Arthritis is a condition in which chronic swelling and inflammation damage joints. It is currently the leading cause of disability in people above the age of sixty-five. Of the many forms of arthritic conditions-including rheumatoid, psoriatic, and gout-related arthritis--osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form, affecting at least 21 million Americans.

Westsern medicine:
Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, in which there is an active inflammatory process occurring at the joints, OA is a degenerative disease in which the soft cartilage of the joints is slowly degraded. The causes of OA may involve aging, wear and tear, genetic predisposition, obesity, metabolic and hormonal disorders, repetitive-use injuries, and even gout. The onset of OA is gradual.

Symptoms usually appear after the age of fifty. The most common symptoms include deep, aching joint pain (most often in the back, knees, hips, spine, and fingers) that gets worse with movement, stiffness upon waking and with inactivity, joint swelling and warmth, and inflexibility and a limited range of motion in the joints accompanied by crunching or crackling noises with movement. In severe cases abnormal bony growths, such as bumps on the outermost finger joints, may be present. One of the best preventive measures for OA is exercise and weight loss.

Inflammation produced by a faulty immune system can lead to rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis. The causes of the immune reaction are unknown. However, clinical observations suggest pathogens, environmental toxins, and emotional stress (when coupled with genetic predispositions) as the most likely triggers.

Western treatment generally focuses on relieving pain and preventing further joint damage. Often this is done through the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and other medications, as well as, through self-care and physical therapy. In some cases, surgery may even be needed.

Chinses Medecine:
According to Chinese medicine theory there are several disease factors that can cause arthritis. These include cold invading the joints, pathogenic wind disturbing the joints, dampness congealing in the joints, and heat scorching the joints. Chinese medicine categorizes arthritic conditions into four types based on their symptom presentation: cold, wind, damp and heat.

• Cold arthritis symptoms include sharp, stabbing pain in fixed locations and coldness in the joints. The pain is relieved by heat. These individuals usually have a pale complexion.
-Wind arthritis manifests with pain that shifts locations, comes and goes suddenly, and sometimes causes dizziness-behaving much like the wind.
• Damp arthritis symptoms include sluggishness, heavy sensations in the extremities, swelling, obesity, and dull, deep lingering pain.

• Heat arthritis is characterized by red, swollen, painful joints that are warm to the touch, and general disability. These symptoms often occur suddenly.
Sometimes these condition types can be seen together, as in the cases of dampness and heat or dampness and cold.

Our approach focuses on proper differentiation of the type of arthritis according to Chinese medicine and then modu­lating the immune system-by reducing excess or nourishing deficiency- to support healthy immune function. Acupuncture works well in managing pain and inflammation, while herbal and nutritional therapies nurture the healing process.