arthritis type

arthritis type

A type of arthritic complaint in the construct of traditional Chinese medicine, which views disease as an interruption of the flow of Qi/Chi through meridians due to pathogens—wind, cold, damp or damp-heat.
Traditional Chinese Medicine aims to treat the specific symptoms unique to each individual using various techniques (e.g., acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises) to restore imbalances found in the body; thus, each person treated with Oriental medicine for joint pain will receive a unique, customised treatment with different acupuncture points, different herbs and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.
Arthritis types
• Re bi (Hot arthritis)—Pain and swelling in 1+ joints; the pulse is fast and slippery; the tongue is usually covered by a dry yellow coating on the tongue. 
• Tong bi (Painful arthritis)— Severe pain that lingers for days in 1+ joints; it is caused by excessive cold, which slows the flow of chi and blood; it is worsened by cold and inactivity, improved by heat; the joints are not usually inflamed. 
• Xing bi (Migratory arthritis)—Pain moving around the body, caused by wind, dampness and cold, which obstructs the flow of chi and circulation; the patients are thin, dislike the wind, and may have a white coating on the tongue.
• Zuo bi (Fixed arthritis)—Dampness and stagnation of the flow of chi and circulation; the affected joints become heavy and numb; there is a greasy white coating on the tongue; the pain is worse on rainy and cloudy days.