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I frequently treat people with arthritis, and many of my clients respond well.  Whilst acupuncture cannot cure arthritis, many sufferers report a reduction in their symptoms and find they are able to do more and live a more fulfilled life with ongoing acupuncture treatment. 

The different types of arthritis are classified according to their symptoms:

‘Damp Bi'

This describes the arthritis where joints are swollen.  Several joints may be affected by Damp, which means there is too much fluid in the joints.  Some fluid is essential to lubricate and nourish the joints, but when this fluid becomes excessive it causes swelling and prevents the joint from moving properly.  The channels become blocked at the joints causing pain.  This is often seen in Britain where we have quite a damp climate and also many of the foods we eat are classified as "Damp" in Chinese medicine.

‘Hot Bi'

Rheumatoid Arthritis, when the joints are hot & swollen, is known as Hot Bi.  Here, Damp and Heat combine causing very painful joints.

‘Wind Bi'

Joint pain which moves from one joint to the next is known as 'Wandering Bi' or 'Wind Bi'. This is because the nature of Wind is to move around and to come and go quickly.

‘Cold Bi'

When the joints are cold to touch and frequently swollen too, this is referred to as 'Cold Bi Syndrome'.   This can be caused by spending long hours in the cold without protecting the body adequately against the weather.  Cold can enter the channels and affect the unprotected joints.

'Bony Bi'

This is late stage arthritis where bony nodules have built up in the joints.

Qi stagnation

This is where the Qi energy in the channels is not flowing smoothly.  When Qi gets stuck, pain results.  Qi can stagnate when the individual is suffering from emotional stress and the effects can be long-lasting.  With Qi stagnation, the person often has a history of emotional difficulties.

In practice, most people who have arthritis will have a mixture of two or more of the Bi Syndromes.  An acupuncturist will normally be able to identify the underlying conditions which have allowed an individual to develop arthritis, and this will be treated too.

Acupuncture can be very helpful for people with arthritis of all descriptions as it helps to unblock and remove obstruction from the channels in the body.  Advice may be given on lifestyle or dietary changes which can help the patient towards better health.

How well does Arthritis respond to acupuncture?

Success of treatment depends on how effectively acupuncture can re-balance the body. If the arthritis is very deep-seated then acupuncture may simply be able to offer pain relief and help prevent the disease from progressing further. If the imbalance is not so severe, or if the patient is strong, then acupuncture can be extremely helpful.

There is always a more general (and deeper) systemic imbalance within the body that is the root cause of the arthritis.  For treatment to be effective both the manifestation (i.e. the joint pain) and the root need to be treated.