses. Many of these drugs have adverse side effects in higher dosages, such as liver failure.

Many patients have begun looking to herbal remedies as a way to manage pain. Western physicians are reluctant to accept Eastern medicines as viable, though there are a few naturopathic physicians, which are licensed to practice traditional western medicine as well as holistic medicine.
Before prescribing Chinese herbs for arthritis, a Chinese herbalist will determine what the causes are of the arthritis. They will consider the following examinations before determining a course of action. They are:

Traditional Chinese Medicine

• Bi Syndrome- determined by the types of weather conditions that make the symptoms worse
• Liver Not Smoothing the Qi- since the liver affects the functioning of the joints and tendons, it needs to be working properly and treated if it is not
• Third Stage Injury- injuries to the joints and tendons must also be treated

Once these problems are assessed the herbalist can then prescribe the proper herbs and treatment program for the patient to follow.
There are several herbal remedies that can be used as part of a pain management program for arthritis. As with all herbal remedies, they should be taken only after you have consulted with your physician, especially if you are taking other prescription medications to treat your disease, as in rheumatoid arthritis .

 

Some Chinese Herbs for Arthritis

• Angelica (Dong Quai)- used as a muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory and for pain relief.

A tonic is made from the root of the plant, which can be taken orally.

• Astragulus (Huang qi or Huang Ch’) -the dried root of the plant can be used in tea to boost the immune system
• Ginger (Gan Jiang)– used as an anti-inflammatory. Fresh roots are used in a tea or compress.
• Boswellia- used as an anti-inflammatory. Gum resin extract is used in topical creams or may also be made into a tea to be taken internally
• Alfalfa (Qadb) - used as an anti-inflammatory. A tea can be made of the plant and mint leaves. The sprouts can also be eaten in salads, sandwiches or alone.
• Feverfew- used as an anti-inflammatory, the heads of the flowers can be made into a tea
• Hops (Lu-ts’ao) – fresh flowers of the plants are made into a poultice to be placed on inflamed joints or taken internally when made into a tea
• Curcumin (E-Zhu) – used to treat inflammation, an extract from the root of the plant can be used to make a tea Traditional Western MedicineThe treatment for arthritis in traditional western medicine is to treat the pain and inflammation. Over-the-counter medications are typically prescribed for treating these conditions.
  Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are treated quite differently. Their condition is not only one of pain and inflammation, but their autoimmune system is attacking their joints. Typical medications in pill form that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are prescriptions such as COX-2 inhibitors, methotrexate and quinine. There are also new drugs on the market for rheumatoid arthritis that can be injected, which include Humira and Enbrel.

Since the difference in the ways these two types of arthritis are treated, it is important to discuss any herbal remedies with the treating physician first. Chinese herbs for arthritis can counteract prescription medications while others may intensify them or cause undesirable side effects.