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Chinese medicine practitioner Lai Ruixin reminds that if you experience persistent joint swelling and pain, morning stiffness or limited movement, you should seek medical evaluation as soon as possible to avoid delaying treatment. Through physician diagnosis, regular tracking and life adjustments, we help patients maintain joint function and quality of life. (Taken from the post)
Ms. Chen, 45, suddenly discovered a year ago that the finger joints of her hands were stiff and uncomfortable when she got up in the morning, as if they were stuck with glue. She had to soak in hot water and move for more than half an hour before they could gradually stretch. As the symptoms worsened, the fingers began to appear red, swollen and painful, which even affected daily activities such as playing the piano and holding chopsticks. After medical examination, he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
At first, Ms. Chen received Western medicine treatment, but because she had a history of gastric ulcers, she was prone to stomach discomfort after using anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, and her condition was not controlled as expected, so she turned to traditional Chinese medicine. After evaluation by a Chinese medicine practitioner, it was deemed that the syndrome was of "damp-heat obstruction and spleen and stomach weakness". Chinese medicine practitioner Lai Ruixin, director of the Hanmingtang Chinese Medicine Clinic, prescribed Chinese medicine to clear away heat, remove dampness, and regulate the spleen and stomach according to the body's constitution, along with acupuncture treatment. After a period of conditioning, Ms. Chen felt that her stomach discomfort and joint stiffness had improved, and her quality of life gradually recovered.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects more than just the joints
Traditionally, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have relied on Western medicine to control their condition, including steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs) or biologics. However, some patients may suffer from gastrointestinal discomfort and other problems due to drugs during the treatment process, so they have also begun to seek integrated care of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Chinese medicine practitioner Lai Ruixin pointed out that rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease. Under normal circumstances, the immune system is responsible for defending against foreign pathogens, but patients with rheumatoid arthritis have abnormal immune responses that may attack their own joint synovium, causing inflammation and proliferation, further causing damage to cartilage and bone, and in severe cases, affecting joint function.
"Many people think that rheumatoid arthritis is just joint pain and it will go away after a while. This is a common misunderstanding." Chinese medicine doctor Lai Ruixin said that rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease throughout the body, and long-term inflammation may also affect overall health, so continuous tracking and treatment are needed.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, rheumatoid arthritis is related to Qi and blood imbalance and meridian blockage
Dr. Lai Ruixin, a Chinese medicine practitioner, said that Chinese medicine classifies rheumatoid arthritis into the category of "Bi syndrome" or "尪abi". "The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" records: "The three qi of wind, cold, and dampness come together and combine to cause numbness."
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, its formation is related to internal and external factors:
●Internal causes: Patients may have insufficient congenital endowment or acquired overwork, resulting in weak spleen and kidneys, insufficient qi and blood, and reduced body defense capabilities.
●External factors: Wind, cold, dampness, heat and other external factors may invade the meridians when they are weak.
When external evils interact with moisture and blood stasis in the body, causing qi and blood to not flow smoothly, symptoms such as joint pain and swelling may occur.
According to different syndrome types, treatment directions are different in acute phase and remission phase.
Chinese medicine doctor Lai Ruixin said that clinical syndrome differentiation will be based on the patient's symptoms and constitution, and the common types can be divided into the following types:
1. Xingbi (excessive wind evil)
The location of the pain may vary, such as alternating pain in the wrist, knee, etc. The main treatment directions are to dispel wind and dredge collaterals, dissipate cold and remove dampness.
2. Pain and numbness (cold evil is more prevalent)
Common joint pain is obvious, aggravated by cold and relieved by warmth. The main treatment directions are to warm the meridians, dispel cold, and relieve pain.
3. Bi (dampness is more prevalent)
Joint swelling, heaviness, and prolonged stiffness in the morning are common. The main treatment directions are to remove dampness, dredge collaterals, and dispel wind and cold.
4. Heat paralysis (heat evil is excessive)
Common joints are red, swollen, hot, and painful, and the local area feels hot to the touch. The main treatment directions are to clear away heat and reduce swelling.
Chinese medicine combined with acupuncture helps improve pain and discomfort in activities
In addition to taking Chinese medicine internally, Chinese medicine will also help improve symptoms with external treatments. Acupuncture can regulate the flow of qi and blood by stimulating relevant acupoints. Clinically, local acupuncture points are selected according to the painful area, such as relevant acupoints on the wrists and knees, and are used with distal acupoints such as Hegu and Taichong for conditioning.
For patients in the chronic remission period who have symptoms such as cold joints and chills, Chinese medicine may also use hot compresses, traditional Chinese medicine fumigation or moxibustion, etc. to adjust according to individual constitution.
Lifestyle habits are also important for long-term management of rheumatoid arthritis
Chinese medicine doctor Lai Ruixin reminds that rheumatoid arthritis requires long-term management. In addition to cooperating with the doctor's treatment, you should also pay attention to the following in daily life:
●Maintain a regular schedule: Avoid staying up late for long periods of time and maintain good sleep habits.
●Pay attention to keeping your joints warm: When it’s cold or when you wake up in the morning, you can use warmth to help relieve stiffness and discomfort.
●Moderate exercise: Avoid being completely inactive due to fear of pain. You can choose low-impact exercises such as Tai Chi, Baduanjin, swimming or walking according to your physical condition to maintain joint mobility and muscle strength.
Chinese medicine practitioner Lai Ruixin reminds that if you experience persistent joint swelling and pain, morning stiffness or limited movement, you should seek medical evaluation as soon as possible to avoid delaying treatment. Through physician diagnosis, regular tracking and life adjustments, we help patients maintain joint function and quality of life.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis should also pay attention to their daily life: maintain a regular schedule, keep their joints warm, and exercise moderately. (Taken from the post)
This article is reproduced with permission from the Health Medical Network/reported by reporter Chen Jingan. Don’t ignore stiff fingers and swollen and painful joints! Medical talks on integrated care of traditional Chinese and Western medicine for rheumatoid arthritis
