Traditional Chinese Medicine and Arthritis
The Benefits of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Arthritis
At IMEG Health®, our highly-skilled, experienced practitioners conduct in-depth consultations and then make treatment recommendations based on the pattern differentiation. Some cases can be resolved by acupuncture alone while others require a comprehensive therapy of acupuncture and herbal medicine.
There are more than 100 types of arthritis—the two most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most widespread, affecting approximately 3 million Canadians, mostly over the age of 45. Although both forms result in joint pain, they are completely different diseases. Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been shown to be effective in the treatment of arthritis.
Studies Support the Efficacy of Acupuncture and Herbal Therapy in the Treatment of Arthritis
Research confirms that TCM provides relief from the symptoms of arthritis with negligible side effects.
Many cases have reported an 80% success rate.
When used with conventional care practices, acupuncture has proven to be very effective with pain reduction and enhanced joint mobility, especially when complemented with exercise and weight reduction.
It is believed that acupuncture may deliver an anti-inflammatory response, which could provide the same benefits as an anti-inflammatory pain reliever without any side effects.
The Annals of Internal Medicine published a study of 570 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Patients had a 40% decrease in pain and almost a 40% improvement in knee function.
There have also been countless studies done using Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of arthritis. One study administered the herb lei gong teng to 13 participants over a 12 – 18 month period.
All of the patients that completed the program experienced marked improvement and one person experienced a complete remission!
Combining Traditional Chinese Medicine with Conventional Medicine
With the advent of Integrative Medicine, blending TCM with conventional Western medicine is becoming more mainstream.
In one study conducted to test the efficacy of using conventional medicine with TCM, rats were given the drug dexamethasone combined with the Chinese herb rehmannia (shu di huang), both commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Although dexamethasone is an excellent anti-infammatory, it prevents the adrenal glands from producing corticosterone. The results of the study showed that rehmannia prevented this inhibition from occuring. This is very important because corticosterone is necessary to maintain proper metabolism and blood glucose levels.
These studies conclude that using herbs in combination with corticosteroids prove to be an effective arthritis treatment.