Chinese Medicine for Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

In Chinese medicine, arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are classified under “Bi Syndrome” (Painful Obstruction Syndrome) — a condition caused by wind, cold, dampness, or heat invading the joints and blocking the free flow of energy (qi) and blood. The type of pain and its triggers—whether shifting, fixed, hot, or cold—reveal the dominant pathogenic factor. Treatment aims to expel the invading element, restore circulation, and relieve joint pain.

Wind-Predominating Type

Common Signs

  • Joint pain that moves from one joint to another

  • Sudden attacks of pain

  • Numbness or stiffness in muscles

  • Headache with heavy sensation or fear of wind

  • Sneezing, nasal congestion, or cough

  • Itchy skin

  • Mild diarrhea or loose stools

Treatment Principle
Expel wind, disperse cold, and remove dampness to restore circulation.

Herbal Formula: Fang-Feng-Tang

Helpful Foods: Peppermint, spearmint, sweet basil, celery, coconut meat, green onion

Cold-Predominating Type

Common Signs

  • Severe joint pain worsened by cold and relieved by warmth

  • Cold hands, feet, and body

  • Pale complexion

  • Stiff tendons and muscles

  • Lack of thirst and perspiration

  • Headache at the back of the neck

  • Diarrhea with sticky stools

  • Preference for warm drinks

Treatment Principle
Warm the body, dispel cold, and remove wind and dampness.

Herbal Formula: Wu-Tou-Tang

Helpful Foods: Cayenne pepper, dill seed, fennel, fresh ginger, mustard seed, prickly ash, star anise, mustard, wine

Dampness-Predominating Type

Common Signs

  • Heaviness or swelling in joints

  • Pain localized in one area and worsened by damp weather

  • Fatigue or heaviness in body and limbs

  • Edema in feet or legs

  • Dizziness or sluggish thinking

  • Loose stools or mild diarrhea

  • Sticky skin eruptions or eczema

  • Desire for warm drinks and tendency to sleep a lot

Treatment Principle
Strengthen the spleen, drain dampness, expel wind, and warm the channels.

Herbal Formula: Yi-Yi-Ren-Tang

Helpful Foods: Carp, celery, horse bean, jellyfish skin, Job’s tears, prickly ash, hyacinth bean, oregano, sweet basil, adzuki bean, bamboo shoot, soybean sprouts, rosin

Heat-Predominating Type

Common Signs

  • Red, swollen, hot joints with severe pain

  • Burning sensations or difficulty moving joints

  • Fever or thirst with strong desire for cold drinks

  • Red eyes, red complexion, or red urine

  • Constipation or foul-smelling stools

  • Yellow, sticky sputum

  • Scant, dark urine

  • Sore throat or swollen tonsils

Treatment Principle
Clear heat, expel wind, remove dampness, and cool the blood.

Herbal Formula: Bai-Hu-Jia-Gui-Zhi-Tang

Helpful Foods: Banana, bitter endive, black fungus, salt, spinach, strawberry, bamboo shoot, cucumber, Job’s tears, laver, beet leaf, mung bean, peppermint, purslane

Summary
Chinese medicine identifies arthritis as a blockage of energy and blood circulation caused by environmental factors:

  • Wind type pain moves around.

  • Cold type pain is sharp and worsens with cold.

  • Damp type pain feels heavy or swollen.

  • Heat type pain is burning and inflamed.

Treatment seeks to remove the invading factor, restore flow through the meridians, and balance the body’s internal climate. When energy and blood move freely, pain lessens and mobility returns naturally.