An early sign of arthritis are stiff joints in the morning after waking up. It later develops into constant joint pain.

In Western Medicine

In Western Medicine there are more than 100 types of arthritis which include psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. The common symptoms of arthritis are pain and a limited range of motion of the joints as well as inflammation, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, redness and warmth of the joints.  

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

From a TCM perspective, POS (Painful Obstruction Syndrome) is pain, swelling, soreness, stiffness of joints, tendons and muscles invaded by exterior pathogens such as Wind, Cold, Dampness, and Heat. It is also due to an already weak constitution(Liver/Kidney deficiency) which allows the pathogens to penetrate.

Symptoms

Different individuals may experience different symptoms, including:

- Pain of the joints, tendons and muscles before or during raining season

- Stiffness in the morning

- Fingers or toes changing shape

- Pain can be in the neck, shoulders, back, hands, arms, fingers and may not stay in the same area

- Tiredness and dizziness

- Fatigue and poor appetite

Diet & Prevention

Drink plenty of water to encourage the excretion of toxins. It is best to avoid eating preserved food, animal organs, sour foods such as vinegar, oranges, grapefruit, gooseberries, pickles, and yoghurt, bean products, fermented food, chocolate and/or food that is high in salt. No smoking or drinking alcohol and coffee.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the following herbs are recommended for individuals with Arthritis

• Angelica Root
• Incised Notopterygium Root
• Prepared Rehmannia
• Large Leaf Gentian Root
• Twotooth Achyranthes Root
• Poria
• Coix

 

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.