Arthritis and Chinese Herbal Medicine: Relief from the Gardens of Asia

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Monday, January 26th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Arthritis Chinese Herbal Nedicine

Millions of Americans frequently suffer from pains and stiffness in their joints due to arthritis. There are many over-the-counter remedies for arthritis, but few Americans have the knowledge about the many herbal remedies the Chinese have used for centuries to relieve the pain of arthritis.

The Philosophy of Arthritis and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine perceives that the onset of a disease is due to an imbalance between major forces in our body—organ systems, heat versus cold, and the blockage of the flow of blood, and Qi (pronounced “chee”), the life force. Chinese herbal medicine considers arthritis as a restriction of the flow of blood and Qi due to an over-abundance of cold.

Arthritis and Chinese Herbal Medicine—Common remedies and how to find them

Most Chinese herbal medicines for arthritis are available in extremely complex formulations. The most common formulations are Si Miao Wan, Guan Jie Yan Win, and Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan. Most of these formulations are available in the form of teas, extracts or tablets, which you can purchase online, from supply stores for traditional Chinese medicine, or from Asian grocery stores.

Arthritis and Chinese herbal medicine formulations usually include some or all of the following herbs: Yi yi ren (Coix lachrymal jobi/Seeds of Jobs Ears seed), Fang ji (Stephania tetrandra root), Cang zhu (Atractylodes lancea rhizome), Hai tong pi (Erythrina variegata/coral bean bark), Gui zhi (Cinnamomum cassia/cinnamon twig), Xiang jia pi (Periploca sepium root-bark), Huai niu xi (Achyranthes bidentata root), Qin jiao (Gentiana macrophylla/bitter root), Wu zhu yu (Evodia rutaecarpa fruit), Huang qin (Scutellaria baicalensis/skullcap root), Du huo (Angelica pubescens root), Sheng jiang (Zingiber officinale rhizome/ginger root), Sang ji sheng (Taxillus chinensis twig/Mulberry twig), Shu di huang (Rehmannia glutinosa root), Dang shen Codonopsis pilosula root), Fu ling (Poria cocos fungus), Du zhong (Eucommia ulmoides bark), Bai shao (Paeonia lactiflora root), Fang feng (Ledebouriella divaricata root), Gentiana macrophylla root), Chuan xiong (Ligusticum wallichii rhizome/lovage root), and Gan cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis root/licorice root).

It pays to learn the Chinese and English names as well as the scientific names of these Chinese Herbal Medicine remedies for arthritis and where to get hold of them. This way, you will be able to communicate both with the merchants and your health care provider. Bear in mind that you should first consult your condition with your health care provider so that he/she may guarantee that any Chinese herbal medicine that you would take is safe and effective and will not adversely react with your previous prescription medications.

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