2 central ideas that guide TCM practitioners

Qi or life energy

Qi is life power or vital force. TCM professionals believe that Qi goes through your body and it’s constantly moving and transforming. Several types of Chinese medicine for joint pain focus on how to keep the flow of Qi in your body active and moving.

Yin and Yang

These two opposites describe the key characteristics of Qi. Yin is hot, light, feminine, day, and hollow. Yang is cold, heavy, masculine, night, and strong. To have optimal health you need to have a balance between the yin and yang of Qi. If one runs out balance, you can become ill.

Inevitably, TCM is centred around developing consistency between yin and yang, consequently allowing the healthy and balanced circulation of Qi through-out your body.

Differing from western medicine

In TCM we see swelling and diagnose it in a somewhat different way than in Western Medicine. TCM call this a pattern or disorder. For example, we categorise arthritis as a Bi pattern, equated this would be a painful obstruction syndrome (POS). This allows us recognize that there is discomfort, yet it does not identify the cause.

For example, where arthritis is worried, I listen to clients stating the winter causes discomfort or swelling, others find humidity and warm makes them feel even worse. So, both have POS, yet the patterns are different. The Cold pattern requires warming, moving the stagnation of QI or blood. The Heat pattern would require a therapy to get rid of excess warmth and move the stasis (clogs) locked in the joints triggering pain. The TCM professional would after that picked and advise acupuncture points, natural herbs or anti-inflammatory foods according to the pattern, this would be distinct to the client.

The TCM therapy for joint discomfort is based on the classification of Bone Bi triggering the issues. If you do pursue TCM therapy for your joint pain, ask your TCM specialist regarding Wind Bi, Cold Bi, Damp Bi, and Heat Bi.

Types of treatments for joint pain

Based on the type of Bone Bi triggering the joint pain, the TCM therapy plan will likely involve a mix of:

Acupuncture

The needles are generally placed into the impacted joints and excruciating locations. This stimulates blood circulation and circulation, assisting to alleviate the obstruction that is causing the pain, inflammation, and rigidity.

Natural herbs

Based on the type of blockage (Cold Bi or Heat Bi), an organic treatment is utilized to remove excessive cool or heat in the body. When this happens, the joints can shift more freely, and the rigidity is generally gone.

Workout

Like western treatment, there is a substantial belief and comprehension within TCM of the value of physical activity to relieve joint discomfort and pain connected with arthritis. Mild exercise such as Tai Chi, swimming, strolling, flexing, and cycling are optimal.