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Arthritis refers to the more than 100 distinct diseases that cause pain and swelling, and limit movement in joints and connective tissue. Arthritis is the number one cause of severe pain and disability which limits physical activity.

Over 50 million Americans suffer from some form of arthritis. The usual age of onset for arthritis is between 30 and 40, but the disease may start at any age and may even strike children.

Women are affected by rheumatoid arthritis three times as often as men, and about 16 percent of the females population over 65 have the disease.

True Arthritis comes in two forms osteoarthritis and rheumatoid.

The main symptoms of arthritis are:

Joint immobility
Inflammation or enlargement of the joints
Stiffness
Swelling
Pain
Deformity
Osteoarthritis
Anorexia
Poor diet
Excessive caffeine
Long term use of corticosteroids, anticoagulant or anti-seizure medications
Lack of exercise
Kidney, liver, thyroid and endocrine disease
 
Rheumatoid

The synovial membrane becomes thickened and inflamed. The inflammation causes cartilage to break down at the pivot point of the joint, while excess synovial fluid cause the cavity to swell.

From Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view, "Qi," (pronounced "chee") travels between the Exterior and Interior (internal organs) through the joints. Joint impairment is the result of blockage of Qi, and blood. Since the body's priority is to protect the Interior, defensive energy (Wei Qi) ideally dispels invading pathogenic factors at the Exterior, between the muscles and the skin. When the impaired circulation cannot provide nourishment or carry away wastes for the joint structures in the area, the first result is pain. In acupuncture theory, this condition is called blockage syndrome.

A combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine is helpful to restore the normal flow of Qi and blood and to strengthen any underlying weaknesses. This provides the quickest and most complete approach to the relief of pain and the healing of damaged tissues

.Acupuncture: Clinical studies have confirmed that acupuncture help to reduce the suffering of conditions like arthritis at a reasonable cost and with a minimum of risk and side effects.

Acupressure for arthritis can help ward off some of the pain during expected attacks—when the weather changes or after heavy use of the afflicted joint—and during the painful episode itself. If stress triggers your arthritis, acupressure can also be an effective relaxant. Read the description of the technique

Herbs: Chinese medicine has a great deal to offer in the treatment of arthritis, and there has been a lot of research into this in China. The results which can be achieved with acupuncture, sometimes combined with herbs.
Acupuncture and Massage for Arthritis Patients
...acupuncture and massage for arthritis patients get the pdf file of this graph (printable) get instructions on downloading acrobat reader ...
Herbal Medicine Better than Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis
...herbal medicine better than drugs for rheumatoid arthritis get the pdf file of this graph (printable) get instructions on downloading acrobat reader ...
Acupuncture Helps Treat Knee Pain
... Patients in the acupuncture group had a greater reduction of pain and stiffness and improved functioning and quality of life compared to the patients in the placebo group...
New Support for Acupuncture in Knee Arthritis
... Acupuncture as a complementary therapy to pharmacological treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee is more effective than pharmacological treatment alone," the researchers conclude...
Herbs for Arthritis
...suggest you hook up with a Chinese medicine herbalist for a one on one consult, diagnosis, and prescription...
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