Western and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Arthritis

By Valerie Blankenship

Published in the Colorado Springs Health magazine

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), arthritis is a condition of “stuckness,” particularly “blood stuckness,” where circulation to joints, bones and ligaments has been impaired. In TCM, the most important property that an herb can offer to heal chronic disease, including arthritis, is its ability to “move blood.” TCM explains that chi is our vital energy; also know as nerve force or biological nervous energy. Without chi, blood doesn’t move. Without the movement of blood, you don’t have chi.

In western modern medicine, as well as western herbal medicine, we differentiate between two types of arthritis: in Osteoarthritis there is inflammation, pain and bony changes to the tissue. In many cases there are painful calcifications and bone spurs as well. For the herbalist, circulation, digestion, and elimination are the primary issues to address. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that usually involves a great deal of inflammation and if it is severe, can be very disfiguring. Circulation, digestion, inflammation and immune modulating are all issues a good herbalist will treat in cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

Digestion

Digestion plays a major part in calcium and mineral absorption. Many people have inadequate amounts of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs, which causes malabsorption of minerals and sluggish digestion. In cases where a person is taking antacids or acid blockers on a frequent basis, this problem can become quite severe, causing not only malabsorption of minerals and nutrients, but also a breakdown in the overall digestive system as well. Some people unknowingly take “Tums” (a popular antacid) as a calcium supplement, not realizing the damage they are doing! The use of enzymes can be quite useful in situations where digestion is weak and sluggish. Taken with meals, enzymes assist in the body’s ability to break down and utilize nutrients from food. A valuable herbal preparation that can also be used is a blend of herbs in an alcohol extract called “bitters.” Not to be confused with Swedish bitters, which contain laxatives, bitters will stimulate the body’s own production of hydrochloric acid, enzymes and bile in order to break down food properly.

Diet plays an important role in healing the body of arthritis. The overconsumption of sugar and carbohydrates in the form of white and refined flour can be devastating factors in terms of the health of bones and teeth. In order to retain bone density, a balanced alkalinity must be maintained. This can be achieved by including more green leafy vegetables, beans, and fruits in the diet, and less sugar and carbohydrates. Moderate amounts of protein should be consumed, as well as good quality fats, including olive oil.

A word about the nightshade family. Many people have heard that arthritis sufferers should avoid this important group of vegetables, which includes peppers, tomatoes and potatoes. But it is important to note that only a very small percentage of people suffering from arthritis have allergies to these foods. It would be worth experimenting with a nightshade-free diet for 2 weeks to determine if this is a problem for you if you are an arthritis sufferer. An interesting point, however, if you are allergic to the nightshade family, you probably do not have arthritis, but instead are only suffering from the symptoms of this allergy!

Calcium and Mineral Sources

One of the major issues to look at when dealing with both osteo or rheumatoid arthritis is calcium and mineral consumption and the body’s ability to digest the minerals that are consumed. Calcium and magnesium in a tablet form do not digest easily, and can in fact cause kidney and gallstones, as well as bone spurs. Many people turn to milk products for calcium. But while milk products contain high amounts of calcium, that calcium is not very absorbable due to its alkaline nature and the high amounts of fat and phosphorus it contains. Better sources of dietary calcium are canned Alaskan salmon, where the bones are consumed, sardines, many nuts including almonds and sesame seeds, and all dark green leafy vegetables.

Magnesium-rich herbs, such as nettles, parsley, alfalfa, fennel seeds, marjoram and sage are very helpful for muscle cramps. Nettles and alfalfa in specific, contain calcium, boron and a wide range of minerals as well as magnesium. These herbs should be taken in capsules, since minerals are more absorbable if eaten. If taken as teas or alcohol extracts, absorption will be reduced significantly, since minerals are not very water or alcohol soluble.

Horsetail, or shavegrass, is an herb that typically grows by rivers. It is useful in combinations for arthritis due to its high content of many trace minerals including silica. Silica is a co-factor for calcium, increasing its absorption. This makes it very useful for increasing bone density and strengthening connective tissues. It also improves the osteoblasts in the bones, which helps when recovering from bone fractures.

One dietary change that is quite easy to make is to switch to sea salt, which has more minerals than table salt. If you do this however, it does contain chlorine, which is used in the purification process. To get rid of the chlorine, cook the salt in a pan or wok for a few minutes until you smell the chlorine gas being released.

Topical applications

For stubborn cases of arthritis, there are several very effective topical procedures that can be performed to help relieve pain. One technique that is used in TCM is the use of moxabustion. This is a procedure where mugwort herb is ground and rolled into a tube and lit on one end until a hot ash head is formed, as on a cigarette. The “moxa stick” as it is called, is then passed over the painful, arthritic spot until that area becomes hot, and then it is immediately moved to the next spot, and back and forth until the spots become red, but not blistered. In this way, the veins in the areas of “congestion” are dilated, allowing circulation in those areas. This is extremely effective at relieving pain quickly. Although this technique is typically done in the office of a TCM doctor or an acupuncturist, moxa sticks may be purchased at herbal shops and Chinese groceries for use at home.

Cupping is another TCM procedure where small cups are suctioned onto any area where there is pain due to stagnation, as in arthritis. Because of the lactic acid that is generally stuck in that area, there will usually be a “hicky” formed after removing the cup. This is another powerful technique for getting blood circulation to an arthritic area, which often yields results in just one or two treatments.

Exercise

Yoga is a particularly good form of exercise for anyone suffering from arthritis. It is excellent for pain reduction and maintaining flexibility of the joints and muscles. Clear studies have shown that regular exercise, especially gentle, stretching exercises such as yoga and ti chi, reduce a lot of the pain and discomfort that is experienced by arthritis sufferers.

Herbs for pain and stiffness

Corydalis is an important Chinese herb for sore, stiff muscles. A member of the poppy family, corydalis is one of the strongest herbs available for pain. In addition, it is blood moving. It is always used in combinations with other herbs due to its strong nature and the possibility of side effects if overused.

Many arthritis sufferers have low back pain, which can be worsened by injury or stagnation of blood and vital energy in the area due to physical inactivity. Several herbs that can help include boswellia for pain and body stiffness, and teasel root, which relieves back and knee pain by increasing blood flow to these areas and is also excellent for collapsed disks. Another herb that should not be left out of any article on Chinese herbs used for arthritis is eucommia, which is a rubber tree bark. This herb relieves chronic low back pain like no other herb and in fact, is one of the top 15 Chinese herbs, according to veteran herbalist and author Michael Tierra. Black cohosh, which is commonly known as a women’s hormone balancing herb in the US and Europe, is also a strong antispasmodic, and can be combined with California poppy, kava kava and cramp bark to make a useful blend for muscular stiffness and cramps. Yucca is used to reduce joint inflammation in both types of arthritis sufferers. It can also be useful in cases of gout.

Blood moving, vitalizing herbs are appropriate for both types of arthritis. Turmeric is considered a blood-moving herb, along with dong quai and angelica. Although these two herbs are related, angelica relieves pain and stiffness while dong quai does these things, and in addition it increases the red blood cell count. Tienchi Ginseng, although relatively unknown in the US, is one of the most popular herbs in all of China due to its incredible versatility, including its ability to increase circulation, which makes it a good choice in arthritis.

Common western herbs used for increasing circulation in arthritis include: Prickley ash bark, also called “Toothache tree,” which is a strong stimulate for the circulatory system and can be used internally or topically for osteo or rheumatoid arthritis. It is excellent for nerve pain, especially when used together with St. Johnswort and yellow clover. Guggal, an important herb from India, which is related to myrrh gum, is a warming herb that is a strong blood mover, making it excellent for both types of arthritis. It is used in TCM for any symptoms of aging or stiffness. The combination of guggal and boswellia are extremely useful for any type of pain arthritis. As an added benefit, these two herbs are also excellent for lowering cholesterol and blood lipids!

Antiinflammaries can be very useful for both types of arthritis – and do not have the side effects that the over the counter types have, including the erosion of the stomach lining. On excellent example of this is a common cooking spice from India, the herb turmeric. This herb is a remarkable anti-inflammatory, which also helps to heal the gut lining. White willow bark and boswellia are also excellent inflammatories.

Immune Balancers are used in cases of rheumatoid arthritis, along with herbs from the previously mentioned herbal categories as needed. Since it is an autoimmune disorder, immune function in the case of the rheumatoid arthritis sufferer must be balanced before a deeper level of healing can take place. Maitake, reishi, and licorice are all herbs that fit well into this role of immune normalization.

Alteratives are used to rid the body of the buildup of metabolic waste that may contribute to arthritis. Gentle alterative herbs include burdock, chaparral, red clover, violet leaf, cleavers, dandelion root, and sarsaparilla Stronger alteratives are red root, Oregon grape root, and prickley ash bark.

If you are considering including herbal therapy in your arthritis treatment, contact a trained herbalist who is skilled in treating this condition. Herbal and natural therapies can greatly enhance your body’s ability to heal from both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as increasing your quality of life as you experience this healing journey.