Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Disease description:
For many years now, every morning when I wake up, my knees have been particularly stiff, painful, and unable to bend. Today my son took me to the hospital for an examination, and the doctor diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis. What are the traditional Chinese medicine treatments for rheumatoid arthritis?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Tiesheng
TCM treatment of rheumatoid arthritis focuses on syndrome differentiation and treatment, aiming to relieve symptoms and control disease progression through internal administration of herbal medicine, external applications, and TCM physical therapies.
1. Internal Administration of Chinese Herbal Medicine: According to the condition and syndrome types, appropriate Chinese medicinal materials are selected for internal use, such as Gypsum Fibrosum (Baihu), Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi), and Aconite Root (Wutou), primarily aiming to dispel wind and cold, remove dampness, promote circulation of meridians, and nourish the liver and kidneys.
2. External Application of Chinese Herbal Medicine: External treatment methods, such as Musk Plaster (Shexiang Zhuanggu Gao) or Joint Pain Relieving Plaster (Guanjie Zhitong Gao), are applied topically on affected areas to achieve effects of clearing heat, removing dampness, reducing swelling, and relieving pain.
3. TCM Physical Therapies: Including acupuncture and massage, these therapies can promote blood circulation, unblock meridians, and alleviate joint discomfort. For example, moxibustion at Ashi points is suitable for individuals with yang deficiency constitution and obstruction due to cold-dampness.
