May is National Arthritis Month
An x-ray of arthritis in the hand
Arthrtis is the most common cause of disability in the U.S.
The Arthritis Foundation notes: “Arthritis is a debilitating disease that profoundly impacts the lives of millions of Americans on a daily basis,” said John H. Klippel, M.D., president and CEO, Arthritis Foundation. “The effects of the 46 million Americans with arthritis on the economy are enormous; the direct and indirect medical costs of this disease are estimated to be $128 billion each year. With the aging of baby boomers, the prevalence of arthritis is expected to rise by 40 percent - that is up to 67 million people - by the year 2030.
Nearly all those suffering with arthritis have pain as a or the major symptom. While acupuncture doesn’t cure arthritis, when combined with Chinese herbs, it is very effective in helping to manage or even eliminate pain.
Arthritis and Chinese Medicine
Arthritis in Chinese medicine is called Bi Zheng, which translates as painful obstruction syndrome. The flow of Qi and Blood is blocked causing pain and joint movement limitations. Most commonly, these conditions are made worse by Wind, Cold and Damp (Chinese pathogens), and many patients complain that these environmental factors worsen their pain.
In China and the U.S., acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is used widely to help control the pain of arthritis. Treatments are most helpful and long-lasting when arthritis is in the early stages. For those with late stage arthritis and joint deformity, acupuncture can still help manage pain effectively, though it cannot repair the damage done to the joints.
Two recent cases I’ve treated show just some of the ways that acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be helpful in the management of arthritis:
The first is an 82 year-old man. He came to my office with advanced arthritis, significant joint deformity in his toes and fingers, with widespread pain and movement limitations. He could not hold a glass of water without dropping it because of the pain. He began a series of 8 acupuncture treatments, and I prescribed a Chinese herbal limiment to be used externally at home between treatments. By the 6th treatment, though no change was seen in the joint deformitites, the patient had enough reduction in pain that he was not only holding a water glass, but starting to play a little golf in his backyard. Continued treatment will be needed to maintain this progress in such an advanced case, but the patient is very happy with his results.
The second is a 62 year-old woman with early stage arthritis. She had joint aches in her hands, especially during cold or damp weather and during weather changes. She began a series of 6 acupuncture treatments, and took a Chinese herb formula internally. By the end of the six treatment, the aches were gone from her hands, even during weather changes. Her case is now managed with herbs and diet alone, and she has had no recurrence of pain in over four months.
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