Painful and Stiff Joints

Each year, millions of us suffer from joint pain. It can be the worst pain of all, especially when our mobility is affected.

Arthritis is the most commonly diagnosed cause of painful joints, and there is plenty of research showing that acupuncture is an effective treatment method in helping arthritis patients.

Painful and stiff joints can also have many other causes, including:

• Common cold
• Degenerative disease
• Autoimmune diseases
• Bursitis
• Gout (not always found only in the big toe)
• Infectious diseases
• Injury, such as strains, sprains, fracture
• Tendinitis
• Unusual exertion or overuse

Diagnosing the problem is not difficult with modern technologies like X-rays, MRI's, bone scans, and blood and urine tests; relieving the pain is a main goal to all of us eventually.

With correct diagnosis, treatment with acupuncture can be relatively easy but not without some detailed investigation. For example, arthritis can be caused by accumulated dampness with an external invasion of cold and heat causing obstruction of meridian pathways and affecting energy flow to the joint (Qi-Chi and blood). Besides using acupuncture for pain, in this case, draining dampness and strengthening the spleen (Chinese medicine believes the spleen is in charge of transportation in our body) are also required.

Sometimes, painful and stiff joints can be caused by life style rather than localized trauma. For example, people often wake up with pain in the neck, shoulders, knees or ankles as a result of exposure to cold air (wind invasions) from air conditioners or open windows. Besides regular acupuncture, cupping will also be considered in these cases.

Because Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes a multitude of causes for joint pain, there are also a multitude of treatments.

Contact us today for an free assessment and to discuss how we can help you to improve your mobility and quality of life.