here are many different types of arthritis. The most common type, and the one people are most familiar with, is Osteoarthritis, which usually develops over a number of years, affecting a number of joints. But other types of arthritis are becoming more prevalent in recent years including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Juvenile Arthritis, and I am seeing more and more of them presenting in clinic.

No matter the type of arthritis the underlying process is one of chronic, unregulated, inflammation; resulting in pain, reduced mobility and stiffness for the patient. Unfortunately, there is no cure but patient care is currently centred round management of symptoms.

Chinese Medicine has a lot to offer arthritis patients. A combination of acupuncture, moxibustion Gua Sha and Cupping can be used to significantly reduce or even eliminate pain and to increase mobility of any affected joints and tissues. Swelling and deformity can be managed and progression of the disease can be slowed or even stopped. In addition, dietary and lifestyle advice can be used to augment these results. Chinese Medicine assesses food from an energetic perspective (hot, cold, damp-forming etc) and when diagnosing a patient according to Chinese Medicine then one’s diet can be altered to rebalance any imbalances within the individual. Typically, arthritic patients have excess heat and damp in their system; think hot, swollen, inflamed joints! Therefore, these patients can be advised about foods that are energetically hot (eg; ginger, pork) or damp (eg; dairy products, bananas) and told to avoid or cut down on them and then advised on what to replace them with, in this instance, cooling, nourishing foods.

If you are suffering with some sort of arthritis and if it is affecting the quality of your life then why not give Chinese Medicine a go and see if it can do something for you?